In Las Vegas, Nevada gaming authorities have imposed a hefty fine of $10.5 million on the Resorts World casino, located on the iconic Las Vegas Strip. This penalty comes in response to allegations of engagement in unlawful gambling activities. A significant part of these allegations is tied to a bookmaker with connections to the interpreter of renowned baseball player Shohei Ohtani.
This substantial fine settles allegations laid out by the state Gaming Control Board the previous year. These allegations claimed that Resorts World, one of the Strip’s most prominent casinos, was involved with individuals linked to illicit bookmaking practices and people with records of gambling-related felony convictions. The Las Vegas Review-Journal has highlighted these claims.
The fine issued ranks as the second-largest ever imposed by the Nevada Gaming Commission, which is responsible for taking disciplinary measures in such cases. According to the agreement that concludes this case, Resorts World and its parent corporation neither acknowledge nor reject the accusations. However, the casino has pledged to revamp its management team and adopt more rigorous procedures to combat money laundering, as reported by the newspaper.
Resorts World has so far refrained from issuing a response to inquiries made by The Associated Press for comment concerning these proceedings.
A significant portion of the suspicions revolves around Mathew Bowyer, a bookmaker operating out of Southern California. Bowyer has reportedly accepted numerous sports bets from a prior interpreter for Shohei Ohtani. He has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Santa Ana, California, for managing an illicit gambling operation and is pending sentencing.
According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s allegations, Resorts World permitted Bowyer to gamble on 80 distinct occasions over about a 15-month period, repeatedly neglecting to verify the legitimacy of his funds. During this timeframe, Bowyer incurred losses exceeding $6.6 million, and the casino extended various incentives including gifts, discounts, and private jet trips, as stated in the complaint.
Initially, the complaint comprised 12 charges against Resorts World, half of which were related to Bowyer. These charges included failure to disconnect from alleged illegal bookmakers, failure by casino hosts to report suspected illegal activities, and hosts redirecting potential clients towards suspected illegal bookmaking entities.
Other allegations involved extending hundreds of thousands of dollars in credit to individuals with prior convictions related to illegal gambling or connections to organized crime. This includes one individual convicted of conducting an illegal gambling operation and another involved in a significant online gambling ring.