Nevada Casinos Exploring Ways To Keep Kids Away From Gaming Floors

Protecting underage visitors has been a major priority for Nevada’s casinos ever since a 7-year-old child was killed at a casino in 1997. The case of Sherrice Iverson who was strangled in Primm casino saw the accused 18-year old Jeremy Strohmeyer placing blame on the Nevada casino industry for allowing kids to be present at gaming floors, though he was subsequently found guilty of the crime.

According to him, the crime might have been avoided if casinos hadn’t sold alcohol to him at 3 a.m and allowed him to remain on its premises. In the aftermath of the horrific case, a number of tough measures were rolled out to keep away underage visitors from gaming floors.

The gaming arcades at Nevada’s casinos have a 10 p.m. deadline on weekdays and midnight at weekends for children under the age of 18. Additionally, the law requires a security guard to check all arcades at least four times every hour or monitor via installed security cameras.

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Nevada gaming law bars anyone below 21 years from betting or loitering at a location where any sort of wagering games like a race book or sports pool is being conducted. Employees, dealers and licensees can be charged with a misdemeanor if they allow an underage visitor to gamble.

Since casinos can lose their licenses if found in violation, officials have been exploring several preventive measures. Virginia Valentine, president of the Nevada Resort Association, said that most casinos were using sophisticated surveillance cameras to improve monitoring of underage visitors to casino floors.

Station Casinos Inc. has adopted a slightly different approach. The casino chain which markets itself as a family entertainment destination has introduced new methods to protect children and allow adults to gamble freely. Station spokeswoman Lori Nelson said that if any underage individual is found on the gaming floor by a staff member, they are taken immediately to a security counter where they are reunited with their family. Station Casinos has also partnered with Kids Quest, a Minnesota-based firm that offers hourly day care. Currently this service is available across six of its properties.

The chief operating officer of New Horizon Kids Quest Inc Troy Dunkley stated that there are 19 Kids Quest facilities operational in twelve states right now. Each facility offers visiting families the option of leaving their child in a highly secure place with a wide variety of amenities like play structures, small gyms and simple arcade games, allowing the parents to enjoy the properties’ gaming facilities without worries.