Gaming in BC? Kinda…

There are only two cities in Nevada where gambling is illegal.

One is the tiny town of Panaca, which was originally part of Utah, colonized by Mormons expanding out from their base in Salt Lake City. Many of the current residents, which number only a few hundred, are descendants of the original settlers and gambling has never been legal within the city limits.

The other is, of course, Boulder City, but for totally different reasons. As it was a federal outpost run strictly by the Department of Reclamation until 1960, both alcohol and gambling were originally proscribed. After the 1960 incorporation, the city ditched the prohibition on booze (but kept it tightly controlled) but the gambling prohibition stayed.

Chapter 4-4-1 of the Boulder City Code states explicitly that “it shall be unlawful for any person to allow, operate, carry on, conduct or maintain gambling within the city.”

So, why was the Business License Liquor Board talking about gambling permits in both of their two most recent meetings? Well, there are exceptions.

Qualified non-profit organizations can apply for short-term (usually a single day) permits for fundraising. The activities are generally either raffles or bingo, which was the case with all three of the recently-granted licenses.

In their first meeting in March, the board approved a permit for a bingo event to be held at Chilly Jillyz on Boulder City Parkway. The event will benefit See Spot Run, the nonprofit that runs the older of the two dog parks located within Veterans Memorial Park. The event is scheduled for April 25 and players must be 21 years of age or older to participate.

At that same March 6 meeting, the board, which is made up of the city’s executive staff (city manager, city attorney and city clerk) approved a permit for a raffle which took place at their Rock, Roll and Stroll event on March 14. Proceeds from that raffle and other parts of the event benefit Meals on Wheels and, according to the staff report, “other vital programs.”

In a rare second meeting in the same month on March 13, the board approved another raffle permit for Christ Lutheran Church’s Swing Into Spring Festival, which is scheduled for April 5. Tickets for a prize raffle will be held prior to the event and the value of the donated prizes is expected to be $500 or less.