The privileged license is critical across multiple highly regulated industries including commercial gaming, tribal gaming, and recreational and medicinal cannabis. The licensing process is now one of the most important aspects of smartly regulated jurisdictions to ensure licensees maintain a culture of compliance.

Who should attend: Local, state, federal, tribal and international law enforcement and licensing background investigators, tribal and state gaming commissioners and regulatory/compliance personnel.

UNLV is now offering this intensive program giving you practical strategies and tactics on how to execute a comprehensive investigations. Join an internationally diverse group of instructors and cohorts selected to maximize their collective experience and to develop lifelong international networking relationships.

Agenda

Day 1 – Licensing Public Policy and Opening Foundations

• Introduction

• Culture of Compliance panel

• History of gaming in the United States

• Tribal gaming and sovereignty

• Public policy and regulatory landscape - gaming

• Policy issues – recreational and medicinal cannabis

Day 2 - Government Oversight and Investigative Assistance

• Internal Revenue Service and other related investigative agency resources
• Anti-money laundering programs
• Partnering with state/federal prosecutors
• Legal aspects of protecting the casino
• United States Secret Service – Addressing cybersecurity/ransomware/general data protection regulations
• FinCEN – Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
• Mob Museum guided tour - history and development of the modern-day Las Vegas casino

Days 3 and 4 - Gaming Investigations

• Understanding how to access and read public records
• Understanding how to read financial documents and definitions
• Understanding suitability risk by position
• Game familiarization for post licensing investigations
• Foreign applicants and special issues
• Interviewing techniques
• Report writing

Conclusion and Certificate Presentation

Educational Partners

Tyler Burtis, Director of Investigations, Burtis Investigations

Tyler served more than 20 years with the California Department of Justice, with many of those years dedicated to the Bureau of Gambling Control and working joint federal task forces. Tyler honorably retired as the special agent in charge of the Compliance and Enforcement Section for Southern California, which is comprised of the highest density of tribal casinos and the largest card rooms in the United States.

Anthony Cabot, Distinguished Fellow of Gaming Law, UNLV

Before joining the Boyd School of Law in March 2018, Anthony Cabot practiced gaming law for 37 years and was a former chair of the gaming law practice and executive committee member at Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP. While in private practice, Chambers Global as Leading Lawyers for Business, for Gaming Regulation selected Cabot as the highest tier (star) gaming attorney for ten consecutive years. Chambers USA, as Leading Lawyers for Business, for Gaming Regulation recognized only one of four recognized top-tier gaming lawyers from 2004-17. Best Lawyers in America recognized him for Gaming Law from 2004-17. Cabot previously served as an adjunct faculty at the Boyd School of Law, UNLV College of Hotel Administration, and the University of Houston. In 2018, he was awarded the UNLV Academic Achievement Award for Outstanding Teaching by a Part-Time Faculty.

Jenna Casanova, Senior Enforcement Officer, Office of Compliance and Enforcement (MSB), Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)

Jenna Casanova is a senior enforcement officer within the Financial Crimes Enforcement Networks (FinCEN) Enforcement Division’s Money Service Businesses and Non-Bank Financial Institutions section conducting investigations related to Bank Secrecy Act obligations and Anti Money Laundering program requirements. Prior to joining FinCEN, Ms. Casanova worked as a forensic accountant in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Washington Field Office’s International Corruption Squad (ICU) focused on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, kleptocracy (international bribery), and international money laundering cases. She joined the ICU after almost a year and a half in the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force working on both domestic and foreign terrorist financial related cases. Prior to joining the FBI, Ms. Casanova worked at two Big 4 firms where she specialized in forensic accounting and financial investigations; FCPA investigations; financial carve outs; and financial statement audits. Ms. Casanova also worked for the Department of Defense performing due diligence reviews of corporations, including analysis for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Additionally, Ms. Casanova worked at the Department of the Treasury, where she focused on counter-threat finance (CTF) and anti-money laundering (AML) investigations pertaining to terrorist organizations. Ms. Casanova is an active CPA and CFE.

Al Childress, Special Agent in Charge, IRS - Criminal Investigations, Phoenix Field Office (AZ/NV/NM/UT)

Al Childress is an experienced SME and criminal investigator who has investigated and led others in investigating complex financial fraud schemes for over twenty-five years. Mr. Childress has a demonstrated history of working in the government sector, as well as partnering with federal, state, local, and private sector industry experts to address fraud. He is a strong financial, law enforcement, and protective services professional who is skilled in team building, management, QuickBooks, leadership, and risk management.

Greg Gemignani, Attorney, Law Firm of Dickinson Wright

Greg Gemignani is an attorney at the law firm of Dickinson Wright with more than 20 years' experience practicing gaming, technology and intellectual property law. He is also a lecturer and instructor at the International Center for Gaming Regulation teaching courses on sports wagering, gaming compliance, gaming regulation, and gaming policy. Mr. Gemignani has provided direct gaming and regulatory instruction to operators, governments, and regulators in dozens of jurisdictions and has provided onsite instruction in South Africa, Japan, Puerto Rico, Oregon, Minnesota, California, and Ghana. Mr. Gemignani’s practice emphasis is primarily on gaming regulatory law, intellectual property law, technology law and online promotions law. Mr. Gemignani has had articles published in law review journals, gaming industry publications, and has been a guest in radio and televised interviews for several international news organizations on internet law and gaming related topics. Mr. Gemignani has been teaching courses at the Boyd School of Law since 2005. Prior to practicing at Dickinson Wright, Mr. Gemignani was a shareholder at the law firm of Lionel Sawyer & Collins. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Gemignani was a software systems engineer and systems architect with EDS.

Becky Harris, Distinguished Fellow, Gaming & Leadership, UNLV International Gaming Institute; Former Chair of the Nevada Gaming Control Board

Becky Harris is the distinguished fellow in gaming and leadership at the International Gaming Institute and is on the faculty at the International Center of Gaming Regulation at University Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Harris, an internationally recognized expert on gambling policy, regulation, and legislative affairs, works with regulators, operators, academics, and other stakeholders on a host of gambling, and leadership challenges and projects.

In addition to teaching gaming law and policy at the Boyd School of Law, Harris regularly educates gambling regulators ensuring they have the information, knowledge, and tools necessary to assess and improve gambling policy and regulation in their respective jurisdictions. Actively involved in gambling issues around the world, Harris is highly sought-after as a collaborator, advisor, and speaker. Harris is frequently called upon nationally to discuss policy and regulatory issues relating to legal sports wagering. Ms. Harris is designated as an AML specialist by ACAMS.

John Kucera, Partner, Boies Schiller Flexner, LLP

John Kucera joined Boies Schiller Flexner in the summer of 2020 as a partner in the Los Angeles office. John’s practice focuses on white collar litigation, asset recovery, and Bank Integrity Act compliance.

Prior to joining BSF, beginning in 2008, John served as an assistant United States attorney for the Central District of California, where he prosecuted cases ranging from alien smuggling and human trafficking to bank robbery, firearm offenses, and narcotics trafficking. In 2012, John became the coordinator of the High Intensity Financial Crimes (HIFCA) Task Force for the Central District of California. As HIFCA coordinator, John led a multi-agency law enforcement unit that included the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigations, DEA, ATF, Homeland Security, Los Angeles Police Department, California Department of Justice Bureau of Gaming, and other various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. HIFCA was (and is) tasked with investigating and prosecuting financial crime in the largest District in the United States.

Adam Torres, Chief Gaming Regulator, San Manuel Tribal Gaming Commission

Adam N. Torres is the chief gaming regulator for the San Manuel Tribal Gaming Commission (SMTGC). In this role he leads the agency's strategies, goals, and policies, along with day-to-day operations. The SMTGC regulates gaming and related activities within their jurisdiction. In this position he oversees regulatory and compliance operations, with an emphasis on integrity of gaming, surveillance, audit and internal controls, employee and vendor gaming license, prevention of fraud, waste and abuse, internal investigations and anti- money laundering regulatory oversight. Prior to joining SMTGC, Adam served as a managing director for an international risk consulting firm focusing on business intelligence and internal investigating, Member of the California Judicial Performance Commission where he led investigations of judicial misconduct, US marshal for the Central District of California as chief law enforcement officer for the federal courts, IRS revenue agent where he tax audits of a variety of business structures, and IRS-CID special agent where he conducted criminal investigations of tax, financial, and other violations.