Gaming regulators OK Sandoval, Burnett for licensing for Resorts World management roles | Casinos & Gaming

Two former gaming regulators discovered themselves on the opposite aspect of licensing questioning Wednesday, and each former Nevada Gaming Commission Chairman Brian Sandoval and former Gaming Control Board Chairman A.G. Burnett received suggestions of approval of their new roles on the Resorts World Las Vegas board of administrators.

Sandoval, who additionally served as Nevada governor and is the president of the University of Nevada, Reno, and Burnett, a companion in McDonald Carano’s gaming and administrative legislation follow, had been unanimously really useful for licensing as members of the Resorts World Las Vegas board. Two different board members, Keong Hui Lim and Kong Han Tan, additionally acquired suggestions of approval as board members after testifying on-line from Asia in a two-hour listening to.

Final approval by the Nevada Gaming Commission, which now has Sandoval’s lieutenant governor, Brian Krolicki, as a member, is scheduled Feb. 26.

Sandoval chaired the Gaming Commission from 1999 via 2001 and Burnett led the Control Board from 2012 to 2017.

Board members totally questioned the resort’s board members about Resorts World’s latest regulatory struggles involving compliance with anti-money-laundering points.

Sandoval stated as board chairman he recurrently communicates with Resorts World administration about authorized compliance.

“The beauty of this board and the variety of it is they bring different experiences, life experiences, regulatory experiences, government experience, private sector experience,” Sandoval stated. “And when you bring that all together, it really is a force multiplier in terms of making sure all the bases are covered when it comes to compliance.”

Extensive coaching

Sandoval stated managers have undergone intensive coaching for the corporate to keep away from a repeat of the disciplinary issues that occurred final yr wherein Resorts World’s father or mother firm, Genting Berhad, was fined $10.5 million in a settlement for violating anti-money-laundering guidelines.

“There’s been extensive training, there’s been extensive discussion to ensure that everybody is familiar with the rules and regulations of the board, the state of Nevada, as well as the federal government,” Sandoval stated. “And we are fortunate and blessed to have an individual who sat in your chair and is very familiar with the requirements. And I know the board is currently looking over its AML regulations and other issues. And we are monitoring that very closely as well. So we have subject matter experts in the area. The executive team is very familiar with the rules and regulations and requirements associated with compliance.”

Control Board member George Assad stated he was pleased to see a strong administration group in place after the earlier disciplinary motion in opposition to Resorts World and different Las Vegas resorts.

“There’s been a structural issue, a void, a vacuum between the marketing department and the compliance department, and the third leg of that would be someone in authority, unfettered authority, to say, ‘We need to ban that person,’” Assad stated. “In all these properties, there was kind of a confusing silo effect across the board with people pointing fingers at each other.”

But Assad stated he’s assured in Chief Operating Officer Carlos Castro and Chief Compliance Officer Jennifer Roberts in addition to Sandoval and Burnett will hold the resort out of regulatory bother.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.