AB58 - Revises various provisions relating to gaming. (BDR 41-297)

- 83rd Session (2025) Assembly Bill No. 58–Committee on Judiciary CHAPTER.......... AN ACT relating to gaming; revising the definitions of certain terms related to gaming; revising certain provisions governing restricted licenses to operate gaming; providing for the administrative approval of games or gambling games by the Chair of the Nevada Gaming Control Board; revising the types of games that may be exposed by gaming establishments; making a technical correction to refer to a race book and sports pool for the purposes of licensing an establishment to operate interactive gaming; removing and repealing provisions governing cash access and wagering instrument service providers; removing and repealing provisions governing global risk management; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law defines certain terms for the purposes of provisions relating to gaming. (NRS 463.013-463.01967) Section 4 of this bill adds a person who sells and provides management, or consultation or instruction in the management, of risks associated with wagering pools for a race or sporting event or any other event for which a wager may be accepted to the definition of the term “information service.” Existing law defines a “restricted license” as a state gaming license to operate not more than 15 slot machines at an establishment in which the operation of slot machines is incidental to the primary business of the establishment. Existing law also provides that, in a county whose population is 100,000 or more (currently Clark and Washoe Counties), a restricted license may only be granted at certain establishments if the establishment contains: (1) a minimum of 2,500 square feet of space available for patrons; (2) a permanent, physical bar; and (3) a restaurant which meets certain requirements. (NRS 463.0189, 463.161) Section 5.5 of this bill clarifies that the minimum of 2,500 square feet of space available for patrons must be indoor space. Existing law: (1) prohibits, in general, a gaming licensee from offering a game or gambling game for play if the game or gambling game has not received a recommendation from the Nevada Gaming Control Board or an approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission; and (2) requires the Commission to adopt regulations governing the approval of games or gambling games. (NRS 463.164) Section 6 of this bill instead prohibits a gaming licensee from offering a game or gambling game for play if the game or gambling game has not been administratively approved by the Chair of the Board in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commission governing such administrative approval. Section 2 of this bill makes a conforming change to refer to such regulations and administrative approval of a game or gambling game. Existing law prohibits the Commission from approving a license for an establishment to operate interactive gaming unless certain conditions are met. (NRS 463.750) Section 8 of this bill makes a technical correction to refer to a race book and sports pool for purposes of such licensure. Existing law authorizes the Commission to provide by regulation for the licensing of service providers, who generally: (1) perform certain services on behalf – 2 – - 83rd Session (2025) of another licensed person who conducts nonrestricted gaming operations or an establishment licensed to operate interactive gaming; or (2) provide services or devices which patrons of licensed establishments use to obtain cash or wagering instruments. (NRS 463.01395, 463.0157, 463.160, 463.677) Section 11 of this bill repeals the term “cash access and wagering instrument service provider.” Sections 3, 5 and 7 of this bill make conforming changes to remove provisions of existing law relating to cash access and wagering instrument service providers. Section 7 also removes system-based and system-supported games from the list of certain games that may be exposed by licensed gaming establishments. Existing law requires the Commission to adopt regulations relating to global risk management, which is defined as the operation, by a person who has been issued a license to operate a race book or sports pool, of certain risk management services between and among various jurisdictions through communications technology for the purposes of the management, or consultation or instruction in the management, of wagering pools and the transmission of information relating to wagering pools or other similar information. (NRS 463.810, 463.820) Section 11 repeals the provisions of existing law governing global risk management, and section 4 adds certain activities previously included in the definition of “global risk management” to the definition of “information service.” Sections 9 and 10 of this bill make conforming changes to remove references to global risk management in existing law. EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. (Deleted by amendment.) Sec. 2. NRS 463.0152 is hereby amended to read as follows: 463.0152 1. “Game” or “gambling game” means any game played with cards, dice, equipment or any mechanical or electronic device or machine for money, property, checks, credit or any representative of value, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, faro, monte, roulette, keno, bingo, fan-tan, twenty- one, blackjack, seven-and-a-half, klondike, craps, poker, chuck-a- luck, wheel of fortune, chemin de fer, baccarat, pai gow, beat the banker, panguingui, slot machine, any banking or percentage game or any other game or device approved by the Commission [, upon the recommendation] or administratively approved by the Chair of the Board [,] pursuant to [NRS 463.164.] regulations adopted by the Commission. 2. The term does not include games: (a) Played with cards in private homes or residences in which no person makes money for operating the game, except as a player; or (b) Operated by qualified organizations that are registered by the Chair pursuant to the provisions of chapter 462 of NRS. – 3 – - 83rd Session (2025) Sec. 3. NRS 463.0157 is hereby amended to read as follows: 463.0157 1. “Gaming employee” means any employee, temporary employee or other representative of an operator of a slot route, the operator of a pari-mutuel system, the operator of an inter- casino linked system or a manufacturer, distributor or disseminator, or a gaming establishment licensed to conduct any game, 16 or more slot machines, a race book, sports pool or pari-mutuel wagering, whose job duties pertain to the operation, control or outcome of any gambling game or the access, transport or review of any gaming revenue, including, without limitation: (a) Accounting or internal auditing personnel who are directly involved in any recordkeeping or the examination of records associated with revenue from gaming; (b) Table games personnel; (c) Cage and counting room personnel; (d) Slot personnel; (e) Keno personnel; (f) Race book and sports pool personnel; (g) Employees of a person required by NRS 464.010 to be licensed to operate an off-track pari-mutuel system; (h) Employees of a person required by NRS 463.430 to be licensed to disseminate information concerning racing and employees of an affiliate of such a person involved in assisting the person in carrying out the duties of the person in this State; (i) [Employees of a person required by paragraph (e) of subsection 1 of NRS 463.160 to be registered to operate as a cash access and wagering instrument service provider; (j)] Employees whose duties are directly involved with the manufacture, repair, sale or distribution of gaming devices, associated equipment when the employer is required by NRS 463.650 to be licensed, cashless wagering systems or interactive gaming systems; [(k)] (j) Employees of operators of interactive gaming systems whose duties include the operational or supervisory control of the systems or the games that are part of the systems; [(l)] (k) Employees of operators of call centers who perform, or who supervise the performance of, the function of receiving and transmitting wagering instructions; [(m)] (l) Employees who have access to the Board’s system of records for the purpose of processing the registrations of gaming employees that a licensee is required to perform pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and any regulations adopted pursuant thereto; – 4 – - 83rd Session (2025) [(n)] (m) Information technology personnel who have operational or supervisory control over information technology systems associated with any of the matters related to gaming described in this subsection; [(o)] (n) Hosts or other persons empowered to extend credit or complimentary services related to gaming; [(p)] (o) Machine mechanics; [(q)] (p) Odds makers and line setters; [(r)] (q) Security personnel; [(s)] (r) Shift or pit bosses; [(t)] (s) Shills; [(u)] (t) Supervisors or managers whose duties include the supervision of employees described in this subsection; [(v)] (u) Employees of a person required by NRS 463.160 to be licensed to operate an information service; [(w)] (v) Club venue employees; and [(x)] (w) Other persons whose duties are similar to the classifications set forth in paragraphs (a) to [(w),] (v), inclusive, as the Commission may from time to time designate by regulation. 2. “Gaming employee” does not include employees whose duties do not involve gaming activities, persons engaged exclusively in preparing or serving food or beverages or persons involved primarily in the resort or hotel functions of a licensed gaming establishment. Sec. 4. NRS 463.01642 is hereby amended to read as follows: 463.01642 1. “Information service” means a person who sells and provides information to a licensed sports pool that is used primarily to aid the placing of wagers on events of any kind. 2. The term includes, without limitation, a person who sells and provides any: [1.] (a) Line, point spread or odds; [2.] (b) Information, advice or consultation considered by a licensee in establishing or setting any line, point spread or odds; [or 3.] (c) Advice, estimate or prediction regarding the outcome of an event [. ] ; or (d) Management, or consultation or instruction in the management, of risks associated with wagering pools for a race or sporting event or any other event for which a wager may be accepted. 3. The term does not include a newspaper or magazine of general circulation or a television or radio service or broadcast if the primary purpose of the newspaper, magazine or television or radio – 5 – - 83rd Session (2025) service or broadcast is other than to aid the placing of wagers on events of any kind. Sec. 5. NRS 463.160 is hereby amended to read as follows: 463.160 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3 and NRS 462.155, 463.172 and 463.1725, it is unlawful for any person, either as owner, lessee or employee, whether for hire or not, either solely or in conjunction with others: (a) To deal, operate, carry on, conduct, maintain or expose for play in the State of Nevada any gambling game, gaming device, slot machine, race book or sports pool; (b) To provide or maintain any information service; (c) To operate a gaming salon; (d) To receive, directly or indirectly, any compensation or reward or any percentage or share of the money or property played, for keeping, running or carrying on any gambling game, slot machine, gaming device, race book or sports pool; or (e) [To operate as a cash access and wagering instrument service provider; or (f)] To operate, carry on, conduct, maintain or expose for play in or from the State of Nevada any interactive gaming system,  without having first procured, and thereafter maintaining in effect, all federal, state, county and municipal gaming licenses or registrations as required by statute, regulation or ordinance or by the governing board of any unincorporated town. 2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, it is unlawful for any person knowingly to permit any gambling game, slot machine, gaming device, race book or sports pool to be conducted, operated, dealt or carried on in any house or building or other premises owned by the person, in whole or in part, by a person who is not licensed pursuant to this chapter, or that person’s employee. 3. The Commission may, by regulation, authorize a person to own or lease gaming devices for the limited purpose of display or use in the person’s private residence without procuring a state gaming license. 4. For the purposes of this section, the operation of a race book or sports pool includes making the premises available for any of the following purposes: (a) Allowing patrons to establish an account for wagering with the race book or sports pool; (b) Accepting wagers from patrons; (c) Allowing patrons to place wagers; (d) Paying winning wagers to patrons; or – 6 – - 83rd Session (2025) (e) Allowing patrons to withdraw cash from an account for wagering or to be issued a ticket, receipt, representation of value or other credit representing a withdrawal from an account for wagering that can be redeemed for cash,  whether by a transaction in person at an establishment or through mechanical means, such as a kiosk or similar device, regardless of whether that device would otherwise be considered associated equipment. A separate license must be obtained for each location at which such an operation is conducted. Sec. 5.5. NRS 463.161 is hereby amended to read as follows: 463.161 1. A license to operate 15 or fewer slot machines at an establishment in which the operation of slot machines is incidental to the primary business conducted at the establishment may only be granted to the operator of the primary business or to a licensed operator of a slot machine route. 2. In a county whose population is 100,000 or more, a license to operate 15 or fewer slot machines at an establishment which is licensed to sell alcoholic beverages at retail by the drink to the general public may only be granted if the establishment meets the requirements of this subsection. The establishment must: (a) Occupy an area comprised of at least 2,500 square feet of indoor space which is open and available for use by patrons. (b) Contain a permanent physical bar. (c) Contain a restaurant which: (1) Serves food ordered by patrons from tables or booths. (2) Includes [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]