Gov.-elect Aaron Ford will face two critical Nevada Gaming Control Board appointments within weeks of taking office in January. The terms of Chairman Mike Dreitzer and board member George Assad expire Jan. 29, meaning Ford must fill two of the three board seats during his first month as governor.
Dreitzer and Assad currently represent a two-thirds majority of the board, which oversees licensing, enforcement, investigations and tax collection for the state's gaming industry through six divisions. The board makes monthly recommendations to the five-member Nevada Gaming Commission, where Ford will also face an appointment in April when Commissioner George Markantonis' term ends.
Both departing members bring deep experience. Assad, appointed in January 2023, served nine years as a Las Vegas Municipal Court judge and previously prosecuted gaming fraud and cheating cases as a Clark County deputy district attorney. Dreitzer, appointed chairman in June 2025, previously represented the board and commission as a deputy attorney general and held senior roles at private gaming companies including Progressive Gaming, BMM Testlabs, Ainsworth Game Technology and Gaming Arts.
State law requires specific expertise for each board seat. The chair must have at least five years of administrative or management experience. One member must be a financial or accounting expert — currently held by Reno resident Chandeni Sendall, whose term runs through January 2029. The third seat requires expertise in investigations, law enforcement or legal matters, the role Assad currently fills.
Historically, governors have balanced appointments between Northern and Southern Nevada. With Sendall based in Reno, Ford's picks could come from Las Vegas. He could also reappoint Dreitzer and Assad given their extensive regulatory backgrounds. A Ford representative could not be reached to discuss potential appointments.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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