Nevada delegation seeking help for gaming businesses

Nevada’s congressional delegation is united in being disappointed with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s updated Paycheck Protection Program guidelines as they pertain to gaming operations.

The Trump administration’s initial PPP guidelines excluded small businesses that generate more than a third of their revenue from gaming. The updated guidelines exclude small businesses that generate more than 50 percent of their revenue from gaming, which still affects countless small businesses throughout Nevada.

Democrat Reps. Dina Titus, Susie Lee and Steven Horsford and Republican Rep. Mark Amodei released the following statement on the U.S. Small Business Administration’s newly updated guidelines:

“Gaming is a vital part of Nevada’s economy, not just for big hotels and casinos but also for local restaurants, bars, convenience stores and other small businesses. The administration continues to refuse to treat these small businesses fairly, putting them and their employees in grave danger of economic ruin. As the Nevada House delegation, we will work together to deliver help to gaming small businesses and their employees in upcoming coronavirus response packages.”

The PPP was enacted as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to provide small businesses with financial assistance to help them keep employees on payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, the Nevada congressional delegation sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging them to include gaming small businesses in PPP.

Lee also sent a letter to SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin regarding the exclusion of small businesses that derive more than a third of their revenue from gaming from eligibility in PPP.