Vegas Casino Regulators Require Written Harassment Policies

Casinos in Nevada must keep written policies against harassment and discrimination after regulators voted to boost workplace protections Nov. 21.

The Nevada Gaming Commission voted unanimously to require gaming companies to maintain written policies that apply to workers and customers, Chairman Tony Alamo said. Supporters said the change signals to companies wanting to keep their gaming licenses that harassment and discrimination is unacceptable.

The new requirement is “very congruent” with how the issues are addressed in state and federal law, Alamo said.

The changes, which apply to gaming companies with 15 or more employees, follow increased scrutiny of sexual harassment in the industry. Regulators have considered for more than a year how to address misconduct against casino workers by employees and patrons.

The end product is bigger and broader than sexual harassment, Alamo said. Widening it “fit well” with expectations of the gaming industry, he said.

The new policy walks back a previous proposal to address sexual harassment that would have required companies to report to regulators each year on their policies and how many complaints they received. That difference makes the changes a positive step but potentially less useful, said Ann C. McGinley, a professor at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, before the vote.

The Nevada Resort Association, representing dozens of casinos, supported the new requirement. Most companies already have written policies, according to a spokeswoman.