Casino Control Commission approves multiple licensing actions, denies a resubmission and upholds self‑exclusion decisions

The New Jersey Casino Control Commission on May 12 took a broad slate of licensing and qualification actions, approving numerous initial and resubmitted casino key‑employee licenses, authorizing temporary corporate qualifications, remanding a handful of applications for contested‑case hearings and denying at least one resubmission application.

On individual personnel matters, the commission approved a stipulation permitting applicant Anthony Faranka to withdraw his initial key‑employee application subject to settlement terms that bar him from applying for or holding a casino key license until Nov. 4, 2027. The commission granted Christian Wesley an initial casino key‑employee license after staff and the Division of Gaming Enforcement reported no objection.

The commission voted to grant a set of 12 resubmitted key licenses (names listed on the record) and approved three resubmissions with multi‑casino endorsements pursuant to NJSA 5:12‑91.1. The commission also remanded several resubmitted applications—identified on the record as Hassan, Morales, Velasquez and White—for contested‑case hearings after the Division raised objections.

Staff summarized delegated‑authority activity for April, memorializing several temporary key‑employee licenses issued for Atlantic City properties including Tropicana, Caesars, Borgata and Hard Rock. The commission approved requests to place four individuals on the approved and active list as inactive for up to five years and found that the licenses of Ryan M. Metcalfe and Paul L. Wilson lapsed for failure to file required review applications as prescribed by NJAC 19:41‑6.1(f).

The commission approved stipulations of settlement granting initial or resubmitted licenses for Aaron Tolbert Dennis (license through May 2030), Marissa Vargas, Deborah A. Holden, Julitza Alicia Mendez and Cassandra R. Paul. It denied the resubmission application of Margarita Rivera and voted to revoke her license after the Division concluded she failed to comply with the contested‑case process and recommended denial under sections of the Casino Control Act.

The full commission adopted hearing examiners’ initial decisions denying multiple appellants’ requests for early removal from the Division’s self‑exclusion list; Division counsel told the commission the appellants had voluntarily placed themselves on provider platforms (FanDuel, Caesars) and had completed the required multi‑step exclusion processes. The commission adopted the examiners’ decisions and denied early removal requests.

Corporate petitions also drew commission action. The commission issued a temporary casino key‑employee license to Christopher Gericke to serve as financial controller for Premier Entertainment AC LLC (Bally’s Atlantic City) pending plenary qualification, and it adopted draft resolutions authorizing temporary qualifications for corporate officers and board members at multiple casino companies—actions taken subject to statutory and regulatory conditions (various NJSA and NJAC citations were cited on the record). Division counsel generally filed letters of no objection for the corporate petitions.

Votes were recorded by voice vote for many matters; several items were decided by roll call where recorded answers ("yes") appeared on the record. Where the Division recommended settlement terms or denial, commissioners moved to adopt those recommendations and the motions carried.

The commission closed the public‑participation portion with no comments and adjourned the meeting. The chair announced the next closed session would be held Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.