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Board grants waivers allowing 15-slot operations at two travel centers in Henderson
Summary
The Gaming Control Board recommended to the Nevada Gaming Commission approval of two restricted licenses and waivers permitting up to 15 slot machines at two large travel‑center locations (El Dorado Pass and TA Express El Dorado Pass), imposing surveillance inspection conditions and routine monitoring requirements.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board voted to recommend Commission approval of restricted‑license applications and regulatory waivers that will allow up to 15 slot machines at two large travel‑center locations operated by DeSimone Gaming Inc.
Lede: After reviewing staff reports and a white‑paper rationale from the applicant, the board recommended approval of restricted licenses for Desimone Gaming at Petro (El Dorado Pass) and TA Express (El Dorado Pass) and granted waivers to NGC regulation 3.015(3)(b) (convenience‑store slot limits). Each approval was conditioned on surveillance‑system inspection and approval by enforcement within 60 days of license issuance.
Why it matters: Regulation 3.015 normally limits convenience stores to seven slot machines. The board found these two sites are operationally and geographically distinct from a typical convenience store — larger square footage, truck facilities and amenities geared to professional drivers and travelers — and therefore qualify for a waiver under the board’s exceptional‑circumstances practice.
What the board heard: Counsel and the applicant described the locations as full service travel centers with truck bays, showers and large retail footprints. DeSimone representatives stressed that slot revenue was incidental to the large travel‑center business and that the centers serve adult travelers and commercial drivers rather than families or minors. Staff visited the sites and recommended conditions including surveillance inspections; investigators confirmed the sites’ physical scale and truck parking capacity.
Formal action: Judge Assad moved that the board find the waiver consistent with NGC rules and recommend Commission approval. The motion (restricted agenda items 5 and 6) passed unanimously. Each approval includes the condition that surveillance systems or mirrors be inspected and approved by the Enforcement Division within 60 days of license issuance and maintained thereafter at the approved standard.
What’s next: The board’s recommendations will be forwarded to the Nevada Gaming Commission for final action. If the Commission approves, the licensee will be required to complete surveillance upgrades and provide post‑license reporting as a condition of operating more than seven machines.
Ending note: The board emphasized that waivers to the convenience‑store cap remain exceptional and tied to site‑specific facts — large footprint, truck‑oriented customer base and limited proximity to minors — and said the conditions will let staff monitor the locations for compliance.
