Velotta to receive AGEM award for covering gaming industry

Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Richard N. Velotta will be honored Oct. 8 with an award from the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers.

“For decades, Rick Velotta has always been a go-to for coverage of our gaming industry in Nevada,” said AGEM President and CEO Daron Dorsey, in a statement. “Whether at Nevada Gaming Control Board or Nevada Gaming Commission meetings or reporting on issues affecting our gaming industry, we read Rick’s coverage to help understand and stay connected with the events of the day.”

Velotta’s most recent work includes coverage of the Las Vegas tourism slump, as well as his series on Nevada’s Black Book, which chronicles the List of Excluded Persons from Nevada gaming regulators.

The Peter Mead award is given to someone working in mainstream media, gaming trade press or an individual in gaming company public relations or communications for a minimum of 10 years. The recipient must display the qualities Mead had throughout his working life: quality reporting, taking risks, questioning the status quo, challenging the industry and identifying trusted partners.

“I’m grateful for the recognition of my work from the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, which plays such an important role in an industry I cover,” said Velotta. “I’m humbled to be mentioned among the past winners that I have so much respect for. It’s truly an honor.”

Velotta is a veteran reporter with over 40 years working in journalism and 25 years covering the gaming industry, tourism, transportation and aviation in Las Vegas. Currently, he serves as a gaming-tourism reporter and assistant business editor at the Review-Journal, where he has worked since 2013.

He is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, where he won the school’s top journalism honor.

Contact Emerson Drewes at edrewes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @EmersonDrewes on X.