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U.S., Nevada Gaming Industries Back Bill To Curb Cyber Attacks

Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Casinos across the country including Nevada, are urging Congress to pass legislation that would expand cyber-security protections for the gaming industry. 
 

Last year, the Las Vegas Sands Corporation was hit by a cyber-attack. The company reported that personal information from both customers and employees at their Bethlehem, Pennsylvania property had been compromised. This – coupled with the massive data breaches at companies like Sony Corp. – is why the American gaming industry is backing a bill called the Cyber Security Information Sharing Act. A.G. Burnett chairs the Nevada Gaming Commission.

“In many of these cases we think it comes from overseas groups of hackers that are targeting Nevada gaming companies in much the same way that you've seen some other commercial enterprises hacked.”

U.S. Intelligence officials confirmed earlier this year that the breach to the Las Vegas Sands Corp came from Iran. Nevada already has a law in place that require casinos to protect customer data like credit card and social security numbers, but gaming officials say this act would expand these protections on a national level and would include oversight from government security agencies who may have better eyes on overseas activity.

Esther Ciammachilli is a former part-time broadcaster at KUNR Public Radio.