Nevada passes bill to handcuff unauthorized gambling operators
Both chambers of the Nevada legislature have now passed a bill that would equip the state with the means to further target and act against unapproved gambling operators.
Sen. Rochelle Nguyen’s SB 256 passed in the Assembly by a 42-0 vote on Thursday, a few weeks after it also got unanimous approval in the Senate.
The Assembly amended the bill before voting on it, meaning that it must now go back to the Senate for concurrence before it can be sent to Gov. Joe Lombardo’s desk to be signed into law.
Given that the Assembly’s only amendment was to add Assemblymember Brittney Miller as Nguyen’s joint sponsor, that seems unlikely to be any impediment to the Senate reapproving the bill.
What changes is Nevada making?
Broadly speaking, SB 256 would give the state greater powers to combat unlicensed gambling in the Silver State, including more strongly tackling both unauthorized land-based gambling operations and online casinos and sportsbooks.
One notable provision is that Nevada would be able to prosecute unlicensed operators even if they are based outside the state, as long as they accept bets from people in Nevada.
Any operator found to be offering unlicensed gambling under Nevada’s definitions would be legally obligated to pay any profits, gross receipts or other financial gains back to the state. That money would then be banked in the state’s General Fund.
The bill would also stiffen the punishments for anyone determined to be facilitating illegal gambling, in some cases criminalizing them as felonies.
A sweeping definition?
The bill does not specifically mention or define online sweepstakes casinos. Instead, it points to state law which classifies gambling games as “any game played with cards, dice, equipment, or any mechanical, electromechanical or electronic device or machine for money, property, checks, credit, or any representative of value.”
Whether or not sweepstakes casinos’ dual-currency system falls under the definition of “representative of value” is not entirely clear.
“With the rise of online gaming apps, we’ve seen an increasing number of unlicensed platforms operating in the shadows accepting illegal wagers, engaging in fraudulent practices, and profiting outside the bounds of our regulatory framework,” said legislative intern Janice Wong at a Senate committee hearing for the bill in March. “… This bill sends a clear message: If you operate illegally, you will be held accountable.”
The bill gained support from organizations including the Nevada Gaming Control Board, the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, the Nevada Resort Association and the Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Those proponents and others cited the need to protect Nevada’s casino and tourism industries, as well as ensure the state does not lose online players to the black market.
https://sbcamericas.com/2025/05/23/nevada-passes-illegal-gambling-bill/