Resorts World to pay $10.5M over alleged illegal bookmaking
Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) has agreed to pay a $10.5 million settlement with Nevada gaming regulators over money laundering allegations. The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) entered into a proposed stipulation for settlement with Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) and its parent companies following a disciplinary complaint originally filed on 15 August 2024.
The stipulation aims to resolve an Amended Complaint filed on Thursday, alleging unsuitable methods of operation primarily linked to the activities of illegal bookmakers Mathew Bowyer and Damien LeForbes at the casino. The settlement, the second-largest fine in state history after the $20 million penalty imposed on Wynn Resorts in 2019, follows the firing of former Resorts World president Scott Sibella, under whose leadership the alleged violations took place.
A spokesperson for the company said, “Resorts World Las Vegas has reached a pending settlement with the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). We look forward to the Nevada Gaming Commission considering the settlement and ultimately resolving this matter.”
As part of the proposed settlement, RWLV would pay a $10.5 million fine to Nevada’s General Fund. 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.
Involvement with illegal bookmakers
In August 2024, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) issued a 31-page complaint, where the document detailed the casino’s involvement with illegal bookmakers. The NGCB’s August 2024 complaint alleged that under former president Scott Sibella, Resorts World allowed convicted federal felons and illegal bookmakers to gamble at its casino between 2021 and 2023.
The complaint specifically highlights Bowyer, who placed bets on behalf of L.A. Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, as reported by the Associated Press. Bowyer was allowed to gamble 80 times between 22 July 2022, and 1 October 2023, losing $7.9 million while receiving complimentary perks, including promo chips, discounts, and flights on the Resorts World jet.
LeForbes, another gambler, was known by a casino host to be an illegal bookmaker. According to the NGCB, he pleaded guilty in California in August 2024 to charges related to operating an illegal bookmaking business and money laundering. The complaint states that LeForbes lost $10 million at RWLV between 1 September 2022, and 16 December 2023, and was also provided gifts, promo chips, and comps. His relationship with Resorts World ended when his casino host left the company.
“This culture results in the perception and/or reality that Resorts World is an avenue to launder funds derived from illegal activity and/or to further criminal activity, causing damage to the reputation of the State of Nevada and Nevada’s gaming industry,” stated the August NGCB complaint.
