Gaming Commission targets 24 regulations for modification, elimination
The Nevada Gaming Commission on Thursday unanimously approved two lists of gaming regulations that may be modified or eliminated in future months, at what was Steven Cohen’s final meeting as a commissioner.
Cohen, who was appointed to the commission in 2019 by former Gov. Steve Sisolak, announced at the end of Thursday’s meeting that he is declining reappointment to a new four-year term after his term expires at the end of April.
It will now be up to Gov. Joe Lombardo to appoint a new member to the five-person board that makes final decisions on licensing recommendations from the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
It will be Lombardo’s second appointment to the commission. He chose former State Treasurer and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki to serve on the commission in January.
Cohen, a founding partner of law firm Cohen Johnson Parker Edwards, told colleagues on the board that after serving four years he felt it was time for someone new to fill the role.
Two of the last votes Cohen took were to approve two lists of gaming regulations that are either in need of updates or can be eliminated because they are outdated.
Lombardo, in one of his first executive orders issued when he took office in January, was to require a review of existing regulations by all executive branch agencies, departments, boards and commissions. The order asked for a ranked list of regulations to be considered for modification or elimination by May 1.
Control Board Senior Research Specialist Jose Torres and Deputy Attorney General Tiffany Breinig compiled lists of eight prospective regulations for possible modification and 16 for possible elimination.
Most of the regulatory changes under study won’t affect consumers. Among the regulations tagged for modifications are rules related to casino operations, accounting, security measures, parimutel wagering and card room money transactions.
Torres said now that the list of regulations targeted for change have been identified, the board and commission would have workshops and hearings to determine if and how changes would be made.
Earlier in the meeting, commissioners unanimously approved the licensing of two established gaming executives in new roles.
Long-time sports wagering leader Joe Asher, who has been licensed in Nevada in his roles with Brandywine Bookmaking and William Hill U.S., was approved as a key executive as president of PlaySports, a sports wagering division of IGT.
Commissioners also approved a suitability finding and licensing for Julie Cameron-Doe, formerly chief financial officer of Aristocrat Leisure Ltd. and licensed nearly 300 times in other jurisdictions, as chief financial officer of Wynn Resorts Ltd.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.
