Public Safety · Nevada
Nevada legislative committee requests a bill that could ban crypto kiosks, citing scams that target older residents
A Nevada legislative committee has requested a bill draft that could ban cryptocurrency kiosks statewide. AARP Nevada backs the idea, citing FBI data showing $389 million in reported kiosk scam losses in 2025.
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What happened
A Nevada legislative committee has taken an early step toward a possible statewide ban on cryptocurrency kiosks, KTNV reported. The Legislative Committee on Senior Citizens, Veterans and Adults With Special Needs submitted a bill draft request that could lead to a ban.
According to KTNV, that means a bill could come up when the Nevada Legislature reconvenes in Carson City in February. The station reported that the idea has bipartisan support.
Why advocates want the kiosks gone
The kiosks look much like ordinary ATMs and often sit in convenience stores. AARP Nevada is a major supporter of the effort and calls the issue a top legislative priority. Leaders there told KTNV they have seen kiosk scams harm older Nevadans.
How the scams work
AARP Nevada state director Tod Story described a common pattern to KTNV. A person is contacted and persuaded to put cash into a kiosk, which converts it to crypto. Once that happens, he said, the money is largely gone and hard to recover.
"We want to prevent the crime from occurring by taking out the mechanism for the crime to occur," Story told KTNV.
How many kiosks Nevada has
Story said AARP Nevada has counted more than 400 kiosks statewide, with more than 300 of them in Clark County. He said the group presented the issue to the Legislature in May, including how many Nevadans have been affected.
Fees and the group's stance on crypto
Story said AARP is not opposed to cryptocurrency itself. "Our position is not for or against crypto," he told KTNV, adding that the concern is the kiosks as a tool for scams. He also said kiosk exchange fees can reach the 30, 40, 50% range, while the same conversions can be done online through legitimate platforms.
KTNV said it contacted several cryptocurrency organizations and companies for comment and had not heard back.
What the FBI numbers show
KTNV cited the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report. It shows the FBI received 13,460 complaints about kiosk scams last year, with $389 million in reported losses. That was a 23% rise in complaints from 2024 and a 58% jump in losses.
People 60 years and older made up nearly half of those complaints and accounted for $257 million of the reported 2025 losses. Story told KTNV that people of all ages are scammed the same way, but more money is taken from older people because they have more to take.
A Henderson veteran's experience
Henderson veteran Mitchell Gordon supports a ban after a kiosk scam upended his life, KTNV reported. The station's senior reporter, Mary Kielar, has followed his case and helped him get some of his money back.
"That's the best news I ever heard," Gordon told Kielar about the possible ban. "Get them all out of every place. They're nothing but a pain." More coverage of scams and crime prevention is in our public safety section.
Other states have acted
Nevada would not be the first state to regulate the machines. According to AARP, 35 states have passed laws related to crypto kiosks since 2023, KTNV reported.
What to watch next
- Whether the committee's bill draft request becomes a bill when the Nevada Legislature reconvenes in Carson City in February.
- Responses from cryptocurrency organizations and companies, which had not answered KTNV's requests for comment.
