Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

MGM Resorts fined $100,000 over gaming complaint at Aria

CityCenter

Steve Marcus

A view of the Aria during a tour of MGM Mirage’s CityCenter project Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009.

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Gaming Commission fined MGM Resorts International $100,000 in connection with a complaint that gaming agents were blocked from observing a high-stakes roulette game at the Aria.

Under Nevada regulations, gaming areas must be open to the public.

According to the complaint, the agents were standing 5 to 7 feet from the roulette table on Oct. 13, 2013, when a floor supervisor informed them a player did not want them watching the game. When they didn’t move, security guards blocked their view, according to the complaint.

Ellen Whittemore, an attorney for MGM Resorts, did not dispute what happened, but didn’t agree it was a violation of gaming regulations.

Commissioner Randolph Townsend suggested that guidelines be clarified as to how close an observer can stand to a gaming table so “somebody is not breathing down the neck” of a player.

“Is it 5 to 7 feet, 10 feet or 25 feet?” he asked.

The complaint against the Aria said there had been two similar violations in 2010 and 2012. Whittemore said that after the 2012 complaint, the casino took steps to reinforce to staff that gaming areas must remain open to the public. And after the most recent complaint, she said, added steps have been taken to educate employees.

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