Director, Division of Gaming

The New York State Gaming Commission is seeking a highly skilled administrator with exceptional leadership skills to direct and oversee the Division of Gaming. The Commission is a regulatory body with varied responsibilities over all forms of legal gaming conducted within the State.

The Division of Gaming oversees State responsibilities memorialized in (3) tribal-state gaming compacts, (8) video lottery gaming facilities, and (5) commercial casino facilities, (8) mobile sports wagering platforms and (9) operators, and (15) interactive fantasy sports licensees.

The Division supervises staff located at Indian Gaming, video lottery gaming, and commercial casino facilities within the borders of the State and staff in Schenectady who review and enforce elements intended to protect the State, the public, and industry participants.

Duties Description

The Director will provide oversight into a wide array of department activities including, but not limited to:

• Develop staffing plans; and review applicant submissions to ensure casino plans remain in line with Operation Certificates.
• Perform a full range of supervisory duties including staff recruitment, the planning, assigning, and evaluating work, performance management, and determining training needs and arranging for necessary training.
• Ensure the appropriate collection of State regulatory assessments and certain license fees.
• Review requests from commercial casinos and certain Indian gaming facilities related to initial applications, renewals, and amendments of Casino Alcohol Beverage Licenses.
• Where appropriate work closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies related to gaming operations and its impact on the local community.
• Issue Notice of Violations and, if warranted, levy fines to commercial casinos, VLT facilities, mobile sports wagering operators, and interactive fantasy sports licensees for non-compliance with regulations and other operational deficiencies.
• Respond to complaints from the public related to the conduct of Gaming within the State.
• Prepare and present compliance actions to the Executive Director and Commission, in coordination with the Office of General Counsel and assisting with the conduct of hearings and provision of testimony, if required, before the Commission; and
• Through and with the Commission, advise and assist with the promulgation of rules to ensure the integrity of gaming and to protect the wagering public and industry participants.

Indian Gaming

• Oversight of gaming activities and Commission staff at the seven class III gaming facilities located in the State to ensure compliance with the various Tribal-State gaming compacts, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and National Indian Gaming Commission regulations.
• Participate in the licensing and investigation of participants, occupational and enterprise.
• Maintain liaison with tribal governments as well as federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies concerned with Indian gaming.

Video Lottery

• Operate and administer the State’s video lottery gaming program.
• Oversight of staff responsible for approving new themes for video lottery games; approving changes to the video lottery facilities’ gaming floors and new themes or denominations; approval of surveillance systems; contract administration for the operations of the central system and the game vendors; performance analysis; and secure key control.
• Undertake contract administration with game vendors which includes interfacing between the various groups associated with video lottery program, which includes video lottery terminal manufacturers, the central system provider, independent testing laboratories, as well as the Commission’s Marketing, Finance, Licensing, and Internal Audit offices.
• Review and approve Capital Award and Lapsed Prize Fund Requests.
• Coordinate with agents conducting video gaming operations to ensure statutory and regulatory compliance and maximizing revenue to state education fund.
• Assist in the review and approval of license applications for vendor, operational and facility operations.

Commercial Casino

• Assist with the development of the system of regulation of gaming activities at the commercial casino gaming facilities located in the State to ensure compliance with the various statutes, regulations approved system of internal controls and standard operating procedures.
• Participate in the licensing and investigation of participants, occupational and enterprise.
• Maintain liaison with corporate licensees as well as federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and other State regulatory bodies concerned with commercial gaming.
• Provide on-site assistance with the anticipated 2030 opening of two additional commercial casinos.
• Oversight of staff responsible for maintaining daily regulatory operations of commercial casinos to ensure statutory and regulatory compliance.

Sports Wagering and Interactive Fantasy Sports

• Review requests from sports wagering operators for wagering menu offerings.
• Monitor and respond to any report of improprieties in sporting events to determine if they influence any State wagering offerings.
• Oversee the review and approval of day-to-day regulatory operations of mobile sports wagering and interactive fantasy sports including promotions, change management, new league/contest approvals and house rules/internal control procedure submissions.

Audit Unit

• Manage unit resources, schedules, and personnel assignments to ensure timely completion of audit projects.
• Coordinate and execute complex audits involving gaming revenues, anti-money laundering measures, and contractual compliance.
• Identify audit priorities based on risk assessment, regulatory requirements, and Division objectives.
• Interpret and ensure compliance with Law and rules.
• Serve as the primary liaison to external regulatory and law enforcement agencies on matters involving commercial gaming audits and investigations.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

Education and/or Experience

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college and ten years related experience* overseeing or managing program operations, including six years supervisory experience.

*Substitutions: Four years of specialized experience OR an associate degree and two years of specialized experience may substitute for bachelor’s degree. A J.D. or master’s degree may substitute for one year of specialized experience, a Ph.D. may substitute for two years of specialized experience.

• As required by law, the incumbent shall not have any financial interest in the State’s racing or gaming industry during or immediately following the term of appointment.

Preferred Competencies

• Management experience which includes leadership, strategic planning, procurement, negotiation, conflict resolution, contract administration, including procurement and compliance.
• A graduate degree appropriate to the Director’s duties and responsibilities.
• Experience in executive management, legal field, or gaming.
• Experience with strategic and financial planning.
• Established and proven leadership and management skills.
• Exceptional organization and analytical skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Superior interpersonal skills.

Additional Information

Prohibition against Playing and Wagering

Commission employees and family members residing in their households are prohibited from purchasing Lottery tickets or claiming Lottery prizes. Commission employees are prohibited from wagering upon any horse racing, commercial gaming, video lottery gaming, Indian gaming, charitable gaming activities, interactive fantasy sports, and mobile sports wagering within the State. To avoid any appearance of impropriety of conflict of interest, Commission employees will be prohibited from all aspects of promoting, operating, and playing in any charitable gaming, which includes bingo and games of chance such as raffles, whether the organization conducting the game is required to be licensed by the Commission. The prohibition placed upon each Commission employee from assisting with any charitable gaming does not apply to the employee's family unless the employee thinks it presents a conflict of interest related to his or her job duties. Commission employees must also avoid any outside activities that could interfere or be perceived to interfere with their job duties.

Pre-Employment Restrictions

The law that established the Commission (specifically, Section 107 or the Racing, Pari-mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law) prohibits any person from being employed by the Commission if, during the period commencing three years prior to employment, such person held any interest in, or employment by, any corporation, association or person engaged in gaming activity with the State.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The NYS Gaming Commission is an equal opportunity employer, does not tolerate discrimination in employment, programs, or activities on any basis protected by federal or state law, and we recognize that diversity in our workforce is critical to fulfilling our mission. We encourage applicants from all communities to apply. Please direct inquiries to the Office for Equal Opportunity at (518) 388-4086.

All salaries are subject to the approval of the Office of the State Comptroller.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance to fully participate in the application and interview process for the position sought, please contact us at (518) 388-4086 or email gam.sm.Accessibility@gaming.ny.gov and we will be happy to assist you.