Gaming card vs non-gaming work card is a common question for people starting work in casinos, hospitality businesses, nightlife businesses, and other regulated jobs in Southern Nevada. The two are not the same, and they are no longer issued by the same agency.
What many people still call a “gaming card” is now handled as gaming employee registration through the Nevada Gaming Control Board. A non-gaming work card, sometimes called a sheriff card, is issued by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for certain jobs covered by state or local work-card rules.
Your job duties determine which path applies.
For employers and workers in Las Vegas, NV | Henderson, NV | Summerlin, knowing the difference before applying can help prevent filing with the wrong agency or assuming that one card covers every regulated job.
This guide explains the gaming card vs non-gaming work card question in plain English.
Table of Contents
- Gaming Card vs Non-Gaming Work Card: The Short Answer
- What Is a Gaming Card in Las Vegas?
- Who Issues Gaming Cards in Nevada?
- Who Counts as a Gaming Employee?
- What Is a Non-Gaming Work Card?
- Who Issues Non-Gaming Work Cards?
- Gaming Card vs Non-Gaming Work Card: Main Differences
- Do Casino Employees Always Need a Gaming Card?
- Can You Get a Work Card Before You Have a Job?
- Are Fingerprints Required?
- What Happens When You Change Employers?
- What Happens if You Change Job Types?
- Can a Criminal Record Affect a Work Card?
- What Employers Should Know
- How Kaizen Strategies Can Help
- Gaming Card vs Non-Gaming Work Card FAQs
- Sources
Gaming Card vs Non-Gaming Work Card: The Short Answer
The easiest way to understand gaming card vs non-gaming work card is to look at the worker’s job duties and the agency responsible for the registration.
A gaming card, as the term is commonly used, refers to Nevada’s gaming employee registration process. Gaming employee registration is governed by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, not LVMPD.
A non-gaming work card is issued by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department when a job falls under a state or local rule requiring an LVMPD work card.
LVMPD confirms that it stopped processing gaming cards on July 1, 2004. Gaming employee registration now goes through the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
See the current LVMPD Work Card FAQs.
The distinction is based on the work being performed, not simply on whether the employee works inside a casino.
What Is a Gaming Card in Las Vegas?
The phrase “gaming card” is still widely used in Las Vegas, but the state’s current process is called gaming employee registration.
Nevada Gaming Commission Regulation 5 states that a person may not be employed as a gaming employee unless the person is temporarily registered or registered as a gaming employee under Nevada law and the applicable gaming regulations.
You can review the current rules in Nevada Gaming Commission Regulation 5.
Gaming employee registration applies to workers whose duties bring them into regulated gaming activity.
This can include people who work directly with games, gaming money, certain gaming records, gaming equipment, wagering operations, or supervision of covered gaming employees.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board manages the registration system.
Who Issues Gaming Cards in Nevada?
Gaming employee registration is handled by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
LVMPD specifically tells applicants that it no longer processes gaming cards.
This makes the agency distinction one of the biggest differences in the gaming card vs non-gaming work card question.
For gaming employment:
Nevada Gaming Control Board
For qualifying non-gaming work cards:
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
The Gaming Control Board maintains information about registration through its Gaming Employee Registration page.
The Board also provides current instructions, registration resources, and information concerning fingerprint submission.
Workers should follow the process provided by their gaming employer and the Gaming Control Board rather than trying to apply for a gaming card through the regular LVMPD work-card process.
Who Counts as a Gaming Employee?
Nevada law defines who falls within the gaming employee category.
Under NRS 463.0157, a gaming employee includes certain employees, temporary employees, or representatives whose duties relate to the operation, control, or outcome of gambling games or access to, transport of, or review of gaming revenue.
Nevada law lists positions and duties that can fall within the definition, including people working in areas such as:
- Gaming-related accounting or internal auditing
- Casino cashier functions
- Counting rooms
- Dealing
- Gaming equipment work
- Slot route operations
- Gaming hosts with certain authority
- Machine mechanics
- Odds making
- Gaming security
- Pit or shift supervision
- Supervision of covered gaming employees
- Certain information-service work
The statute also allows Nevada gaming regulators to identify other jobs with similar duties.
Your actual job duties matter more than the title printed on a business card or employment posting.
Someone called a “manager” is not automatically a gaming employee. The question is whether the person’s duties fall within Nevada’s statutory and regulatory definition.
What Is a Non-Gaming Work Card?
A non-gaming work card is an employment card issued by LVMPD for certain regulated occupations.
It is also commonly called a sheriff card.
LVMPD confirms that “sheriff card” and “work card” refer to the same thing.
Not every employee in Las Vegas needs one.
State laws and local ordinances determine which types of jobs require an LVMPD work card.
The current LVMPD process starts with the prospective employer. According to the department, a worker obtains the application from the employer, completes it, obtains the employer’s signature, and then follows the filing instructions.
See LVMPD Work Cards for current requirements.
This is another major difference when comparing gaming card vs non-gaming work card procedures.
The gaming system is tied to Nevada gaming regulation. The non-gaming work-card system exists for certain jobs covered by separate state or local employment rules.
Who Issues Non-Gaming Work Cards?
LVMPD issues the work cards within its authority.
The department’s Records and Fingerprint Bureau handles the process.
According to LVMPD, work cards are valid only for the type of employment shown on the card.
That is worth remembering.
A worker should not assume that having one work card creates permission to move into any other job that requires a card.
Different types of employment can have different eligibility rules.
If you move into a different type of regulated employment, LVMPD says you must obtain a new application signed by the employer and apply for the new employment type.
Gaming Card vs Non-Gaming Work Card: Main Differences
Here is a simple comparison of gaming card vs non-gaming work card requirements in the Las Vegas area.
| Question | Gaming Card | Non-Gaming Work Card |
|---|---|---|
| Current official name | Gaming employee registration | Work card |
| Main agency | Nevada Gaming Control Board | LVMPD |
| What triggers it? | Duties that meet Nevada’s definition of gaming employment | Employment covered by applicable work-card laws or ordinances |
| Is it based only on working inside a casino? | No | No |
| Can fingerprints be involved? | Yes | Yes, depending on the applicable process |
| Does the employer play a role? | Yes | Yes |
| Can job duties affect the requirement? | Yes | Yes |
| Is a sheriff card the same as a work card? | No | Yes |
| Does LVMPD issue gaming cards? | No | Not applicable |
The last point is one that causes a lot of confusion.
LVMPD stopped processing gaming cards in 2004. If your employer says you need gaming employee registration, follow the Nevada Gaming Control Board process.
Do Casino Employees Always Need a Gaming Card?
No.
Working inside a casino does not automatically make someone a gaming employee under Nevada law.
NRS 463.0157 expressly excludes employees whose duties do not involve gaming activities. The statute also excludes people engaged exclusively in preparing or serving food or beverages and people involved mainly in resort or hotel functions of a licensed gaming establishment.
That means two people working under the same casino roof may face different employment-card requirements.
A blackjack dealer and a hotel employee may work for the same resort but perform very different jobs under Nevada gaming law.
The dealer’s duties directly involve a gambling game.
A worker performing only hotel duties may fall outside the statutory definition of gaming employee.
That does not automatically mean the hotel employee needs an LVMPD non-gaming work card. The worker’s exact job must still be checked against the laws and ordinances covering that type of employment.
This is why gaming card vs non-gaming work card questions should be answered by looking at the position rather than the building.
Can You Get a Work Card Before You Have a Job?
For LVMPD work cards, the department says no.
According to its current FAQs, you must first obtain employment. Your prospective employer gives you the work-card application.
The employer must sign the application.
This means someone moving to Southern Nevada generally cannot obtain a generic LVMPD work card first and then use it to look for any regulated job.
The process is tied to the employment involved.
For gaming employee registration, the gaming employer also plays a role in the registration process.
A worker who is unsure about which process applies should speak with the prospective employer before filing paperwork.
Are Fingerprints Required?
Fingerprinting can be part of both processes, but the procedures are not identical.
Gaming Employee Registration Fingerprints
The Nevada Gaming Control Board provides current information about approved fingerprinting locations for gaming employee registration.
LVMPD also states that it provides fingerprinting services related to the gaming employee registration process, even though LVMPD does not issue the gaming registration itself.
The registration remains a Nevada Gaming Control Board matter.
LVMPD Work Card Fingerprints
LVMPD handles fingerprinting connected with its own work-card process.
Its current requirements call for applicants to bring required identification and follow the instructions supplied with the employer-signed application.
Applicants should use the current instructions rather than relying on what a friend or coworker did several years ago.
Processes can change.
What Happens When You Change Employers?
This is another area where gaming card vs non-gaming work card procedures can differ.
For LVMPD work cards, the department states that when a worker changes employers but remains in the same employment type, the new employer must complete a location change form and submit it to LVMPD within the required period.
If the worker changes employment type, a new application is required.
Gaming employee registration has its own rules concerning changes in employment.
Nevada Regulation 5 defines its application form to include the Board-prescribed change-of-employment notice where applicable.
Employees and gaming employers should follow current Nevada Gaming Control Board procedures when employment changes.
Do not assume an LVMPD location-change process satisfies a Nevada Gaming Control Board requirement, or the other way around.
They are separate systems.
What Happens if You Change Job Types?
A change in duties can change the type of registration or card you need.
Suppose an employee starts in a non-gaming hospitality position and later moves into a job that directly involves gaming revenue or game operations.
The new position may fall within Nevada’s gaming employee definition.
The reverse can also happen.
Someone who leaves covered gaming duties for another regulated occupation may need to follow a different work-card process.
LVMPD states that its work cards are valid only for the type of employment listed on the card. A worker moving into a different employment category must obtain a new employer-signed application.
The job itself should be reviewed whenever the worker changes roles.
Can a Criminal Record Affect a Work Card?
Background history can affect regulated employment applications, but the answer depends on the card or registration and the governing rules.
LVMPD states that applicants have the right to apply and that eligibility depends on the ordinance or statute governing the employment position.
The department also notes that a person may have appeal rights following a denial.
Gaming employee registration has its own statutory and regulatory standards.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board maintains information about criteria for denial and gaming employee registration appeals through its Gaming Employee Registration page.
Applicants should answer criminal-history questions accurately.
Do not assume that a past issue automatically produces a particular result, and do not leave requested information out based on that assumption.
The agency handling the application applies the standards connected to that registration or work card.
What Employers Should Know
Employers should also understand the gaming card vs non-gaming work card distinction.
A business that hires regulated workers may have responsibilities tied to the applications and employment changes.
For an LVMPD work card, the prospective employer provides and signs the application.
For gaming employees, licensed gaming businesses work within the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s employee-registration system.
Before sending an employee to obtain a card, identify:
- The person’s actual duties
- Whether those duties meet Nevada’s gaming employee definition
- Whether another state or local work-card requirement applies
- Which agency receives the application
- Which employer forms must be completed
- Whether fingerprints are required
- What must happen if the employee changes positions
Sending an employee through the wrong process can create unnecessary confusion.
Businesses dealing with broader gaming-license questions can review Kaizen Strategies’ gaming licensing services.
For other local licensing matters, see our business licensing services.
Gaming Card vs Non-Gaming Work Card in Las Vegas: Which One Do You Need?
The answer depends on what you will actually do at work.
If your duties meet Nevada’s definition of a gaming employee, you may need gaming employee registration through the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
If your job falls under a separate state or local work-card requirement, the LVMPD work-card process may apply.
Working at a casino by itself does not answer the question.
Nevada specifically excludes certain non-gaming duties from the gaming employee definition, including workers engaged exclusively in food or beverage preparation or service and people working mainly in resort or hotel functions.
The safest starting point is to ask the employer which registration applies to the position and confirm that requirement through the agency responsible for it.
How Kaizen Strategies Can Help
Kaizen Strategies works with businesses on gaming and government licensing matters throughout Las Vegas, NV | Henderson, NV | Summerlin.
Our team consists of former high-ranking government officials, attorneys, and licensing professionals with more than 20 years of business, community, licensing, and government-relations experience.
For gaming businesses and other regulated employers, Kaizen Strategies can assist with matters involving:
- Gaming licensing
- Business licensing
- Gaming business ownership matters
- Government filings
- Local licensing questions
- Government representation
- Business formation
- Nevada Secretary of State filings
Employee work-card requirements can be one part of a much larger licensing project.
A new gaming business may also need state gaming approval, local privileged licensing, zoning approval, business licensing, entity filings, and other government approvals before operations begin.
For help with a gaming or business licensing matter in Las Vegas, NV | Henderson, NV | Summerlin, call Kaizen Strategies at (725) 247-6828 or visit our contact page to schedule an appointment.
Gaming Card vs Non-Gaming Work Card FAQs
1. Is a gaming card the same as a Las Vegas work card?
No. What people commonly call a gaming card is now Nevada gaming employee registration handled by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. LVMPD issues work cards for certain other regulated employment positions.
2. Does LVMPD issue gaming cards?
No. LVMPD states that it stopped processing gaming cards on July 1, 2004. Gaming employee registration is handled by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. LVMPD can provide certain fingerprinting services connected with gaming employee registration.
3. Does every casino worker need a gaming card?
No. Nevada law says the gaming employee definition does not include employees whose duties do not involve gaming activities. It also excludes people exclusively preparing or serving food or beverages and people whose work is mainly connected with resort or hotel functions.
4. What is a sheriff card in Las Vegas?
LVMPD states that a sheriff card and work card are the same thing. Work cards are issued for certain regulated jobs covered by state or local requirements.
5. Can I get an LVMPD work card before finding a job?
No. LVMPD states that applicants must first obtain employment. The prospective employer provides the work-card application and must sign it before the worker applies.
6. If I change jobs, can I keep using the same work card?
It depends on the change. LVMPD states that a work card is valid only for the employment type shown on it. A change to another employment type requires a new employer-signed application. A change of employer within the same work type has a separate location-change procedure.
7. Who can help a Las Vegas business with gaming and licensing requirements?
Kaizen Strategies assists businesses with gaming licensing, business licensing, and related government matters in Las Vegas, NV | Henderson, NV | Summerlin. Call (725) 247-6828 or visit the Kaizen Strategies contact page to schedule an appointment.
Next Steps
When deciding between a gaming card vs non-gaming work card, start with the job duties.
If the position directly involves covered gaming operations, gaming revenue, gaming equipment, wagering activity, or supervision of covered gaming workers, Nevada gaming employee registration may apply.
If the position is covered by another work-card requirement, the LVMPD process may apply instead.
Do not choose based only on the fact that the workplace is a casino, resort, bar, nightclub, or entertainment venue.
Ask the employer what the position requires, then confirm the process with the Nevada Gaming Control Board or LVMPD.
For businesses that need help with wider gaming and business licensing matters in Las Vegas, NV | Henderson, NV | Summerlin, contact Kaizen Strategies at (725) 247-6828 or complete the form on our contact page.
Sources
- Gaming Employee Registration
Publisher: Nevada Gaming Control Board
Publication Date: Updated September 2026
URL: https://www.gaming.nv.gov/divisions/enforcement-division/gaming-employee-registration/ - Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 463
Publisher: Nevada Legislature
Publication Date: Current codified version accessed September 22, 2026
URL: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-463.html - Nevada Gaming Commission Regulation 5
Publisher: Nevada Gaming Commission / Nevada Gaming Control Board
Publication Date: Current regulation accessed September 22, 2026
URL: https://gaming.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/gamingnvgov/content/Home/Features/Regulation5Operation.pdf - Work Cards
Publisher: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Publication Date: Current page accessed September 22, 2026
URL: https://www.lvmpd.com/about/bureaus/records-and-fingerprint-bureau/work-cards - Work Cards FAQs
Publisher: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Publication Date: Current page accessed September 22, 2026
URL: https://www.lvmpd.com/about/bureaus/records-and-fingerprint-bureau/work-cards/work-cards-faqs - Fingerprinting Services
Publisher: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Publication Date: Current page accessed September 22, 2026
URL: https://www.lvmpd.com/about/bureaus/records-and-fingerprint-bureau/fingerprinting-services
