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A bill to strengthen enforcement measures against illegal online gambling was one of a handful of gaming-related measures passed by Nevada lawmakers during the 2025 legislative session.
Lawmakers wrapped up Nevada’s 83rd legislative session on Monday (June 2), and bills loosening requirements to enter private gaming salons, as well as investigating those found unsuitable who have not divested their ownership in a licensee, were among those signed by Republican Governor Joe Lombardo before adjournment.
“This legislative session saw several bills that are significant to Nevada’s gaming industry, all of which passed through both chambers unanimously,” said Virginia Valentine, president and CEO of the Nevada Resort Association (NRA).
Senate Bill 256 allows Nevada courts to impose stiffer fines beyond the $50,000 fine illegal operators currently face for violating the state’s gaming laws, and for any illegal operator to disgorge any profit or gain.
Existing Nevada law includes provisions to prohibit persons from engaging in gambling without a state gaming license; however, state law does not include language to allow for the seizure of assets from illegal gambling.
“SB256 tackles an important subject for Nevada’s gaming industry because the issue of illegal gambling hurts both licensees and the public alike,” said Daron Dorsey, president and CEO of the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM).
Dorsey said AGEM remains “hopeful that it will be signed into law by the governor”.
The bill, authored by Democratic Senator Rochelle Nguyen, was amended to add Assemblywoman Brittney Miller, a fellow Democrat, as a joint sponsor, a decision the Senate concurred on, before sending the measure to Lombardo on Saturday for his signature.
“One of the more consequential gaming bills is Senate Bill 256 which is a major step in addressing illegal gaming activities in Nevada,” Valentine told Vixio GamblingCompliance in an email on Monday.
She said the bill “creates a strong disincentive by greatly increasing the penalty for illegal operators”.
“With the number of illegal online sweepstakes and other illegitimate forms of gambling increasing and blurring the line for consumers, SB 256 provides tough penalties beyond merely a fine that can be viewed as the cost of doing business,” Valentine said.
Valentine noted that the legislation requires illegal operators to turn over any profit or benefits to the state, which is “a pretty significant deterrent”.
“In stark contrast with Nevada’s highly regulated gaming industry, these illegal operators are not regulated to ensure fair play or responsible gaming, nor do they provide any economic benefits to the state, such as jobs, tax revenue, capital investment or community partnership.”
“These increased penalties will send illegal operators a strong signal to cease operations in Nevada,” she added.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) also said it appreciated Nevada's leadership in targeting illegal gambling.
“We are encouraged to see many states taking strong action against illegal and unregulated gambling operators, with SB 256 being a clear example of that momentum," the AGA said in a statement Monday. "We will continue working with other states to eliminate illegal gambling in all forms.”
Another gaming bill set to for approval in Nevada is Assembly Bill 58.
The bill introduced by the Assembly Committee on Judiciary on behalf of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) allows for new slot machines or other casino games to be approved administratively by the chair of the NGCB, without further action by the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC).
“Assembly Bill 58 modernizes state statutes and streamlines the process for approving games to help them come to market sooner,” Valentine told Vixio. “This bill is heading to the governor’s desk, and we believe it will become law.”
Valentine described AB 58 as “another example of gaming regulators working with industry to make common sense updates that help operators serve their customers and position operators for success while ensuring compliance and fair play”.
Another provision of AB 58 addresses so-called restricted gaming licenses that allow bars or other non-gaming businesses to operate up to 15 slot machines.
Existing law provides that in Clark and Washoe counties, a restricted license may only be granted if the establishment contains a minimum of 2,500 square feet of space available to customers, and has a permanent, physical bar and a restaurant that meets certain requirements.
AB 58 clarifies that the minimum of 2,500 square feet available for customers must be indoor space.
Yet another gaming reform measure, Senate Bill 46, was signed into law last week by Lombardo.
The bill clarified that persons who have received NGC approvals or registration with the control board for either a gaming license, a finding of suitability, a preliminary finding of suitability or non-gaming employee board registration are still within the NGC’s jurisdiction even if there is a unilateral surrender of a license.
The five-member commission must now establish a manner by which the industry will know how to surrender an approval or registration.
“We supported Senate Bill 46, an omnibus regulatory bill,” Valentine said. “Nevada’s gaming regulators are continually reviewing state law to ensure gaming regulations evolve and remain the gold standard.”
The bill, which is effective July 1, also repeals a regulation regarding the registration or licensing of a third-party conducting a tournament. The licensee is responsible for any tournaments it conducts, according to state gaming regulations.
A further section of SB 46 proposes to raise the fine threshold to $500,000 for a violation in an initial complaint and no more than $1m for each violation in a subsequent complaint.
Those amounts are not binding on regulatory settlements inked by Nevada regulators, as the recent penalties of $8.5m fine against MGM Resorts International and $5.5m against Wynn Resorts demonstrate.
“We appreciate the Nevada Gaming Control Board bringing [the reforms] forward and for working with the industry to safeguard Nevada’s gaming reputation,” Valentine said. “We thank Governor Lombardo for signing the measure into law.”
Lottery Bill Dies In 2025
Despite being approved by the Nevada legislature two years ago, an effort to remove the state’s ban on lotteries was sidelined by lawmakers concerned over the small amount of projected revenue a lottery would generate.
The death of Assembly Joint Resolution 5 (AJR 5) was announced on April 11, the deadline for bills to pass out of the first legislative committee. AJR 5 had been referred to the Assembly Legislative Operations and Elections Committee but was never given a hearing.
The bill had been supported by the Culinary Union, while casino operators, including Red Rock Resorts, had opposed creating a state lottery.
Since a constitutional change is needed to create a lottery, the measure needed to be approved by both chambers of the state legislature before being placed on the ballot.
Meanwhile, a bill to reduce the requirements to enter a casino’s private gaming salon for high-end players went into effect on Saturday following Lombardo’s decision to sign the measure.
Senate Bill 459, sponsored by Democratic Senator Nicole Cannizzaro, removes a $500 minimum wager requirement on slot machines and allows the casino to set the minimum wager with approval from the control board.
