Inside Asian Gaming

IAG FEB 2022年2月 亞博匯 52 IN FOCUS Ben Blaschke: We head into 2022 with the COVID-19 pandemic still impacting the world but with hope that better days wait in the year ahead. What challenges do you expect this period to present for regulators, not just in Nevada but globally? Sandra Douglass Morgan: Over the past two years, regulators had to shift their roles to incorporate significant responsibilities surrounding COVID-19. Prior to the pandemic, regulators were primarily focused on more traditional gaming matters. Now, more gaming regulators across the world have had to shift their focus and attention to health and safety issues. For example, while I was Chairwoman at the Nevada Gaming Control Board, we were responsible for enforcing facial coverings and masks on gaming employees and patrons on casino properties. As new variants of COVID-19 emerge, gaming regulators should be prepared to anticipate continued requests for regulatory recommendations that concern patrons’ health and safety while on casino properties. BB: You were at the helm of the Nevada Gaming Control Board when it regulated for cashless wagering during the pandemic. How significant is this for the industry? SDM: Regulating cashless wagering is simply a matter