Events
IAGA SUMMIT Macau 2018
AG Burnett, Partner, Gaming & Administrative Law Group, McDonald Carano
A.G. Burnett is a partner in the Gaming & Administrative Law Group with McDonald Carano. Due to his extensive experience working in and with regulatory agencies in Nevada and throughout the world, he is uniquely positioned to advise regulatory agencies, federal agencies and others in meeting and crafting regulatory standards, as well as representing gaming industry clients in navigating regulatory requirements in Nevada and beyond. Mr. Burnett is also skilled in assisting companies with their compliance programs and compliance obligations. He most recently served as the Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) from 2012 through 2017 and as a member of the Governor’s Gaming Policy Committee. During his service with the NGCB, he worked extensively with the regulators of other gaming jurisdictions on matters of shared interest relating to the gaming industry and its growth throughout the world.
In Las Vegas, there had been instances where large crowds have contributed to chaotic events that stand the chance of spiraling out of control. The popularity of nightclubs and day clubs on casino properties began growing significantly after 2012. Large crowds tucked into small spaces were recipes for events like shootings, fights, and riots.
Crisis & Emergency Management Note on Regulatory Experiences
On the night of Sunday, October 1, 2017, a gunman opened fire on the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas. Te gunman was in a room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino on the south end of the Strip. Mandalay Bay has 43 stories, 3,309 hotel rooms, and a 135,000-square foot casino. Te Route 91 Harvest Festival is a country music gathering that brings headline acts to Las Vegas. Tousands of people attend the yearly gathering, which is in a lot just north of, and directly across the street to Mandalay Bay.
Te shooting started without warning, and created chaos on the ground below. Victims who thought the shooter or shooters were on the ground level with them ducked and laid down. Little did they know the shooter was above them. As gunfire rained down upon the crowd, chaos ensued.
In total, 58 people lost their lives and 851 people were injured.
In the chaotic moments during and after the shooting, a multitude of law enforcement personnel descended on the area. Included among them were staff from the Enforcement Division of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB or Board). Te Enforcement Division is the law enforcement arm of the Board. It is comprised of peace officers who are certified and trained in the exact same fashion as police. In fact, many are former police officers.
Tey, along with the other local, state and federal law enforcement authorities did the best they could to secure the scene and attend to the injured. In the hours and days that followed, they investigated the shooter to determine the cause of what has been deemed the deadliest mass shooting committed by one person to have ever taken place in the United States.
Tis article addresses the experiences of the GCB P68 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE /MARKET DATA
during and after that tragedy. I was the Chairman of the Board at the time. It is hoped that this article may aid other gaming regulators by detailing what they might experience and what they could do in anticipation of, and in response to, such a terrible event.
PRE-EMERGENCY MEASURES Las Vegas is a major international tourism
destination. Millions of visitors come to the city every year, and especially the Strip; while this is a great benefit to the local and state economies, it can also mean that the location becomes a target.
For years, there have been working groups and roundtables held within Nevada, and specifically in Las Vegas, to prepare all stakeholders for handling of an emergency. Much of this work began prior to September 11, 2001, but of course most of the work and its intensity increased exponentially after that. To realise that your geographic location is a target is truly a motivator. Many local, federal, and state agencies took part in sessions designed to identify potential emergencies and how to handle them. Te interesting part about these meetings was that other stakeholders were there as well: the gaming industry.
In a city like Las Vegas, where the gaming industry is the focus of security concerns, it was incredibly important to have their seat at the table and to allow
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