Nevada Lawmakers Examine Uneven LET

Nevada’s Live Entertainment Tax (LET) isn’t applied uniformly, and lawmakers say the disparity could mean millions in lost state revenue.

State Sen. Dina Neal, chair of the interim legislative committee on revenue, led a discussion on Wednesday about LET, which currently charges 9% on concerts, theater, and sporting events. Other events, including many professional sports and combat sports, are taxed differently or remain fully exempt.

Nevada’s LET, rooted in a 1965 casino entertainment tax and updated in 2004, generates tens of millions annually for the State General Fund. The Nevada Arts Council receives just $150,000 of that.

At the meeting, Legislative Counsel Bureau staff outlined options for expanding LET, including taxing ticket resales, broader admissions, currently exempt events, and allowing local governments to levy their own entertainment taxes. Past attempts to reform LET, including taxing professional sports, faced resistance and stalled in the Assembly.

Neal noted that large events continue to draw crowds despite the 9% tax, raising questions about whether exemptions for certain industries remain justified.

The committee will continue meeting on the subject through spring and summer to prepare potential bill draft requests for the 2027 Legislative Session as lawmakers weigh modernizing LET and making it more equitable across events.