Nevada Casinos Adopt New Regulations About Drug Use
Casinos in Nevada will have to start treating drug-impaired players the same way as they do those impaired by alcohol.
This implies that casinos permitting players who are noticeably under the influence of drugs to continue gambling or serving them complimentary alcoholic drinks, could be subjected to substantial fines.
The Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC), a five-member body, has recently revised its policy and regulations concerning intoxicated players. Now, casinos will be held to the same disciplinary standards for permitting players under the influence of drugs to gamble as those for players intoxicated by alcohol. This change follows the official amendment earlier this month.
A changing society
The amendment was necessitated by societal changes, Commission Chairman Tony Alamo conveyed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper.
“We always aim to safeguard our patrons, traditionally with a focus on the effects of alcohol intoxication. However, with societal changes, people can now fall prey to incapacitation due to drugs in addition to alcohol. This necessitates us to adapt and make even subtle changes in our approach.”
Certainly, the state’s recent legalization of recreational marijuana sales has partially stimulated these policy changes. However, these changes address not only impairment by marijuana but also impairment by both legal and illegal drugs.
Recreational marijuana sales became legal in Nevada on July 1, 2017. Since then, gaming regulators have been in continuous discussion on how to manage the local marijuana industry and its clientele.
No opposition to intoxicated player policy changes
On April 4, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) conducted a public hearing regarding the impairment issue. There were no objections or concerns raised about the changes.
State regulators have only penalized casinos a few times for improperly handling alcohol-intoxicated patrons. The most recent instance was in 2016, when the commission imposed a $25,000 fine on Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin.
It seems that a complaint was filed to the board by a third party at the casino, following an incident where an allegedly intoxicated person was reportedly allowed to keep gambling. After conducting an investigation, state regulators imposed a fine of $25,000 on the casino.
Furthermore, the staff at Rampart casino and resort were obligated to undergo training on the awareness of responsible gaming and alcohol management.
The amendments might also compel casinos to offer extra training for floor staff to assist them in better recognizing drug impairment.
Not just alcohol, but other drugs
Alamo states that the new regulations are designed to prevent individuals with reduced decision-making abilities due to impairment from engaging in gambling.
“We worry about people participating in gaming if they’re not fully in control of their faculties. This includes incapacitation or intoxication from not only alcohol, but other drugs as well.”
