Nevada Gaming Lawyer
Gaming law encompasses all those laws and regulations pertaining to gambling. It’s a combination of constitutional law, business law, contract law, and criminal law. Gaming lawyers represent casino enterprises, casino suppliers, businesses, state and local governments, non-profit organizations, tribal governments, and others.
Casino gambling is a $50 billion dollar a year business. Nevada has the highest state gambling revenue at about $10 billion dollars a year. One third of all of Nevada’s general tax revenues come from state gambling. Nevada, which re-legalized gambling in 1931, gets one third of its general state tax revenue from taxes on gambling.
The state allows a broad range of gaming activities including a myriad of casino games, pari-mutuel betting, sports betting, and event betting. “The gaming industry is vitally important to the economy of the state and the general welfare of the inhabitants” (Nev. Rev. Stat. § 463.0129).
Navigating the complex regulations, laws and history of gaming, gaming lawyers help casinos and suppliers, including internet gambling virtual venues, apply for licenses, permits, and approvals. Determining corporate structure, governance, planning and operations also falls within the gaming attorney’s realm of expertise, as does compliance with gaming regulations and laws.
In addition, gaming attorneys helps shape gaming laws and regulations, litigate matters of dispute that arise in the operation of a gaming business, secure financing for gaming businesses through both public offerings and private equity offerings, provide legal advice regarding the construction and development of casinos (including transactional projects, zoning issues, real estate deals, construction contracts, and state and federal environmental permits.)
Gaming Law FAQs
Does my company need a gaming compliance plan? Yes, if your company is a gaming company, you need a gaming compliance plan to ensure that your company operates within all gaming laws and regulations. To stay in business, you must stay in compliance and gaming laws and regulations are complex and ever changing. Gaming lawyers draft and help companies implement gaming compliance plans.
What does the Nevada Gaming Commission do? The mission of the Nevada Gaming Commission is to control all gaming licensing matters and make rulings in work permit appeal cases. Lastly, the Commission creates regulations to implement and enforce Nevada’s state gaming laws, working in conjunction with the State Gaming Control Board.
If I am arrested for illegal gambling, should I call a gaming lawyer? If you’re arrested for illegal gambling, it is likely in your best interest to consult with a qualified criminal defense attorney, not a gaming lawyer.
Where can I review the Nevada gaming laws and regulations? The Nevada Gaming Commission and State Gaming Control Board provide a listing of Nevada gaming statutes and regulations; click here to see a complete list.
Gaming Glossary
Gambling Gambling involves a collective game of chance for a wager or stake; whoever wins the game wins the wager or stake.
Pari-Mutuel Betting Pari-mutuel betting is mutual betting; individual bets are placed into a pool, taxes and the house share are subtracted, and payoff odds are calculated. Examples of pari-mutuel betting are horse racing, greyhound racing and sporting events such as boxing, football, basketball and hockey.
Off-Track Betting Sanctioned betting on horse races in gambling parlors, not at the track, is called “off-track betting.” Nevada was the only state to permit off-track betting before 1970. Now, off-track betting is legal elsewhere.
State Gaming Control Board The State Gaming Control Board regulates Nevada’s gaming industry, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Board states its purpose as “to protect the stability of the gaming industry through investigations, licensing, and enforcement of laws and regulations; to ensure the collection of gaming taxes and fees, which are an essential source of state revenue and to maintain public confidence in gaming.”