Nevada Gaming Commission

State governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos throughout the state

The Nevada Gaming Commission is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos throughout the state, along with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. In 1959, the Nevada Gaming Commission ("Commission") was created by the passage of the Gaming Control Act ("Act"), Nevada Revised Statutes Chapters 462–466, by the Nevada Legislature. The Act laid the foundation for what would become modern gaming regulation. The Commission consists of five members appointed by the governor to four year terms, with one member acting as Chair. The Commission members serve in a part time capacity. The primary responsibilities of the Commission include acting on the recommendations of the Gaming Control Board (Board) in licensing matters and ruling upon work permit appeal cases. The Commission is the final authority on licensing matters, having the ability to approve, restrict, limit, condition, deny, revoke or suspend any gaming license. The Commission is also charged with the responsibility of adopting regulations to implement and enforce the State laws governing gaming. When the Gaming Control Board believes discipline against a gaming licensee is appropriate, the Board acts in the prosecutorial capacity, while the Commission acts in the judicial capacity to determine whether any sanctions should be imposed.

In the 1995 film Casino, the Commission denies a gaming license to Sam Rothstein, a character based on Frank Rosenthal and portrayed by Robert De Niro. In actual history the chair of the Commission at this time was future senator Harry Reid. In the 2001 film Ocean's Eleven the NGC has a (fictitious) regulation that requires casinos to hold in reserve enough cash to cover every chip in play on their floor. In the film, Matt Damon plays a character who passes himself off as an NGC agent.

In 1909, the state of Nevada criminalized gambling and the running of all games of chance. This law became effective the following year. Then in 1931, wide open gambling was legalized in Nevada by the Nevada State Legislature. The public actively expressed that they wanted the decriminalization of gambling throughout the 1920s, and the Depression brought them an opportunity. They were able to lobby a majority of legislators on their side. The hard times of the Depression caused many to abandon their moral objections; many believed wide open gambling could save them from the tough times of the Great Depression. It was believed that legalization of gambling could lure in money from the rest of the nation, to aid in the development of Nevada. The members of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce were polled and the results found ninety members for legalization and only thirty seven against change. It was signed into law by Governor Fred Balzar on March 19.