Several prominent Las Vegas casino resort operators have filed separate dismissal claims against a group of connected civil lawsuits. The actions accuse them of turning a blind eye to underage sex trafficking on their properties.
MGM Resorts International, The Venetian Resort, and Boyd Gaming are being sued by pseudonymous plaintiff Tyla D. The plaintiff was a forced into sex work in Las Vegas at the age of 14 from 2006 to 2007, and then again in 2013 at the age of 21.
The lawsuit alleges that the three Las Vegas casino operators’ security staff were variously negligent and at times culpable in not stopping the plaintiff’s continued victimization over those periods.
The three operators late last week separately filed identical claims for dismissal of the suit.
“As proud supporters of nonprofit organizations that help trafficking survivors in their recovery, Movants condemn human trafficking categorically, have the utmost sympathy for its victims, and are deeply dismayed by the allegation that this heinous crime may have unfolded at their properties,” lawyers for the three casinos said.
The Lawsuit
The lawsuit is filed on behalf of the plaintiff by lawyers offices The 702 Firm and Hilton Parker.
It alleges that underage sex trafficking took place at various casino resorts in Sin City. That includes the MGM Grand, the Mandalay Bay, New York-New York, and the Venetian. The suit initially named Las Vegas Sands, who previously owned the Venetian until 2022, but then changed to name the resort itself (but not new owner Apollo Global Management).
It alleges that the various casinos named violated several laws, including the Trafficking and Violence Protection Act 2000 and Child Abuse Victims’ Rights Act 1986.
It also calls out the allegedly permissive culture of sex work in Las Vegas, which — although illegal in Nevada — they say is widely tolerated by many casino resort operators on the Las Vegas Strip. Lawyers say that this attitude led to casino staff clearly ignoring the obviously distressed plaintiff during a time of need.
“Although her traffickers got her a fake ID in the name of ‘Naina Santiago,’ Tyla didn’t look 18, let alone 21. She looked like what she was, a lost and frightened 14- (and eventually 15-) year-old girl, dressed up for sex appeal by an older man,” the suit says.
“The employees turned a blind eye to Tyla’s plight because to do otherwise would have inconvenienced the employees and potentially upset her clients,” continued the complaint.
The Response and Sex Work in Nevada
For their part, the casinos deny the claims.
“On these facts alleged, Movants cannot, as a matter of law, be held legally responsible for the clandestine crimes of Tyla’s alleged traffickers, or the many others that she claims were directly involved,” the operators’ response said.
Although sex work is illegal in most counties in Nevada, including Las Vegas’ Clark County, the legal loophole of escorting sees it continue to be a widespread activity. Human trafficking is also intimately linked with sex work, ofttimes including underage victims.
On June 21 of this year, a Nevada woman died in a hospital after being strangled and sexually assaulted in a Palms Casino Resort hotel room in Las Vegas. The suspect in her death, allegedly one of her escorting clients, turned himself in to police on June 28.
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
