Board tables cloud-computing rule changes, advances wagering-account and personnel-rule recommendations
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Summary
The Nevada Gaming Control Board tabled a proposed package removing cloud‑provider registration and changing service‑provider rules pending industry redlines, but recommended separate amendments allowing chips/tokens for wagering‑account deposits/withdrawals and eliminating a pre‑go‑live personnel list for interactive‑gaming operators.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board on Dec. 16 opted to pause consideration of a package of proposed changes to Regulations 5.225, 5.24 and 5.242 — which would remove the registration category for cloud‑computing service providers and set conditions for licensees using cloud services — after industry stakeholders and board staff identified unresolved wording and operational questions.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Mike Soms summarized the draft (dated 12/12/2025) and described three primary changes: (1) explicitly allow chips and tokens to be used to deposit into or withdraw from wagering accounts under Reg 5.225; (2) remove the separate registration category for cloud‑computing service providers and update the service‑provider definition in Reg 5.24; and (3) relocate a definition and impose conditions under which licensees may use cloud computing services in a revised Reg 5.242.
Deputy Chief Jeremy Everwine told the board the board retains needed authorities — including seizing data and obtaining information — and that the registration requirement for cloud providers had proven unnecessary in practice.
Representatives of Amazon Web Services (AWS) supported the staff approach and submitted written comments proposing clarifications: Erica Okeberg, Nevada gaming counsel for AWS, asked the board to make explicit that ISO certifications and industry standard security procedures can satisfy diligence documentation and recommended clarifying the definitions so cloud providers are not unintentionally swept into other service‑provider categories.
MGM Resorts’ representative (mister Pohl) urged the board to revise an early‑draft sentence that would require a licensee to "ensure" compliance by a cloud provider; he argued that the word "ensure" could imply intrusive audit requirements the vendors typically do not permit and suggested replacing it with "reasonable due diligence" and a documentation requirement that the licensee maintain.
Staff and the board agreed the drafting points warranted more work. Chair Dreitzer and staff said they would solicit redlines from industry and incorporate proposed language where appropriate. Given those open items, the board elected to table the Regulation 5 package and return it for further workshop review rather than forward it immediately to the Nevada Gaming Commission.
Votes and related motions
- The board did not take a final recommendation on the Regulation 5 package and chose to table further action pending industry redlines. - Separately, the board recommended an amendment to Regulation 5A.006 (draft dated 11/05/2025) to eliminate a requirement that interactive‑gaming operators supply pre‑go‑live lists of personnel who may access the main computer; staff said audits already review user‑access listings. Judge Assad moved the recommendation; the board voted to forward it to the Nevada Gaming Commission. - The board also recommended an amendment to Regulation 6.11 (draft dated 10/17/2025) giving the chair authority to approve alternate, substantively comparable methods for gross‑revenue computations for products that cross revenue categories; the board voted to forward that recommendation to the Commission.
What happens next
Industry was urged to submit proposed redlines on the cloud‑computing language (notably the "ensure" vs "reasonable due diligence" phrasing and definition clarifications). Staff plans to incorporate agreed clarifications in a subsequent workshop or board meeting before making a recommendation to the Nevada Gaming Commission.
