Becky Harris, formerly the chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB), has joined Global Market Advisors as a consultant to the regulatory and policy agency. In her new role, she will collaborate with the gaming and hospitality firm and their partners, however, she will remain in her full-time as a distinguished fellow in gaming and leadership at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas’ International Gaming Institute.
In a statement, Harris explained that she is excited at the new opportunity presented to her. “I think it’s going to be interesting to have the ability to work on projects in emerging jurisdictions. I think there is the opportunity to participate in some pretty interesting projects with them.”
Harris has a lot of experience in regulatory practices. In January 2018, she became the first woman to lead the NGCB after being named the boards’ chairwoman. In that role, she led the group who oversaw the performance of nearly 275 casinos with Nevada that grossed at least $1 million in revenue. That put her in a position to oversee the operations of casinos that generated a combined total of over $26 billion in 2017.
However, her time in the position lasted just one year. On January 10, 2019, she was replaced by Sandra Douglass Morgan. Morgan has previously served as the city attorney in North Las Vegas and was the first African-American city attorney in Nevada’s history.
Harris, unfortunately, found herself embroiled in controversy almost immediately after being named as the chairwoman when it was revealed that former casino owner Steve Wynn faced several lawsuits related to sexual harassment complaints.
The regulatory agency unanimously ruled that he could no longer hold a gaming license in the state, despite his resignation from his position. Wynn’s attorneys appealed the ruling and Harris spent much of her term battling with the former owner. Wynn continued to maintain his innocence related to the allegations, despite settling several lawsuits.
Harris moved onto UNLV but now gets back into the regulatory business. In a statement issued by Steve Gallaway, managing partner of Global Market Advisors, he shared his enthusiasm at bringing Harris aboard. “The depth and experience that Becky brings to our team is extraordinary as we continue to work with our clients around the globe. “From sports betting to overall regulation, Becky continues to be a leader in gaming, and that will only strengthen our ability to serve our clients.”
