Nevada Senator looks to impose stiffer fines for offshore operators
Bill SB256 would allow Nevada courts to impose greater fines beyond the $50,000 illegal gambling operators currently face if convicted of violating the state’s online gaming laws.
Key Points
- The AGA recently conducted research that showcased how unregulated offshore betting cost licensed gaming operators over $17bn in revenue throughout 2024
- Senator Nguyen, who originally proposed the legislation, said the idea stemmed from discussions held during several gaming conferences and with Nevada leadership
Nevada Senator Rochelle Nguyen has filed bill SB256 in hopes of eliminating unregulated offshore betting operators from conducting business throughout the state. The legislation would allow Nevada courts to impose stiffer fines beyond the $50,000 illegal gambling operators currently face if convicted of violating the state’s online gaming laws.
Bill SB256 would also propose that certain offenses be converted from misdemeanors into gross misdemeanors while adding a required “disgorgement” of any profits associated with the activity.
Senator Nguyen said the idea for bill SB256 came from discussions she had during conferences hosted by the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States and with Nevada gaming leadership, including the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM).
“They wanted someone to go after some of these illegal operators,” Senator Nguyen stated to local reporters.
“It’s a black market and it’s unregulated. The bill is pretty straightforward.”
The legislation was presented in the Senate Judiciary Committee and received support from AGEM, the Nevada Resort Association, the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling and the Vegas Chamber of Commerce.
According to research recently conducted by the American Gaming Association (AGA), unregulated offshore betting cost licensed gaming operators over $17bn in lost revenue throughout 2024.
Good to know: The Nevada Gaming Control Board released the state’s gaming revenue figures for January 2025 on February 28, with total gaming win increasing 12.54% year-over-year to $1.44bn
AGA Senior Director of Government Relations Tres York shared his support for bill SB256, believing the legislation works to represent “an example of leadership in effectively regulating gaming” as illegal operators continue to “drain money out of Nevada.”
“This legislation will ensure that those active in illegal gambling operations will not benefit from those activities in any way and serve as a deterrent for other individuals that may want to engage in similar illicit activity,” York said.
Organizations that oversee gambling within Nevada, such as AGEM, have stated it is unclear as to how much revenue the state has lost to unregulated gambling sites, but project the amount to fall between millions to tens of millions of dollars.
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