Panel allows bets on state school sports

David Strow

Friday, Jan. 26, 2001 | 11:29 a.m.

Restrictions against betting on Nevada's college teams were lifted Thursday, as the Nevada Gaming Commission approved reforms aimed at improving the state's regulation of betting on college sports.

The most noticeable change will be that sports books will be allowed to take bets on games played by UNLV and the University of Nevada, Reno. The regulation takes effect Feb. 7.

That expansion of sports betting comes as the state braces for the possible introduction of a bill in Congress that would ban all betting on college sports, a bill strongly endorsed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Nevada is the only state that allows betting on sports.

But Brian Sandoval, chairman of the Gaming Commission, denied the new regulations were adopted in self-defense.

"I want to make it clear: These proposals have not been developed to appease the NCAA," Sandoval said. "Regardless of the NCAA's position, regardless of what happens in Washington, D.C., these regulations improve the regulation of sports books in Nevada."

Still, the spectre of a betting ban wasn't far off, as Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., chief of staff applauded the commission's move.

"Congressman Gibbons will work with the (Nevada congressional) delegation to share news of your actions today, and hopefully, this will help us in the fight," Mike Dayton said.

Through a spokesman, UNLV President Carol Harter said she supported the commission's action and hoped it would forestall efforts to pass a bill banning betting on college events.

By expanding betting to UNLV and UNR games, Sandoval maintained that the integrity of the games will be better protected.

"A concern of mine in particular has been that athletes in other states receive the protection of our regulatory system ... whereas the athletes in our state do not," Sandoval said. "I felt it was appropriate for our athletes to receive that protection."

Predictably, the NCAA didn't see it that way.

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

But UNLV football coach John Robinson wasn't as concerned.

"I don't think it will be a big problem," Robinson said. "Newspapers publish the odds in Los Angeles, too. Teams know what the odds are. I just hope that here in Las Vegas that the point spread on our game doesn't become a bigger issue than it was before. I hope it has the same place in the newspaper as it did before."

Though it will open a new avenue of business for sports books, a local sports book official said he does not expect a big jump in business from the lifting of the Nevada schools ban.

"There will be a lot of interest in the games, but it won't dramatically affect our handle," said Bob Scucci, assistant race and sports book manager at the Stardust. "It's an important step perceptionwise, because it'll show we can take legal wagers on college athletics without compromising the game in any way."

A key advantage, Scucci said, is that the move will allow sports books to begin offering futures bets on the NCAA basketball championship from the start of the season.

"That's eminently more popular than betting on individual games," Scucci said. "We've been unable to book it because of UNLV and Reno. We'd love to do it for the whole year ... it's something people look forward to all year."

The lifting of the Nevada schools ban was just one element of a package of changes made to sports book regulations Thursday. Other changes include:

The regulation also defines a suspicious wager as a bet or series of bets above $3,000 that "has no business or apparent lawful purpose or is not the sort of wager which the particular patron would be normally expected to place."

The amended regulation allows the commission, in considering a nominee's "notorious and unsavory reputation," to consider reports relating to a person's efforts to illegally wager on or influence the result of a college sports event. The regulation specifically identifies the NCAA as a source of information that can be considered in Black Book cases.

Sandoval described this component as a bridge of sorts between Nevada regulators and the NCAA.

"The door is always open for the NCAA to work with Nevada gaming regulators," Sandoval said. "If the NCAA is aware of any individual in our state involved in illegal bookmaking, this gives them the chance to provide us with the identity of these persons."

Sandoval, along with his fellow commissioners and those in attendance, sniped at the NCAA for its refusal to attend any discussions held over the past several months on the proposed changes to Nevada regulations. No one from the NCAA attended Thursday's meeting; the organization had previously told commissioners no one would attend.

Dan Wade, co-chief executive of MGM MIRAGE, called the NCAA's actions "disingenuous."

"If they adhere to common sense, the NCAA will work with Nevada the way we have offered to work with them," Wade said.

In a December letter to Sandoval, NCAA President Cedric Dempsey said the organization "remains convinced that illegal sports wagering on college sports cannot be effectively addressed as long as the activity remains legal in Nevada."

In that letter, however, the NCAA indicated it would be willing to meet with the commission after it passed the new regulations to discuss how the two sides could work to stop illegal sports wagering. At Thursday's meeting, commissioners held out hope that there would finally be direct communication between the two sides.

"The real issue here is illegal bookmaking outside of Nevada," Sandoval said.

David Strow

is a gaming writer for the Sun. He can be reached at (702) 259-4069 or by e-mail at strow@ lasvegassun.com

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