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Casino Control Commission approves dozens of key-employee licenses and executive qualifications
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Summary
The New Jersey Casino Control Commission unanimously approved ratification of minutes, multiple initial and resubmission casino key employee licenses, several stipulations of settlement, and plenary qualifications for senior executives, while remanding one initial license application for further hearing.
The New Jersey Casino Control Commission on Jan. 13 ratified minutes and approved a series of initial and resubmitted casino key-employee licenses, accepted multiple stipulations of settlement and adopted plenary qualifications for several senior industry executives.
The commission unanimously approved initial licenses for Cazia Hasnan, Jared Hastings and Zoe Rivera and granted resubmissions for a larger group of applicants after staff and the Division of Gaming Enforcement recommended approval. Two resubmission applications — for Chanel Lett and Chastity Munoz — were remanded to the contested-case hearing process after the division raised objections.
Commission staff memorialized delegated approvals granted between Dec. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025, including temporary key licenses to Robert J. Braun III (surveillance shift manager, Borgata) and James T. Smith (CCTV regional manager, Caesars/Tropicana). The commission also inactivated Dennis J. Gallagher’s key license on request and found that James L. Davis’s license had lapsed for failure to file a required review application.
The commission approved stipulations of settlement that grant or resolve applications for Hipolito Reyes, Nicole Blaylock, Topaz Watkins and Steven Carter, all subject to the terms and conditions in the respective stipulations. In self-exclusion appeals, the commission adopted hearing examiners’ initial decisions denying requests for removal from the self-exclusion list.
Several plenary qualifications were adopted by roll-call vote: the commission found Paige Fertitta qualified to serve as director and president of Fertitta Entertainment Inc.; it found Theodosius Papasolo qualified to serve on the board of Caesars Entertainment Inc.; and it qualified Jesse Lynn for a seat on the Caesars board. The commission also granted an initial casino key employee license and plenary qualification to Whit Armstrong to serve as chief information security officer for GNAC Holdings LLC.
Most approvals followed staff recommendations and the division’s reports. When roll-call votes were recorded, each of the three commissioners present answered “Yes.” The meeting closed after a brief public greeting and the commission announced a closed session scheduled for Feb. 11, 2026.
The commission’s website will post minutes and recordings; members of the public may submit comments to public.comments@ccc.nj.gov.
Next steps: Applicants approved subject to stipulations or resolutions will be licensed per the terms described in staff memos and the division’s reports; contested or remanded matters will proceed to hearings as ordered.
