Longtime gaming executive Mike Dreitzer to lead Nevada Gaming Control Board

Mike Dreitzer, a longtime gaming executive and former state attorney, will become the next Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, Governor Joe Lombardo announced Monday. Dreitzer will step into the role at the end of June, following the planned retirement of current chairman Kirk Hendrick.

Dreitzer currently serves as CEO of Gaming Arts, a Las Vegas-based developer of slot machines and gaming technology. He has held that position since 2018 and is overseeing the company’s merger with Germany-based Merkur Gaming. While he assists with that transition, Dreitzer is preparing to assume leadership of the three-member regulatory board that oversees Nevada’s largest industry.

In a statement released by the governor’s office, Dreitzer said he was “deeply honored” to be selected. “I’m grateful to Governor Lombardo for his confidence in me,” he said. “I look forward to furthering the essential mission of the Board, while supporting its agents and staff to ensure the highest quality gaming regulation for our state.”

Dreitzer brings a broad range of experience to the role, including leadership positions at Ainsworth Game Technology and BMM Americas. Earlier in his career, he served as a Nevada deputy attorney general, advising both the Gaming Control Board and the Gaming Commission.

Governor Lombardo praised Dreitzer’s qualifications and expressed confidence in his ability to lead. “Mike has an extensive background in gaming compliance and brings decades of industry experience to the role,” Lombardo said. “I’m confident that Mike will lead the Nevada Gaming Control Board with integrity and honor, while furthering its recent innovation and progress.”

Hendrick, who has led the board since January 2023, said Dreitzer’s appointment ensures continuity. “Handing over the gavel to Chairman Mike Dreitzer will be a smooth transition,” he said. “Mike and I have known each other for almost 30 years, going back to our days in the Attorney General’s Office.”

During his tenure, Hendrick oversaw a series of reforms aimed at cutting red tape in gaming regulation, including the elimination of 16 outdated rules. He also led investigations into high-profile misconduct cases, most notably involving Resorts World Las Vegas and former casino executive Scott Sibella. One case resulted in a $10.5 million fine, the second largest in the state’s history.

Hendrick also managed the recent settlement with MGM Resorts International, which agreed to pay $8.5 million over Bank Secrecy Act violations dating back to 2018, when Sibella was president of the MGM Grand.

Dreitzer will complete the remaining 18 months of Hendrick’s four-year term. His appointment follows two other recent additions to the board by Lombardo, former Judge George Assad and Reno Deputy City Attorney Chandeni Sendall.

Dreitzer is expected to begin his term after the conclusion of the upcoming Gaming Control Board meeting in May, where Merkur Gaming’s licensing application is scheduled to be reviewed. Until then, he remains with Gaming Arts to help finalize the merger.