Nevada gaming regulators to contemplate modifications to on line casino salon operations | Casinos & Gaming

Nevada’s high-end gaming salons might get extra publicity and extra gamers if the Nevada Gaming Commission approves amendments to a regulation to be thought-about Thursday.

Gaming salons are particular rooms through which excessive rollers and celebrities can gamble out of public view.

Most high-end casinos have them and provide play in them to huge spenders, entertainers {and professional} athletes who don’t need to see footage of themselves unfold on social media.

Among the Nevada casinos with salons are Wynn and Encore Las Vegas, Bellagio, The Venetian and The Palazzo, Resorts World Las Vegas, Durango and Reno’s Grand Sierra Resort.

Nevada legislation says licensed operators should open their casinos to the general public with out an admission cost. But in 2001, the Nevada Legislature allowed for the institution of salons with particular guidelines to insure privateness to gamers.

In December, a number of resorts approached gaming regulators about amending the salon guidelines to encourage extra play. Some of the modifications offered by the Nevada Resort Association required legislative motion and Senate Bill 459 was unanimously authorised by the state Senate and Assembly in May.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board performed a workshop assembly in August to debate potential modifications. The Control Board really useful approving amended regulation on Sept. 10, setting the stage for closing approval by the Gaming Commission.

The modifications within the regulation embody:

— The monetary standards for admission right into a gaming salon could be decreased from $300,000. When salons have been initially launched, the monetary threshold was $500,000. In 2008, regulators decreased that quantity to $300,000. The Resort Association recommended that quantities be decided by particular person properties, however the brand new amended threshold into consideration is $20,000.

— Poker could be added to the checklist of video games provided in salons. The regulation would require a person participant buy-in of $10,000 with a complete $20,000 staked for a recreation to be performed.

-Salon slot machine minimums could be on the discretion of the licensee. That’s much like current guidelines permitting licensees to find out minimums for salon desk video games. Originally, slot machine minimums have been included in laws and set at $500, however the Legislature authorised the modification.

— Casinos could be allowed to transform non-public salons to public gaming with out prior written approval from the Control Board chairman. The amendments would additionally allow a visitor of a on line casino patron certified for salon play to remain as much as 24 hours as an alternative of six hours presently allowed.

Attracting extra gamers

Board members imagine the modified guidelines would allow casinos to draw extra high-end gamers to make use of salons and generate extra income for the businesses and in taxes.

“What’s interesting about this is that the goals actually remain the same, bringing more revenue to the state of Nevada in an economic uncertain time and allowing for a flexible and unique amenity that certain nonrestricted licensees can offer their valued patrons,” Control Board Chairman Mike Dreitzer mentioned within the September board assembly.

Dreitzer mentioned the Legislature’s passage of Senate Bill 459 set the stage for the regulatory modifications into consideration.

“The task here before us is to adopt revised regulations consistent with the statutory change, done in such a way that is reasonable and consistent with good regulatory oversight,” he mentioned, “while at the same time supporting Nevada’s licensees and their desire to utilize this important economic tool to produce greater revenue all in the face of ever growing competition across the world and certainly across the U.S.”

Contact Richard N. Velotta at [email protected] or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.