California Gambling Control Commission agenda highlights for Oct. 9, 2025

The California Gambling Control Commission (CGCC) released its agenda and staff recommendations for today’s meeting, featuring ownership changes at Ocean’s Eleven Casino, licensing actions tied to The Nineteenth Hole, a series of tribal key employee suitability findings, and an increase in authorized tables for Garlic City Club. The notice stresses the information is subject to change at the meeting.

Ocean’s Eleven Casino (Oceanside)

Items 4A–4C — Transmutation of property interest, initial owner license & conditions

• Ownership transfer: Staff recommends approval of a transaction in which Mark Kelegian (transferor) conveys interests to Shelly Kelegian (transferee), contingent upon:

  • Closing within 180 days (or an approved extension), and

  • The licensee accepting transaction conditions in writing within 30 days.
    If contingencies lapse, the transaction is automatically disapproved.

• Initial Cardroom Owner Type License (Shelly Kelegian): Recommended for approval contingent on close of the transaction, with licensure running through Feb. 28, 2027.

• Interim renewal license conditions for Ocean’s 11 Casino, LLC:

  1. Initial license not effective until the transaction closes.

  2. Written confirmation to the Bureau (copy to Commission) within 30 days after closing that the transaction was completed as approved.

  3. License certificate reflecting the new endorsee will be issued only after Condition 2 is met.

  4. Stock certificates legend compliance per B&P §19882(c), with 30-day post-closing written confirmation.

  5. Additional legend noting that any unapproved transfer is void per B&P §19904, with 30-day written confirmation after transfer.

The Nineteenth Hole (General Partnership)

Items 5A–5C — Initial owner license, hearing referral retraction & renewal

• Initial owner license (Marlene Scudero, community property interest): Approve through Feb. 28, 2027.

• Retraction of GCA evidentiary hearing referral (Edward Beaudin, Stephen Scudero): Staff recommends Option One — approve retraction.

• Renewal applications (Beaudin, Scudero): Approve through Feb. 28, 2027 with a condition to engage a Bureau-approved accountant/bookkeeper capable of timely general ledger, balance sheet, and P&L reporting.

Individual licensing matters

• Work permit renewal: Hai Nguyen (Empire Sportsmen’s Association) — approve through Oct. 31, 2027 and remove prior condition requiring quarterly proof of efforts to satisfy court fines.

• TPPPS employee (Blackstone Gaming, LLC): Maria Concepcion Cruz (Supervisor) — approve through Oct. 31, 2027 with condition to provide 180-day updates on efforts to resolve an outstanding collection account.

• TPPPS renewal (L.E. Gaming, Inc.): Terry Thao (Worker) — approve through Aug. 31, 2027 with condition to provide 90-day status updates on court-mandated classes and fines until resolved.

Tribal–State Compact key employee suitability

Initial findings (selected):

• Approve:

  • Fantasy Springs — Gabriel Rodriguez (to Jan. 29, 2027).

  • Hard Rock Sacramento — Brian Hughes (to Nov. 30, 2026).

  • Pechanga — Lu Wong (to Nov. 30, 2026).

  • Rolling Hills — Michael Hall with condition to provide 90-day updates on federal tax liens (to Mar. 10, 2027).

  • Hard Rock Sacramento — Vance Halderman with condition to provide 90-day updates on federal tax lien (to Oct. 31, 2026).

  • Sky River — Cheng Saetern (to Jun. 25, 2026).

• Refer/Deny:

  • Pechanga — Jarimie Buikema: Staff recommends Option Two — deny.

  • Sky River — Chia Lao: Staff recommends Option Two — refer to evidentiary hearing.

(The consent calendar later in the agenda lists extensive initial and renewal tribal key employee findings with associated expiration dates.)

Additional authorized tables

• Garlic City Club (Sole Proprietor: Ky Phuon): Approve two additional permanent tables, increasing total from 10 to 12.

Consent calendar (Items 12–18)

Staff recommends approving:

• Initial/Renewal Key Employee Licenses (multiple applicants).

• Commission Work Permits (initial/renewal) for several cardrooms.

• Initial and Renewal TPPPS employee licenses across multiple service providers.

• Initial/Renewal Tribal Key Employee findings for numerous tribal casinos (with license numbers and expiration dates as listed).

Read the full release : 10-9_OCR