The Las Vegas Sands Casino Is Environmentally Friendly

Going green is all the rage among people and businesses. A green lifestyle simply means cutting back, wasting less, and helping to sustain the planet. In business, it can also mean publicity and more customers. People love to support green businesses, after all, why not help support those who support the planet? The Las Vegas Sands casino is certainly a green business worth supporting. After they launched their ECO 360 program, the Las Vegas Sands is well on its way to being the greenest casino in Las Vegas.

With all of the competition, it is important to find a way to stand out from the crowd, however, to do so and help the environment simultaneously is certainly worthy of applause. You may wonder how the Sands is going green. Below are several of the factors that are leading the way in their green efforts.

The Installation Of Astro Turf

Astroturf is a strange substance. It looks like grass, but unlike grass, it does not need to be watered or maintained. Astroturf is an ideal solution for places like Las Vegas, Nevada where watering the grass would take quite a bit of water, which is why the Sand has replaced all of their lawns with AstroTurf.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Energy-efficient light bulbs are a great way to save resources since they use less than half the electricity of a standard light bulb. Which can mean big savings in a place like a casino where the lights stay on 24 hours a day. However, the Las Vegas Sands went a step further and had light bulbs developed especially for their casino which is even more environmentally friendly than your standard CFL bulbs.

Solar Thermal Systems

The Las Vegas Sands features a beautiful and large pool. That pool will now be heated year-round by solar power. The company recently had large solar collectors installed which are designed to be the only heat source for the pool. Solar energy requires no use of resources.

If more casinos take notice of these changes and follow in suit, the amount of energy saved would be substantial, and this could quite literally be the best bonus the casinos offer.

An Overview Of The Casino Control Commission

The Casino Control Commission is a government regulatory body in the state of New Jersey. Founded in 1977, its primary function is to enforce the Casino Control Act and its associated regulations which instill public confidence in the gaming industry in Atlantic City. The commission also has the authority to grant new gaming licenses.

The Interior Of The Commission

The New Jersey Casino Control Commission is composed of five members who are appointed directly by the Governor of New Jersey with the input of the New Jersey Senate. The elected commissioners serve five-year terms and can only be removed from office for a justified reason. In order to keep the commission balanced, no three commissioners can represent the same political party.

One of the five commissioners is also appointed by the Governor to head the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). Another commissioner may also be appointed to the CRDA as a replacement for the commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs or the Department of Commerce and Economic Development.

Current Commissioners

The current members of the Casino Control Commission include:

  • Chairwoman Linda M. Kassekert with a term ending in 2012
  • William T. Sommeling with the current term ending in 2010
  • Michael C. Epps with the current term ending in 2011
  • Sharon Anne Harrington with the current term ending in 2013
  • Edward J. Fanelle with the current term ending in 2014
  • Divisions Of The New Jersey Casino Control Commission

There are six divisions within the commission. These include administration, commissioner’s office, compliance, licensing, financial evaluation, and the general counsel’s office.

The administration office primarily deals with the day-to-day functions of the commission. The commissioner’s office is an area where the commissioners sit including the chairwoman. The compliance division reviews and investigates any issues that arise and ensures that all casinos are following the rules and regulations.

The licensing division reviews applicants for a gaming license and grants them where appropriate. The financial evaluation division handles the finances and budgets for the Casino Control Commission. Finally, the general counsel’s office is the legal portion of the commission; settling all law-related disputes.

The New Jersey Casino Control Commission protects the consumer from gaming organizations being involved in any wrongdoing on their gaming floor. It also grants licenses to new gaming applicants. This commission is in place to balance casino organizations and allow customers to enjoy themselves.

A Review Of The Gambling Ship Act

The terminology, “Gambling Ship” pertains to a vessel that operates one or more gambling establishments. A common misconception is that this term indicates only a water vessel that goes out to International Waters for the sake of gambling and placing bets.

Other Terminology

A gambling establishment indicates a gaming business with the intention of gambling which includes accepting, recording, and registering bets. This also means playing a game of chance (other than the lottery) for money or other value. The term vessel is used to designate all water and air crafts used as a means of transportation across water and air.

What Does This Act Do?

The Gambling Ship Act prohibits all citizens of the United States, those on an American vessel or those within the jurisdiction of the United States from operating a gambling ship or establishment. Furthermore, the act bans taking part, dealing in gambling games, or operating a gambling device that enables players to induce a bet.

What Are The Consequences?

The consequences of disobeying this law are a hefty fine or imprisonment for no more than two years or both. Those that fall within this law include:

  • The owner of the American vessel
  • The owner of any vessel within United States control
  • The owner of any vessel and being an American citizen

Other Addendums

Within this act, there are two additional addendums. These include:

  • Transportation between shore and ship
  • Transmission of wagering information

The transportation between shore and ship section deems it unlawful to operate a transport vessel that moves passengers from one point to a gambling ship while not within United States jurisdiction. The penalty for this infraction is a fine per passenger transported to the gambling ship.

The second addendum is the transmission of wagering information which prohibits utilizing wire communication facilities for placing wagers on any contest or receiving money from bets placed. The penalty is imprisonment for up to two years. Of course, there are certain states that are excluded from these laws and allow for registered river and ocean liners to conduct gambling tours and packages.

Although this law might be harsh, it’s for the protection of United States citizens. As technology improves, types and methods of gambling are becoming more innovative. Consequently, new laws are passed to keep gambling at a minimum, in regulated areas of the United States.