Nevada Regulators to Consider Gambling Inside Las Vegas Raiders Stadium

Posted on: November 5, 2018, 12:54h. 

Last updated on: November 5, 2018, 12:54h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) will decide whether to recommend that certain forms of gambling be permitted inside the forthcoming $1.8 billion Las Vegas Raiders stadium when it opens in 2020.

Nevada Las Vegas Raiders stadium
It would seem only fitting that gaming regulators in Nevada allow certain forms of gambling inside the Las Vegas Raiders stadium, which is being constructed near the Strip. (Image: Raiders/Casino.org)

When Senate Bill 1, the Southern Nevada Tourism Improvements Act, was placed into law in October of 2016, the legislation mandated that no gambling activities take place on the stadium grounds. The 65,000-seat domed football venue is being built near I-15 between Russell Road and Hacienda Avenue.

Since the bill was enacted, the Supreme Court of the United States repealed the longstanding federal prohibition on sports betting. The decision gave states the power to determine their own rules and regulations on the gambling activity.

With more of a sports betting appetite nationwide, the NGCB says it will consider recommending the stadium bill be amended to permit certain gambling.

Should proposals be brought forward with regard to gambling in the stadium, we’ll assess them on their merits,” NGCB Chair Becky Harris explained last week.

Senate Bill 1 allocated up to $750 million in state money generated by a small increase in the Clark County hotel occupancy tax for the Las Vegas Raiders stadium.

Casino Partnerships

The Raiders won’t relocate from Oakland to Las Vegas until the start of the 2020 NFL season, but that isn’t stopping Caesars Entertainment from becoming the stadium’s “first founding partner.” The partnership will give the casino operator a “commanding presence in the stadium, its own branded drop off zone, private suite for its best customers and loyalty members, and various exclusive privileges to events and happenings.

With one of the country’s largest gaming operators prominently displayed throughout the football stadium, it raises the question whether actual gambling will be permitted inside the venue.

  • Will fans be able to bet on the game from their seats via mobile apps?
  • Will fans be able to sit down at slot machines on the concourse?

Clouding the issue is the NFL’s own laws. The league maintains that sports betting operators cannot advertise inside stadiums or by using a team’s likeness. That means Caesars can promote its various resorts, spas, restaurants, nightlife, and even casinos, but cannot advertise its sports betting facilities.

Changing Law

In addition to regulating casino licenses, the NGCB is tasked with making recommendations to the Nevada Gaming Commission on regulatory changes when it deems necesssary. The Commission is the final authority on licensing, and holds the responsibility of adopting regulations proposed by the Gaming Control Board.

With Harris open to proposals, the Las Vegas Stadium Authority could request the NGCB recommend to the Gaming Commission that slot machines and perhaps other forms of gambling be permitted.

Nevada residents are certainly accustomed to having slots and video poker terminals at their disposal. McCarran International Airport offers passengers slots, and the terminals can also be found in various businesses across the state including gas stations and grocery stores.