Gaming Control Board allows betting on Nevada college sports

Kenn Ritter

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001 | 6:52 a.m.

LAS VEGAS - The State Gaming Commission on Thursday lifted a long-standing ban on gambling on Nevada college sports teams and tightened other regulations on casino sports book bets.

The moves were criticized immediately by an official with the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

"They've expanded college sports wagering," said Bill Saum, director of the NCAA's agent and gambling activities office in Indianapolis. "They actually went the opposite direction we were hoping for."

Gaming commissioners left little doubt that they had in mind a national effort by the NCAA and lawmakers such as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to stop gambling on college and amateur sports. A congressional effort to ban college sports betting died in committee last year, though proponents vow to revive the bill this session.

The NCAA will continue its drive to pass nationwide legislation prohibiting all betting on all college sports, Saum said.

But before voting Thursday, commissioners denied they were trying to head off even stricter regulations.

"It's a shame that they were not here to participate," said Commissioner Sue Wagner, who took part in Thursday's hearing and vote by conference call from her home in Reno. "But that's history now."

Despite an invitation, no one from the NCAA took part in any of the five Gaming Commission hearings since the measures were first proposed in October.

"I want to make it clear these proposals have not been developed to appease the NCAA," Chairman Brian Sandoval said. "Their real issue is illegal sports book betting outside the state of Nevada."

Sandoval said the changes, which were approved unanimously, give the commission better control over college sports betting in Nevada.

The Gaming Commission's new rules mean that for the first time since the 1950s betting will be allowed on games played by UNLV and the University of Nevada, Reno, and on games played by other college teams in Nevada.

"So, you'll now be able to take bets on teams if the Final Four were to play here?" asked John Yeatts, a Las Vegas resident and self-described "gambler on the carpet" who stepped to the podium to hail the Gaming Control Commission action. He was referring to the final NCAA basketball championship games, held in March.

"Yes," Sandoval answered.

The commission also added a new category, illegal sports bettors, to the "notorious or unsavory" section of the gambling industry's "black book" of people banned in Nevada casinos.

It didn't limit the size of bets that a bettor can place on college games, but set a $3,000 reporting threshold and ordered casinos to identify and report any unusual wagers by individuals or groups.

"It's not just a $3,000 bet, it's anything suspicious," said Kirk Hendrick, a deputy state attorney general at the state Gaming Control Board.

"The NCAA believes that outside people have come here to place bets to violate other states' or federal law," Hendrick said. "Although we don't believe that is the case, this is a way to put Nevada casinos as a guard at the gate to help identify suspicious activity."

The five-member commission, an appointed oversight body with the power to pull casino licenses, also prohibited casinos from knowingly accepting bets from college athletes and coaches on their own games.

And it restated its rule against taking bets on amateur, high school or Olympic games.