Nevada Tightens Rules After Peppermill Incident

Regulators in Nevada are tightening the rules on the use of slot reset keys in the wake of a corporate espionage fine against Reno’s Peppermill casino.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board has issued a new rule setting “internal controls” on slot reset keys, also known as the “2341” key, used in slot machine maintenance. The rule is in response to last month’s million fine against the Peppermill in Reno for corporate espionage, issued after a Peppermill slot manager used such a key to access percentage information and other proprietary data from the slot machines of competitors.

The gaming board issued controls that include prohibiting distribution of the keys to the general public, expressly restricting their use to authorized employees inside a licensee’s own establishment, and a quarterly inventory of each casino’s supply of keys.

The rule also requires casinos to “diligently monitor” gaming devices to ensure only authorized employees access information using the keys.