Nevada Says No Weed at the Poker Tables!

6 years ago
Nevada Says No Weed at the Poker Tables!
08:26
05 Sep

(Photo: Saleminteractivemedia.com)

The state of Nevada may recently have paved the way for the legal use, sale and possession of marijuana, but for weed-smoking poker players and gamblers the story is not quite so rosy, the Nevada Gambling Commission last week deciding not to allow it in, or on, any property which they regulate.

Those who enjoy a bit of green to relax during tournaments or simply as a lifestyle recreational choice had been hoping that the Commission would look favourably on the matter, but as the Las Vegas Review Journal pointed out: ‘the five-member board that sets policy for the gaming industry reiterated that as long as marijuana consumption and possession is viewed as a felony by federal authorities, it will have no place in Nevada casinos.’


As Cannabist.com explained when the annual WSOP was in Vegas this summer:

“State gambling regulators have directed casinos to abide by federal law, which outlaws the drug. That means tourists will have a hard time finding a place to use it legally despite being the biggest expected piece of the market.”

And that disappointment for weed-smokers looks unlikely to change anytime soon, even though discussions by the Gaming Commission are set to run for several months as they try to work out whether a specific policy is required for all licensees.

“We’ve got some work to do in terms of distilling what is going to be the policy and how it should be manifested,” NGC member Terry Johnson said afterwards, adding “Is it going to be sufficient to make policy-type pronouncements or is it going to be necessary to adopt rules that put everyone on notice as to what the requirements and expectations are?”

The 1-hour long discussion touched on many points related to the use of marijuana, what Chairman Tony Alamo considered “the least controversial aspects of potentially bringing marijuana into casino resorts” and which included “potential third-party and business associations between licensees and individuals and companies involved in the marijuana industry”.

(Photo: AP.org)


MerryJane.com (think about it!) said of the recent discussions in the state: ‘Although Nevada’s recreational cannabis started off with a boom, the state’s longstanding alcohol and gaming sectors have been reluctant to accept the newly established market.’

‘Liquor wholesalers are fighting tooth and nail to appeal a recent court decision that would permit distribution licensing to applicants outside of the booze industry. Meanwhile, gaming regulators have urged casinos to keep an eye out for stoned gamblers on their premises.’

As Tyler Koslow says in his short article, ‘Until federal illegality is lifted, there’s a good chance that bringing your bud to the blackjack table will be an automatic bust.’ That goes for the poker tables and casino car-parks too, although a little too late to stop Brian Micon!


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Andrew from Edinburgh, Scotland, is a professional journalist, international-titled chess master, and avid poker player.Read more

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