Nevada’s Assembly Bill 198, effective January 1, 2026, establishes sweeping new statutory requirements governing inflatable play structures and the businesses that operate them across the state.
The law covers bounce houses, inflatable slides, obstacle courses, and similar devices, addressing insurance, inspections, wind monitoring, anchoring, recordkeeping, and warning signs.
For injury attorneys, the legislation creates a clearer framework for evaluating whether an operator complied with applicable safety standards when an incident occurs.
One of the most significant provisions concerns financial responsibility under NRS 597.7684, which prohibits anyone from operating an inflatable device business without liability insurance, a certificate of insurance, or a surety bond of at least $1 million.
That requirement opens important investigative avenues for premises liability claims, allowing counsel to examine an operator’s coverage, any applicable surety bond, and relationships with property owners or other potentially responsible parties.
The statute does not, however, guarantee that the full $1 million will be available for every injury claim, as the existence and applicability of insurance remain fact-specific issues in each case.
AB 198 also establishes specific wind-speed monitoring requirements under NRS 597.7688, prohibiting operators from allowing use of an inflatable device when wind speed exceeds 15 miles per hour or the manufacturer’s recommendation, whichever is greater.
Operators must use an anemometer to measure wind speed at the device’s location, record that measurement in a required logbook before use, and continue monitoring throughout operation.
If wind speed exceeds the applicable limit, the operator must immediately discontinue use and deflate the device, creating a clear statutory standard against which conduct can be measured.
Weather records from nearby airports or stations may help establish general conditions, but they should not be treated as satisfying the statute’s specific requirement for on-site anemometer measurements at the inflatable device’s location.
Investigations into wind-related injuries should examine whether the operator used an anemometer, what readings were recorded, whether records remain available, and whether the device was shut down when required.
Beyond wind monitoring, AB 198 establishes anchoring requirements that mandate qualifying stakes or weights to secure inflatable devices depending on the circumstances of their deployment.
These anchoring provisions become particularly important in cases where a device shifts, tips, lifts, or becomes airborne, and investigations should examine the anchoring system, anchor points, and manufacturer’s instructions in detail.
The legislation also creates a two-year recordkeeping requirement, obligating operators to inspect inflatable devices before each use and retain those inspection records for a minimum of two years.
Those records can help establish what inspections were performed, whether potential hazards were identified in advance, and whether appropriate action was taken before an injury-causing incident.
Where required records are missing or have been destroyed, attorneys should investigate carefully, as whether such loss constitutes spoliation and what consequences may follow depends on the circumstances and applicable law.
Nevada AB 198 represents a meaningful shift in how inflatable device operations are regulated, providing both safety guardrails for the public and a clearer evidentiary framework for legal proceedings following serious injuries.