The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) and Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) have agreed to a proposed $10.5 million settlement, the second largest in Nevada gaming’s history.
The settlement comes after a regulatory investigation into severe failures in anti-money laundering (AML) linked to illegal gambling activity at the casino.
A stipulation for settlement filed by the NGCB states that the fine would be paid into Nevada’s General Fund. It further states: “The proposed settlement also addresses “wholesale changes” to executive leadership at RWLV, and details numerous remedial measures implemented at RWLV. The majority of conditions and remediations focus on additional or increased requirements in the RWLV anti-money laundering program.”
The settlement would end an amended complaint filed by the NGCB on 21 March 2025, following an initial complaint filed on 15 August 2024. The initial complaint accused RWLV of “unsuitable methods of operation.”
The Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) will consider the proposed settlement at its 27 March meeting.
Ties to Illegal Bookmakers and AML Failures
The NGCB’s disciplinary action centered on illegal bookmakers Matthew Bowyer and Damien LeForbes, who are both facing federal charges for operating unlawful gambling businesses and laundering money.
Bowyer was the bookmaker linked to the infamous case involving Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani. Mizuhara was found to have placed wagers valued at over $15 million using fraudulently obtained money with Bowyer.
The NGCB complaint details how Bowyer wagered millions of dollars in over 80 visits to Resorts World Las Vegas between August 2022 and October 2023. He reportedly lost approximately $6.6 million at the property without providing sufficient documentation regarding his source of funds. One notable transaction was a $1 million deposit that was accepted without any due diligence.
Despite the regulatory red flags, Bowyer’s status as a VIP gambler was largely unquestioned. Although his file was brought before the AML committee on multiple occasions, concerns about his finances and his reputation as an illegal bookmaker were dismissed. The complaint suggests that an executive at one point requested the reference to the term “bookie” be removed from Bowyer’s records, which it was.
LeForbes, a notable professional poker player, lost over $12 million at the casino while allegedly operating an illegal gambling ring. Both LeForbes and Bowyer have pleaded guilty to federal charges and are awaiting sentencing.
The amended complaint also notes that RWLV permitted other individuals with felony convictions relating to gambling and money laundering to gamble in Nevada. Edward Ting who held a prior federal conviction tied to organized crime and illegal gambling lost more than $800,000 at the venue.
Leadership Overhaul and Compliance Measures
The NGCB described Resorts World’s corporate culture during this period as one that enabled illegal actors. Regulators said the casino either negligently overlooked or knowingly ignored signs of criminal activity. The complaint covers operations that took place while Scott Sibella served as president of RWLV.
Sibella was removed from his post in September 2023 for violating company policy. He later pleaded guilty in a separate federal case involving failure to file a suspicious activity report and received a one-year probation sentence. He lost his Nevada Gaming license in December 2024.
In response to the regulatory probe, RWLV has made several leadership and compliance changes. The company’s parent, Genting Berhad, appointed Alex Dixon as CEO. It also added a new board of directors chaired by former MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren. Other board members include former Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and former NGCB Chair A.G. Burnett.
The proposed settlement outlines several required reforms. RWLV must enhance AML training, submit to ongoing oversight, and retain AML records for at least five years. Executives and compliance staff are required to attend AML seminars hosted by UNLV’s International Center for Gaming Regulation. The company must also ban patrons with criminal convictions related to gambling or financial crimes, regardless of when those offenses occurred.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board noted that if any future federal criminal, civil, or administrative action is taken against RWLV related to the allegations, it reserves the right to file an additional disciplinary complaint.
The complaint does not involve any use of cryptocurrency, but as companies and regulators struggle to come to terms with digital currencies, widespread adoption remains unlikely. The anonymity that blockchain provides and the ability to seamlessly move money pose a significant source of funds challenges for regulators and companies to understand and police. With traditional operators failing to enforce comparatively “simple” rules, legalized crypto casinos could still be some way off.
One of the Largest Fines in Nevada State Gaming History
If approved, the $10.5 million fine would be the second-largest penalty ever issued by Nevada gaming regulators. The largest remains a $20 million fine imposed on Wynn Resorts in 2019 for failing to investigate sexual misconduct allegations against founder Steve Wynn.
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