Las Vegas casinos are searching for ways to regenerate revenue lost to the national economic doldrums. The state of Nevada also wishes the gambling industry were doing better, as less income for casinos means less taxes for the state.

So speculation has become public about a notion to change Nevada state law to lower the legal gambling age from twenty-one to eighteen. An attorney for local gambling venues asked regulators their opinions on the issue at the Nevada State Bar Association gaming conference last week.

While they pointed out that there would certainly be concerns about problem gambling increasing if the age limit were changed, neither the State Gaming Control Board Chairman nor the Nevada Gaming Commission Chairman voiced disapproval.

Dennis Neilander of the Control Board said he would advance the topic with state legislative leaders to gauge their thoughts. In order to lower the existing limit, a new law would have to be passed by the legislature, and then the governor would need to sign it.