Officials in Nevada are confident that their state will become the first in the union to offer legal online poker. The Nevada Gaming Control Board, in particular, has voiced their optimism on the matter.

“The process,” said Chairman Mark Lipparelli, “from here will see license applicants appearing on our public agendas in May/June.  For the successful license applicants, the last step in turning the systems on will be a technical evaluation, and although we’re not certain how long this process will take, it’s plausible, even likely, that you’ll see the first set of systems approved for initial deployment by the fall.”

Lipparelli’s comments, which appear in a recent article by iGaming Business, would seem to reflect the current climate in many states. Nevada, however, has special reasons for optimism. Because of the large number of gaming industry movers and shakers in the area, legislation could progress at a much quicker pace. Members of the NGCB are hoping to see a full-blown legal poker infrastructure debut within the year.

As the chairman stated, one of the next steps in the process comes with regard to licensing. The state has already received applications from numerous gaming firms, including 888 Holdings, International Gaming Technology, South Point Poker, Bally Technologies, and Cantor Gaming. Lipparelli and his fellow board members are expected to rule on each of these cases by sometime this summer. Companies who are granted licenses, he stated, could be up and running by the later days of 2012.

Time will tell on the matter, however. Delays are an inherent part of the American political system, especially during discussions of polarizing issues. Online poker has been the source of a great deal of controversy in recent years, so it should come as no surprise if the matter drags into 2013.