Mike Dreitzer confirmed as next Nevada Gaming Control Board chairman
Dreitzer has been appointed by the state governor.
US.- Nevada governor Joe Lombardo has appointed industry veteran Mike Dreitzer as the next chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). Dreitzer will replace chairman Kirk Hendrick, who plans to resign following the 2025 legislative session. Dreitzer’s anticipated start date is June 23.
Dreitzer is a former deputy attorney general for the state, a role in which he provided legal representation for the Nevada Gaming Commission and the Nevada Gaming Control Board. He most recently served as the chief executive officer of Gaming Arts, a gaming equipment supplier with over 150 licences. He is resigning from the company and will provide transition services until he begins his role on the NGCB.
Dreitzer has an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a law degree from Emory University. Previous roles include as president of Ainsworth Game Technology’s North America Division and chief operating officer of BMM Americas. He was co-founder and chief operating officer of gaming content company G3 and also served in a variety of compliance roles for Progressive Gaming International Corporation following his tenure at the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.
Governor Lombardo said in a press release: “As he prepares to step down, I’m exceptionally grateful to chairman Hendrick for his partnership and service to our state. Under his leadership, the Nevada Gaming Control Board has eliminated bureaucratic hurdles and made tremendous progress in gaming modernisation and innovation in Nevada.”
He added: “Mike has an extensive background in gaming compliance and brings decades of industry experience to the role. I’m confident that Mike will lead the Nevada Gaming Control Board with integrity and honour, while furthering its recent innovation and progress.”
Dreitzer said: “I’m deeply honoured by this appointment to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, and I’m grateful to Governor Lombardo for his confidence in me. I look forward to furthering the essential mission of the Board, while supporting its agents and staff to ensure the highest quality gaming regulation for our state.”
Hendrick said: “I cannot thank governor Lombardo enough for allowing me to lead the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Working with my fellow Board members and all the dedicated Board agents and employees has been the highlight of my public service career. With time left until the end of the legislative session, I am eager to get much more accomplished for the State of Nevada.”
He added: “Handing over the gavel to chairman Mike Dreitzer will be a smooth transition. Mike and I have known each other for almost 30 years going back to our days in the Attorney General’s Office. Mike is the perfect choice by governor Lombardo based on Mike’s long career in gaming law, government, regulatory compliance, and business.”
Fine against MGM Resorts
Last week, the NGCB announced an $8.5m penalty against MGM Resorts International in relation to complaints of unlicensed bookmaking at MGM Grand and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) will decide whether to approve the proposed Stipulation for Settlement at its monthly meeting on April 24.
The penalty, which would be the fourth biggest issued by the Nevada regulator, relates to ten charges linked to the actions of the unlicensed bookmaker Wayne Nix and former minor league baseball player Mathew Bowyer at the Las Vegas casinos from 2015 to 2018. The men have pleaded guilty to illegal gambling charges in California, and Resorts World Las Vegas has already agreed to pay a $10.5m fine for allowing Bowyer to gamble there.
