Jeff Silver and Jennifer Gaynor

Often forgotten in the rush to close down casinos in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is the regulatory aspect: What procedures do you follow, what do you do with the cash and audit process, how do you reconcile slot machine records and much more. In Nevada, it’s even more difficult since the casinos have never closed since 1931, so it was uncharted territory. Someone who has seen everything in the state, until now, is former Gaming Control Board member Jeff Silver, who along with Jennifer Gaynor, his colleague from the Dickinson Wright office in Las Vegas, helped their clients navigate the minefield of compliance hurdles during the shutdown on March 17. They explain the thought process of the regulators, the concerns of the operators, and possibilities of how the casinos will reopen when the all-clear is given. They met with GGB Publisher Roger Gros at the GGB offices in Las Vegas—Gaynor in person and Silver over the phone. The interview was conducted on March 31, when the lockdown order from Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak was extended to April 30.