2 gaming licensees punished with fines for violating regulations – Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Nevada Gaming Commission on Thursday ordered $70,000 in fines against gaming licensees, including the casino operator of the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Commissioners voted unanimously to assess fines against MGNV, LLC, doing business as Mohegan Sun Casino Las Vegas. The Mohegan Tribe is one of three partners operating Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Commissioners also slapped a $10,000 fine against LV Station Management Inc., which operates the Country Club Auto Spa on South Eastern Avenue and is owned by Ali Pourdastan, the licensee. The Auto Spa is a car wash, convenience store and gasoline station that once had five slot machines in operation. The machines have been removed, but the licensee preserved its ability to provide gambling at the site this year.

In the hearing with the Mohegan Sun Casino Las Vegas, commissioners took into account that the casino staff complied with all of the rules of social distancing and mask wearing, but some of the casinos invited celebrity guests did not.

Photos that appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal and on Virgin Las Vegas Twitter feed were cited in the Gaming Control Boards complaint.

In one of the Virgin Hotels postings, celebrity patrons were identified, including photos of actor, television and radio host Mario Lopez. The complaint noted that Lopez was not eating, drinking or smoking in the photos, activities allowed by emergency directives ordered by Gov. Steve Sisolak.

The Control Board and Mohegan negotiated the $60,000 fine, one of the largest assessed for noncompliance for failure to wear facial coverings and comply with social distancing rules.

Clark County removed those rules as of June 1.

In the Country Club Auto Spa complaint, operators admitted they had not properly filed applications for key employees to oversee five slot machines that were placed in a convenience store adjacent to a car wash.

A representative of the Auto Spa said that replacing the initial key employee whom Metropolitan Police Department officers arrested was an oversight and that the original key employee was an ex-felon who sold drugs and possessed a gun.

Commission Chairman John Moran said he contemplated recommending a license revocation in the case, but when he heard from representatives of the Auto Spa, he changed his mind and agreed that a $10,000 fine was appropriate.

In earlier meeting actions, commissioners unanimously approved quarter horse and thoroughbred racing at the Elko and White Pine county fairs.

The commission approved race dates Aug. 20-22 sponsored by White Pine Countys agricultural district in Ely and Aug. 27 through Sept. 6 by the Elko County Fair Board in Elko.

The races are popular attractions at the fairs but were canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Because pari-mutuel wagering is allowed on the two series of races, the Gaming Commission is required to approve race dates. The Control Board unanimously recommended approval of the dates at its June 9 meeting.

Both race dates are affiliated with their respective county fairs and feature quarter horse and thoroughbred racing. This year marks the 100th anniversary of horse racing in Elko and the 88th year of racing in Ely.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.

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2 gaming licensees punished with fines for violating regulations - Las Vegas Review-Journal