Resorts World Las Vegas and its operating affiliates have agreed to pay a $10.5 million fine to resolve a wide-ranging complaint brought by Nevada regulators, one article recently reported. In this update, the complaint accused the casino of allowing convicted felons and individuals with ties to illegal gambling to play at the property. The proposed settlement, filed earlier this month with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, is now pending final approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission. If approved, the fine would become the second-largest in Nevada’s gaming history, following a $20 million penalty levied against Wynn Resorts in 2019 in a sexual harassment case.
For this particular report, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming news coming from Las Vegas along with some additional notes and info regarding the locale.
The Control Board’s complaint, initially filed in August 2023 and later revised, outlines a pattern of failures in Resort World’s anti-money-laundering (AML) compliance framework and highlights the casino’s relationships with individuals involved in unlawful bookmaking operations. Among the most prominent names mentioned is Mathew Bowyer, who pleaded guilty in California to operating an illegal gambling business and money laundering. Regulators alleged that Bowyer wagered and lost millions at Resorts World, while his wife, Nicole Bowyer, who was a registered independent agent of the casino, received commission on his play.
Additionally, the complaint details how Resorts World offered comps, gifts, and other benefits to patrons with criminal backgrounds, despite having an AML program in place. “Resorts World allowed a culture to exist at its gaming establishment where individuals with suspected and actual ties to illegal bookmaking, with histories of federal felony convictions were welcomed,” the original August 15th complaint stated.
Regulators later amended the document to remove references to organized crime. In addition to paying the fine, Resorts World has agreed to a number of conditions, including a mandatory attendance by key employees at anti-money laundering seminars, the hiring of more compliance staff, and the maintenance of AML training records for a minimum of five years. The company must also submit regular AML compliance reports to the Control Board and conduct an annual review of its AML program.
Also covered in the article, the casino has already begun restructuring its leadership, appointing high-profile to its team. This includes MGM Resorts Chairman Jim Murren and ex-Nevada Governor and Gaming Commission Chair Brian Sandoval to its board of directors. Former Gaming Control Board Chairman A.G. Burnett has also joined the board. In a statement, a Resorts World spokesperson said: “Resorts World Las Vegas has reached a pending settlement with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. We look forward to the Nevada Gaming Commission considering the settlement and ultimately resolving this matter.”
The disciplinary action also overlaps with the tenure of Scott Sibella, former President and COO of Resorts World, who pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this year to failing to report suspicious activities. While not named in the Resorts World complaint, Sibella issued a statement suggesting that other major Las Vegas casinos had also permitted the same illegal bookmakers to gamble at their properties.
“The two bookmakers that put Resorts World in this situation gambled at all major casinos in Las Vegas for many years,” Sibella told a local outlet. “It will be interesting to see what occurs now between those casinos and the Gaming Control Board and the federal government.” The Nevada Gaming Commission is scheduled to review the proposed settlement at its meeting next week in Las Vegas.
Per another local source in Nevada, gaming regulators amended the complaint, which was filed last August, from 12 counts down to 10. Control Board Chairman Kirk Hendrick said in an email Friday that after the original complaint was filed. Additional discovery revealed that Resorts World “had conducted sufficient enhanced due diligence and other compliance reviews” regarding two of the individuals, Edwin Ting and Chad Iwamoto, who were named in the document.
“As a result, the counts regarding those patrons were removed,” Hendricks. As noted above, if approved by the Gaming Commission, the $10.5 million fine is second only to the $20 million assessed by Nevada gaming regulators on Wynn Resorts in February 2019. That settlement covered a 10-count complaint over allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct against female employees by former chairman Steve Wynn. Who agreed to a $10 million fine in July 2023 – the largest individual disciplinary penalty ever handed down by state regulators. Will be interesting to see how this shakes out in Vegas.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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