Casino Control Commission approves multiple key-employee licenses, waives residency and refers one application for further investigation

The New Jersey Casino Control Commission on Sept. 11, 2024, approved a slate of casino key-employee licensure actions, including multiple initial and resubmitted licenses, a residency waiver for a Caesars executive and a referral for further investigation of a contested application.

Commission staff presented three initial license applications and recommended they be granted; the commission approved those licenses by voice vote. The panel also approved 15 resubmitted license applications that the Division of Gaming Enforcement and commission staff had reviewed and recommended for approval.

During separate consideration, the commission granted a renewal and waived the residency requirement for Harvey L. Chiles IV — identified in the meeting record as vice president of information technology for Caesars Entertainment Inc. — citing staff recommendation and a statutory waiver under NJSA 5:12-89(b). The commission approved that motion by voice vote.

The commission recorded roll-call votes to approve resubmitted qualifications for two senior executives. Christopher J. Downey, described as vice president of casino operations for Tropicana Atlantic City, and Barbara J. Holzizer, described as vice president for workforce development at DGMB Casino LLC, d/b/a Resorts Atlantic City, each received a roll-call vote in which Commissioners Molineux, Vice Chair Cooper and Chairman Sharon Pulosas registered "yes."

Patrick Ehler, manager of the licensing and financial evaluation unit, summarized approvals conducted under delegated authority between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30, 2024, listing several temporary key-employee licenses issued for surveillance and management positions at Atlantic City properties and said those staff approvals required no further commission action. "This memorializes the approvals that were granted by the commission's division of regulatory affairs via its delegated authority during this period," Ehler said.

Separately, staff presented five requests to place key-employee licenses on the approved inactive list (requests from Kirsten A. Bond; David R. Edwards; Christopher Gregson; James N. Jemas; and Stephanie Y. Santiago/Rivera). The commission voted to grant the inactivations, allowing individuals to remain on the approved inactive list for up to five years if so authorized by staff policy.

Staff also recommended that seven licenses be deemed lapsed because the holders had not filed required review applications nor requested inactive status by the filing deadlines. The commission approved a motion to deem those seven licenses lapsed, citing NJAC 19:41A-6.1(f).

On contested and conditional matters, senior counsel Teresa Pimpanelli presented a stipulation of settlement for Michael Furlong's initial application and told the commission that, if approved, the license would remain valid through October 2029 subject to conditions set out in the stipulation. The Division of Gaming Enforcement, through its counsel, asked the commission to approve the stipulation; the commission voted to do so.

On a separate contested matter, counsel for the division requested that the commission return the pending application of Angel J. Martinez (docket 230030CK) to the Division of Gaming Enforcement for further investigation after the adjudication of related criminal charges. The division's counsel said its earlier recommendation to deny the application had been based on the applicant's criminal history and pending charges and that a fuller investigatory record was now appropriate. The commission voted to transfer the application back to the division for additional investigation.

There were no public speakers during the public comment period, and the commission adjourned after setting a date for the next closed session.

The meeting record lists the specific applicants and procedural citations; where the transcript recorded roll-call votes the names of commissioners voting yes are included in this report. Other motions were carried by unanimous voice vote as recorded in the meeting minutes.