If you speak English and are planning a trip to Las Vegas, there are no worries, for the Nevada Gaming Control Board has ruled that all businesses offering gambling at slot machines must have an English speaking slot machine attendant on their premises at all times.  Although it may sound just a tad bit anal - especially to those who don't speak English as a first language - English speaking gamblers are supposedly encountering an increasing lack of communication at smaller establishments such as bars and downtown parlors.

Las Vegas has an fast growing Hispanic population primarily coming from California and the Mexican communities in the Southwest region, which according to some officials in the American Civil Liberties Union, is an unwise decision from the Gaming Commission, if they seek to keep a healthy relationship with Spanish speaking residents.  Although the problem is not near as bad as it can be at online casinos and internet gambling sites, where customer service telephone support is sometimes manned by a broken English speaking staff, the issue in Las Vegas has headlined because of a specific case involving a small Reno bar.

Rodolfo Martinez is the owner of Cantina El Jaripeo - a small bar with a handful of slot machines - and does not speak English.  However, the manager of the bar, Angel De La Torre, does speak English and says he is on the premises most of the time.  After being grilled by the Gaming Control Board regarding his hours and the times the bar is actually open, the Board required Martinez to insure there is an employee proficient in English working at the bar during all operating hours.

The Gaming Control Board specifically ruled that any casino or business holding a gambling license in Nevada must have an English-speaking attendant on the premises when there are more than five slot machines being offered to the public.  However, the ruling is not final, for the Nevada Gaming Commission will have the final say in the matter, as they always do. Many Vegas residents are predicting the ruling will be challenged and not upheld.  As for the online casino industry, there are no regulations requiring proficiency levels in English, probably because it is understood that English speaking players make up the majority of online casino gamblers.