Letter shows Gaming Control Board means business about questionable activities
A polite letter from Gaming Control Board member Randall Sayre sends a warning message to gaming licensees Tuesday that nightclubs aren't the only concerns of state regulators.
Whether from ignorance or apathy, some Nevada gamers have become lax; and the same regulatory pistol used to fine Planet Hollywood $750,000 is cocked, but not yet ready for firing.
The five new areas of concern:
— The conduct of promotions.
— Approval and conduct of tournaments and charitable events.
— Race and Sports Book operations.
— Intellectual property theft.
— Questionable or misleading advertising.
And that list may grow.
Sayre is starting gently, but clearly is prepared to pull the trigger if problems aren't fixed. In his letter posted on the Gaming Control Board's Web site, under "What's New," Sayre invites licensees to let him know if they'd be interested in "informal seminars" for mid-level supervisors and program managers to discuss how to enforce policy, legal and regulatory concerns in these areas.
The seminars aren't aimed at the lawyers who appear before the regulators, but the folks who make the on-the-spot decisions.
Sayre is making gaming licensees an offer that's hard to refuse. And he made it clear that, while most gaming licensees "get it right," the ones who don't aren't going to get a free pass on regulatory issues just because these are tough economic times.
"Depending upon industry interest, these informal seminars can be an ongoing process, a one-time event or not at all," Sayre wrote, saying he's open to including other subjects for discussion.
Las Vegans are notorious for ignoring RSVP's, but this is one invitation unlikely to be ignored.
