Aaron Ford faces key Nevada gaming regulatory appointments in first month as governor

LAS VEGAS — When Gov.-elect Aaron Ford takes office in January, he’ll have two key gaming regulatory appointments to make in his first month on the job. The terms of Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Dreitzer and board member George Assad end Jan. 29, according to information provided by Control Board sources. Dreitzer and Assad represent a two-thirds majority of the Control Board. Through its six divisions, the Control Board protects the stability of the gaming industry through investigations, licensing and the enforcement of laws and regulations and ensures the collection of gaming taxes and fees, a key source of state revenue. Its recommendations are made monthly to the five-member Nevada Gaming Commission. Ford will have a Gaming Commission appointment on his plate, too, but that won’t occur for four months when the term of Commissioner George Markantonis comes to an end April 27. A representative of Ford could not be reached to discuss whether he has considered any future appointments yet. Based on their resumes, Assad and Dreitzer are among the most experienced of the current state gaming regulators. Assad, a retired Las Vegas Municipal Court judge for nine years, was appointed to the board in January 2023. Before serving on the bench, he was the Clark County District Attorney’s Office’s lead attorney prosecuting felony jury trials, including gaming fraud and cheating cases. Dreitzer was a deputy attorney general in Nevada and represented the Control Board and the Gaming Commission before being appointed Control Board chairman in June 2025. He also had senior roles in private sector gaming companies Progressive Gaming, BMM Testlabs, Ainsworth Game Technology and as CEO of Gaming Arts, a startup gaming equipment supplier. With 25 years’ experience in gaming, gaming law and regulation, Dreitzer has focused efforts on modernization, transparency and efficiency in his efforts to streamline regulations. Nevada’s regulated gaming structure is emulated by other jurisdictions around the world and it’s common to see representatives of other regulatory bodies meeting with Nevada Gaming Control Board members and staff. By statute, Gaming Control Board members have specific roles in expertise as part of their job responsibilities. The chair, which also serves as executive director, is required to have at least five years of responsible administrative experience or hold broad management skills. Of the other two board members, one must be a financial or accounting expert with at least five years of general accounting experience in corporate finance with qualifications in corporate finance, auditing, general finance or economics. That’s the role currently held by the third board member, Reno resident Chandeni Sendall, who holds a degree in economics from UNR and whose term runs through January 2029. The third board role, held by Assad, includes the need for expertise in investigations, law enforcement or legal matters. In the past, gubernatorial appointments to gaming positions have included a balance between Northern and Southern Nevada appointees. Since Sendall is a Reno resident, it’s possible that Ford’s appointees could come from Las Vegas. It’s also possible he could reappoint Dreitzer and Assad because of their experience. ©2026 Las Vegas Review-Journal. Visit reviewjournal.com. . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. More from this section Politics Supreme Court clears the way for border wall construction in Texas’s Big Bend to resume Updated 22 hrs ago Politics Hegseth slams his potential impeachment as a 'political spectacle’ that undermines US troops Updated 56 mins ago Politics After saying deportation policy was too tough, Trump now says it's 'very strong,' rejects 'amnesty' Updated 18 hrs ago Center for Politics Inside Killeen marks 75th episode with post-election breakdown on local impact of ‘blue wave’ Nov 7, 2026 Inside Killeen Podcast