Streamlined Gaming Regulations Coming to Nevada

Article by : Erik Gibbs Jul 31, 2024

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The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) is committed to modernizing its regulatory framework to bolster the state’s gaming industry. During a recent presentation to the Joint Interim Standing Committee of the Judiciary, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the board outlined its ongoing efforts to streamline regulations and enhance efficiency.

Senior Policy Counsel Sebastian Ross, acting on behalf of Chairman Kirk Hendrick, detailed the board’s accomplishments since the conclusion of the last legislative session. These include the repeal of 13 outdated regulations, revisions to eight existing rules, and updates to three surveillance standards. Additionally, six regulations have received final approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission.

The Control Board and the Nevada Gaming Commission have already made significant strides in regulatory streamlining. They have repealed 13 regulations, revised eight more, and updated three surveillance standards. Six regulations received final approval from the commission at Thursday’s monthly meeting.

The Control Board is also in the midst of replacing its technology operating system, a project funded in 2023. Ross informed the committee that the contractor would require several more months to complete the replacement of the existing system.

Among the modifications made to streamline regulations, the board and commission have simplified tax collection for licensees by revising a regulation to use gross revenue collection, akin to the process used by the Nevada Department of Taxation. They have also amended the process for placing individuals on the List of Excluded Persons by eliminating a list of some out-of-state sources that hadn’t been updated in decades.

New gaming technology approval guidelines have been added, providing specific timeline requirements to expedite the evaluation of gaming technology. The “Nevada One Day Evaluation” – NODE – has been implemented, requiring the technology division to complete an evaluation of a slot machine modification within one day of receiving an application.

The “Ante Up Initiative” has also been implemented, enabling Control Board agents to perform a significant portion of field test procedures typically conducted by a licensee.

Ross stated that these regulatory upgrades are designed to keep the industry thriving in the state. He noted that the state gaming win continues to soar, with the state recording the best May ever two months ago, which was also the eighth-best month in history. May’s $1.32 billion in gaming win was 2.5 percent more than in May 2023, and through June, the state has collected $1.17 billion in gaming tax, a 4.5 percent increase over the previous fiscal year.

Collections have not only surpassed pre-pandemic levels, but they have also exceeded the state’s Economic Forum’s forecast for the fiscal year made back in May 2023. Gaming taxes represent 18.2 percent of the tax revenue generated for the state general fund, second only to the 30.4 percent contribution from sales tax.

June’s gaming win numbers and the final total for the 2023-24 fiscal year are expected to be reported by the Control Board next week.

The NGCB currently employs 363 full-time staff across six divisions, with enforcement, auditing, investigations, and technology representing the largest departments. It anticipates presenting two legislative bill drafts in the near future, further outlining its plans to shape the future of Nevada’s gaming industry.