Nevada's Gaming Control Board is on track to implement significant revisions to its technical standards for gaming equipment and systems by October 1, 2027. During a recent meeting, board members reviewed extensive changes presented by Jeremy Eberwein, the technology division chief.
The overhaul includes ten revised standards, with three of them being updated versions of existing standards, while the remaining seven are entirely new and cover various gaming sectors, such as slots, race and sportsbooks, and bingo.
The main objective of these updates is to streamline technical information into a single, comprehensive resource, improving clarity for stakeholders. Currently, many consult the Minimum Internal Control Standards (MICs) alongside industry notices, which can lead to confusion. Eberwein noted that his team aimed to combine these documents to simplify future interactions for licensees and the board.
Eberwein explained, "The goal of these standards was primarily to take technical requirements from the MICs and consolidate them with policies, industry notices, and clarifications from the past 15 years into a more concise source."
Earlier drafts of the new standards were made available to the public earlier this year, and the board has agreed to reissue the revised versions for public comment by November 15, while maintaining the adoption date of October 1, 2027.
The focus on innovation and technology has gained traction since Chairman Mike Dreitzer took office last year. With adept knowledge shaped by experiences at companies like Gaming Arts and BMM, Dreitzer identified regulatory consistency as a top issue affecting approvals.
Eberwein, who rejoined the board after a previous departure, emphasized the significance of having a singular source for regulatory information. "Bringing everything into one source I think is just a huge advancement here. Instead of having to go to five different places to determine whether or not your product will work in Nevada, now there's two: regulation and technical standards, and that's it."
His sentiments were echoed as he advocated for creating a straightforward resource that mitigates ambiguity: "A lot of this is taking all the questions we’ve gotten over the last decade and trying to give people a resource they can go to right away without any interpretation."
The approach to gathering feedback from industry stakeholders has drawn praise. Although no licensees spoke at the recent hearing, Daron Dorsey, president of the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, expressed gratitude for the board's transparency.
“I just wanted to be here to let you guys know that this agency is reaching out to the industry on a week-by-week, month-by-month basis and we appreciate that,” Dorsey stated. “Wherever we find ways that we can collaborate and make things better and modernise Nevada, we’re all for it.”
In response to these collaborative efforts, Dreitzer emphasized the need for flexibility that does not compromise security or Nevada's standing as the leading gaming state in the country. “We very much view this as a partnership with the goal of being safer, being quicker, and more responsive,” he said.
