Former Nevada gaming regulators recommended for approval to join Resorts World Las Vegas board

Two former Nevada gaming regulators received unanimous recommendations of approval Wednesday to join the board of directors of Resorts World Las Vegas, following a licensing hearing that concentrated heavily on compliance controls and prior enforcement actions.

Brian Sandoval, who chaired the Nevada Gaming Commission from 1999 through 2001 and later served as Nevada governor, and A.G. Burnett, who led the Nevada Gaming Control Board from 2012 to 2017, were recommended for licensing as board members, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Sandoval is currently president of the University of Nevada, Reno, while Burnett is a partner in the gaming and administrative law practice at McDonald Carano.

Two additional nominees, Keong Hui Lim and Kong Han Tan, also received recommendations after testifying remotely from Asia during the two-hour proceeding. Final approval is scheduled for Feb. 26 before the Gaming Commission, which includes Brian Krolicki, Sandoval’s lieutenant governor, as a member.

The review comes after regulatory action last year involving Resorts World’s parent company, Genting Berhad, which agreed to a $10.5 million settlement for violations of anti-money-laundering rules. Board members questioned the nominees about internal safeguards and oversight structures implemented since that settlement.

Brian Sandoval

Control Board member George Assad referenced compliance gaps identified in prior enforcement cases across multiple Las Vegas properties.

“There’s been a structural issue, a void, a vacuum between the marketing department and the compliance department, and the third leg of that would be someone in authority, unfettered authority, to say, ‘We need to ban that person,’” Assad said. “In all these properties, there was kind of a confusing silo effect across the board with people pointing fingers at each other.”

Sandoval said compliance remains a central focus of board oversight and described ongoing efforts to reinforce regulatory standards.

“The beauty of this board and the variety of it is that they bring different experiences, life experiences, regulatory experiences, government experience, private sector experience,” Sandoval said. He added that the company has undertaken internal training and review.

A.G. Burnett

“There’s been extensive training, there’s been extensive discussion to ensure that everybody is familiar with the rules and regulations of the board, the state of Nevada, as well as the federal government,” Sandoval said.

Assad said he is confident in the resort’s current leadership, including Chief Operating Officer Carlos Castro and Chief Compliance Officer Jennifer Roberts.