Nevada’s casino regulators want to strengthen how gambling houses react when they spot someone from the state’s infamous exclusion list, nicknamed the Black Book, in a gaming area. At a Tuesday workshop, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) officials shared suggested changes to make sure casinos tell the authorities right away when they see a banned person.
Proposed Rules Aim to Cut Delays in Casinos’ Black Book Notifications
The proposed tweaks deal with how casinos talk to regulators. The Board wants gambling houses to tell them right away when something happens instead of waiting or calling different groups. Mike Somps, a top lawyer for the state, said they are going to stop giving out paper lists of people who cannot gamble. Instead, casinos will just look at the online list on the NGCB website, which they already have access to.
Current rules say casinos must tell cops and the Board when they kick out banned people. The new rule would make them tell the Board, but they still have to remove the person. Ryan Sullivan, a top agent in Enforcement, said the issue is slow reporting. He pointed out that casinos report cheating, but often drag their feet when it is a Black Book case. He stressed that regulators need to know right away so they can act while the person might still be there. He said waiting until the next day forces investigators to track down the suspect and get a warrant after they have already gone, as reported by CDC Gaming.
Board Supports Stricter Reporting While Cautioning Against Detaining People
Board Chair Mike Dreitzer backed the proposal, calling the stricter reporting rules fitting for 2025. Board member George Assad asked why the plan does not require casinos to hold these people until officials show up.
Head of Enforcement Kristi Torgerson explained that while casinos can detain someone on the list, which can help, making it required brings risks. She noted that trained security teams might hold someone who was not banned. Torgerson highlighted the need to identify someone before restraining them and said properties should stick to their usual methods. If a situation calls for holding someone, regulators are fine with it, she said, but mentioned past cases where eager staff made mistakes trying to follow rules.
MGM Resorts International lawyer Chandler Pohl asked for more details about what regulators expect. He was wondering whether companies should detain people or just inform regulators. Torgerson emphasized that the main goal is to check who the person is, turn them away, and tell the Board. She said they do not need to hold people unless the situation calls for it.