Nevada Gambling Control Board chairman Mark Lipparelli has decided to call it a day before the end of his statutory four-year term. The chairman could have stayed on until December and said that his decision to leave early was to give the new man time to bed in.
Lipparelli explained the decision was a “personal” one before adding: “Once I decided not to serve another term, I thought this would be the best way to go about a smooth transition. If I had waited until Dec. 31, the new chairman could have been in a tough spot with the Legislature bearing down.”
Governor Brian Sandoval found out the news earlier this month and of Lipparelli he commented: “Mark’s leadership in pushing to modernize functions of the agency, a continuing priority for me, has helped move Nevada forward and set the groundwork for the next generation of gaming.”
Lipparelli’s four year term has coincided with Nevada looking to become the first US state to allow online poker and his technology background is credited with helping the adoption. Sandoval further backed this up by stating: “His insight and foresight, particularly in the area of online gaming, have been an invaluable asset to my administration and he will be missed.”
One of the other two members of the state’s regulatory board are likely to take on the role, meaning either A.G. Burnett or Shawn Reid becoming the new chairman and a new board member being named. What this will mean for the online gambling industry is unclear and it can only be hoped that whoever takes the role carries on the sterling work of Lipparelli with regards online poker.
