Gamblers barred from a Nevada casino won’t get paid after hitting a jackpot at the property — if Nevada regulators have their way.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board is proposing a regulation that would grant casinos the authority to halt payments to jackpot winners (where tax information is required for payout), if the property previously kicked them out and told them not to return. The proposal would also include those included in the Nevada “Black Book” of individuals not allowed to enter casinos in the state.

The Board will bring the matter to a future meeting to gather input from the casino industry and take a formal vote.

The Board discussion comes nearly one year after a split vote upheld the existing policy that required the CasaBlanca Resort in Mesquite to pay $2,045 to a slot player banned from the property. At an October 2023 Board workshop, industry representatives expressed concerns with that policy, suggesting that trespassers should not be paid.

Since that workshop, staff have been crafting a regulation to address the concern. The proposal would preclude casinos from repaying any losses prior to hitting a jackpot, though the wager that wins win the jackpot would need to be repaid.

Properties would be required to post notices of the policy at its entrances, on its websites, and in their house rules. The language on notices at entrances, however, could be removed from the final draft.

Patrons would still have a remedy for getting paid through a civil-court process.

Board member George Assad called it a good proposal that should be enacted and lessen the influx of patron disputes.

Board Chair Kirk Hendrick said he appreciated the industry bringing the issue to regulators.

“I need to stress how much our hearing examiners are overworked,” Hendrick said. “The number of appeals and gaming-patron disputes is more than we can handle. It may be something the legislature needs to deal with. We don’t have the staff to handle trespassers’ claiming multiple scenarios on how they were trespassed and how they were noticed. That’s an issue between the property and alleged trespasser.”

Hendrick told the industry that the intent is not to knowingly allow someone to come into a property and play for several hours, hit a jackpot, then be removed.

“I’m not claiming that’s happening and security tries to get trespassers out as soon as possible,” Hendrick said. “We need to be sure Nevada is looked at as fair to both sides — the licensee and the patron even if they are a trespasser. We can’t tip the scales and say we’ll let you be a loser, but you can’t be a winner.”

Hendrick said he’s befuddled about patrons who are banned from properties, then continue to show up to gamble when there are other locales to do so.

Board member Brittnie Waktins asked if the proposed amendment would include an affiliate property for the casino operators. Nevada Senior Deputy Attorney General Mike Somps replied that said it depends on how the wording of the trespass was given to the patron.

“I think we should put it on a Board agenda, since it’s a change in policy that’s been in place for a very long time and requires casinos to make changes to postings on their buildings,” Watkins said. “I’m waiting to hear back from the industry about whether or not this is a good move.”

Dick Tomasso, director of security at Mesquite Gaming that includes CasaBlanca, said he and the vast majority of the industry support the proposal, with some reservations about the wording of the amendment.

“Moving forward, I hope you will continue to keep an open mind and allow the industry to present you with a slightly reworded version of this amendment for your thoughtful consideration,” Tomasso said.

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