Gov. Steve Sisolak, who is outgoing, has announced the resignation of J. Brin Gibson, chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB), effective end of November. Gibson’s position will be taken over by control board member Dr. Brittnie Watkins on Dec. 1.
Watkins will assume Gibson’s roles as chair and executive director. Before joining the NGCB in April, Watkins served as Sisolak’s general counsel from January 2019 to January 2020.
After practicing complex commercial litigation as an attorney, Watkins began her public service roles. Her specialties encompassed various kinds of hotel and gaming litigation, at both trial and appellate stages.
Gibson, who was appointed chairman of the control board in November 2020, will step down after a two-year tenure. Following this, he will pursue a new professional opportunity.
Sandra Douglas Morgan, former chairwoman and executive director, resigned from her responsibilities at the NGCB in 2020 with a similar plan. She currently holds the position of president for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Sisolak made comments on the changes:
I appreciate Brin’s consistent leadership at the gaming control board for the past two years, and I value his ongoing advice and friendship. We hope for nothing but the best for him and his family in his new endeavor.
“I express my gratitude towards Brittnie Watkins for accepting to persist with the exceptional and significant task at the gaming control board. She is thoroughly prepared for this role, and I am thrilled to anticipate her work.”
Changes coming for Nevada gaming board in 2025
Expect more shifts at the NGCB in a few months due to Nevada’s 2025 leadership transition. Watkins’ tenure as NGCB chair is likely to be brief.
Joe Lombardo, the incoming governor, will decide on a permanent replacement for Gibson once he officially takes office in January.
Philip Katsaros, a fellow board member’s term at the NGCB, is set to expire at the end of January, possibly resulting in a completely new NGCB next year.
A completely new NGCB might be introduced in February.
First order of business for Nevada gambling
Only Watkins and Katsaros, the two board members, will hear the December agenda for the NGCB.
The duo will probably need to consent to the transition of The Mirage’s operations from MGM Resorts to Hard Rock International. The most recent operations of the property were under MGM Resorts last year.
Hard Rock is already prepared with a president for The Mirage. Both firms anticipate closing the sale by the end of the year. MGM Resorts is proactively informing its customers on how to prepare for upcoming operational changes.
Hard Rock is expected to reveal some of its future plans for The Mirage in the upcoming meetings with the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) and NGCB next month.
Purpose of the NGCB
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) is a government agency that oversees the state’s gaming industry. Its primary functions include safeguarding gaming customers and ensuring that operators pay the correct amount of tax to the state.
The board exercises control over the gaming industry by enforcing rigorous regulations on all individuals, sites, methods, affiliations, and other activities associated with gaming companies. Essentially, the Board’s aim is to guarantee that all those involved with a Nevada gaming company adhere to the law.
This is achieved by safeguarding the integrity and stability of the gaming industry. The Board conducts thorough investigative procedures, rigorous licensing practices, and enforces strict adherence to laws and regulations by gaming licensees.
The Board is also responsible for approving new games and technology for use in casinos. Each month, the Board and NGC convene to discuss new gaming employees, complaints against gaming operators, new games, and the companies permitted to operate within the Silver State.
The job involves more than just the consumer-facing part of the duties, which is ensuring gaming customers in the Silver State have a safe, fair, and comfortable environment to gamble legally.
As a governmental agency, the Board is also responsible for ensuring the state collects the appropriate taxes and fee payments. The State of Nevada significantly relies on gaming taxes as a major revenue source.
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