Nevada Gaming Control Board Boosts Regulations and Tax Collection
The Nevada Gaming Control Board is actively pursuing a series of regulatory enhancements and technological advancements to bolster the gaming industry and increase contributions to the state’s general fund. This initiative was detailed in a presentation led by Sebastian Ross, Senior Policy Counsel, alongside Chairman Kirk Hendrick, to the Joint Interim Standing Committee of the Judiciary. This 10-minute overview marked the first discussion of gaming regulatory priorities ahead of the 2025 legislative session commencing this February.
Innovative legislative developments on the horizon:
The Control Board is poised to submit two legislative proposals in the coming days, aiming to refine and update the regulatory framework, though specifics of these bills were not disclosed during the presentation. This session, which did not prompt questions from committee members, summarized the Board’s regulatory adjustments and technological progress following the previous legislative session.
Significant regulatory and technological strides have been made by the Control Board and the Nevada Gaming Commission. In recent efforts, 13 regulations have been repealed, eight have been revised, and three surveillance standards have been updated, with six regulations receiving final approval at the last monthly commission meeting. A major technological shift is also underway, with a 2023-funded project to overhaul the Board’s operating system, expected to require several more months to complete, as reported by Ross.
Among the regulatory improvements initiated, the Board has streamlined the tax collection process for licensees to align with the Nevada Department of Taxation’s methods. Additionally, the process for placing individuals on the List of Excluded Persons has been refined by removing outdated out-of-state sources. New guidelines have also been introduced for the swift approval of gaming technology, enhancing the efficiency of the evaluation process.
Rapid evaluation and field test innovations:
The Board has launched the “Nevada One Day Evaluation” (NODE), which mandates the technology division to complete evaluations of slot machine modifications within a single day of receiving an application. Another notable initiative, the “Ante Up Initiative,” allows Control Board agents to carry out substantial parts of field test procedures that are typically handled by licensees.
As the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports, Ross highlighted that these regulatory enhancements are crucial for maintaining the vitality of Nevada’s gaming sector. The state recently celebrated its most successful May in terms of gaming wins, reaching $1.32 billion, a 2.5% increase from the previous year. As of June, Nevada has collected $1.17 billion in gaming taxes, marking a 4.5% rise from the prior fiscal year. These figures not only surpass pre-pandemic levels but also exceed predictions made by the state’s Economic Forum.
With 363 full-time equivalent staff across six divisions, the Control Board is gearing up to report this June’s gaming win figures and the fiscal year’s total next week, providing further insights into the financial achievements under the newly implemented regulatory frameworks.