Nevada Gaming Control Board Nevada Gaming Control Board
This is the gambling regulator of Nevada, the U.S. state home to Las Vegas. Founded in 1955, it oversaw record Nevada casino revenue of $15.8 billion in 2025, the fifth straight year of records. Online casino is still not allowed.
| English | Nevada Gaming Control Board |
|---|---|
| Classification | Licenses & Regulation |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Parent body | Nevada Gaming Commission (1959) |
| Location | Carson City, Nevada, USA (Las Vegas office) |
| Oversees | Casinos, slot machines, gaming device makers and suppliers |
| Minimum slot return | 75% |
| Online | Poker only (since 2013), online casino not allowed |
| 2025 statewide casino revenue | $15.7985 billion (fifth straight record) |
| 2025 Las Vegas Strip | $8.81 billion (slots $4.95 billion) |
| Reference metric | Nevada slot hold of around 7% per year |
Overview
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) is the gambling regulator of Nevada, the US state that is home to Las Vegas. Nevada was the first US state to legalize casino gambling, in 1931, and created the GCB in 1955 after organized crime began reaching into casinos in the 1950s.
The GCB handles investigations, audits, device testing and enforcement, in a two-tier structure where the higher body, the Nevada Gaming Commission, created in 1959, makes final licensing decisions and writes regulations. Its headquarters is in the state capital, Carson City, and it also has a large office in Las Vegas.
History
Slot regulation
| Regulations | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum return | Slot machine theoretical return (RTP) of at least 75% |
| Device approval | All slot machines and game programs require approval from the GCB technical lab |
| Manufacturer license | Slot machine manufacturers, suppliers and distributors also require licenses |
| On-site inspections | Programs on machines installed in casinos are checked at random to confirm they match the approved version |
The legal minimum return is 75%, but in practice most casino slots are set much higher because of competition. Across all Nevada slots, casinos keep around 7% of the money players wager per year (the hold rate). That is higher than the house edge of 3-6% on online slots.
2025 market size
In 2025, Nevada casino revenue (player losses) reached $15.7985 billion, up 1.2% from the previous year and setting a record for the fifth year in a row.
| Region (2025) | Revenue | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas Strip | $8.81 billion | Nearly unchanged from the previous year (+0.03%) |
| Slot machines on the Strip | $4.95 billion | More than half of Strip revenue |
| Tables, sports and bingo on the Strip | $3.86 billion | |
| Downtown Las Vegas | Increase of more than 2% | |
| Reno (Washoe County) | About $1.1 billion | 3.4% increase |
Interestingly, Las Vegas visitors fell 7.5% in 2025 (to 38.54 million) and hotel room rates dropped, yet casino revenue hit a record. Analysts say the revenue structure has become more dependent on high-spending players.
Why online casinos are not allowed
Nevada legalized only online poker in 2013, and does not yet allow online casino or online slots. Offline casino resorts in Las Vegas are at the center of the state economy, so there is great concern that online casinos could reduce visitors. That is why Nevadans use casino brands’ free social slot apps a lot instead.
Industry impact
Nevada’s rules became a model for casino regulation in other US states and many countries around the world. Many slot machine manufacturers such as IGT are headquartered in Las Vegas, and G2E, one of the world’s largest casino trade shows, is held in Las Vegas. That makes Nevada approval one of the most important certifications in the offline slot industry. The online casino market is led by New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Location
The Nevada Gaming Control Board is headquartered in the state capital, Carson City, and also has a large office in Las Vegas.