Resorts World Las Vegas, the hotel on the north end of Las Vegas Boulevard, has until Monday, Dec. 9 to formally respond to a 12-count complaint the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) released.
Resorts World Las Vegas failed to comply with anti-money laundering provisions
The complaint highlights multiple instances of failure to comply with anti-money laundering provisions. This allowed individuals known to or suspected to have ties to illegal gambling activities to gamble at Resorts World.
The NGCB granted a deadline extension to provide a formal response in August, with an email from the board confirming the new due date.
“Resorts World Las Vegas requested, and the Board agreed to, an extension of time in which it must file a response to the Board’s Complaint up to and including December 9, 2024,” read the statement.
On Aug. 15, the NGCB issued a 31-page complaint listing 12 counts that known and suspected felons had wagered at Resorts World over the past several months.
Names included Mathew Bowyer, who only a week prior had pleaded guilty to operating an illegal gambling business and was charged with money laundering and false tax returns; Edwin Ting, who had been convicted of conducting an illegal gambling business and was known to be connected to organized crime; and Chad Iwamoto, who had been convicted of transmission of wagering information and not filing monthly tax returns for wages. Both Ting and Iwamoto were convicted in federal court.
Per the NGCB, the resort-casino fostered a culture in which “individuals with suspected and actual ties to illegal bookmaking, with histories of federal convictions related to illegal gambling businesses, and with a history of ties to organized crime” were welcomed.
These include Bowyer, the bookmaker that accepted illegal wagers from Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter and placed bets at Resorts World.
NGCB recommends the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) impose sanctions against the resort-casino
Additionally, the complaint includes Resorts World’s former president and COO, Scott Sibella, who was charged with violating the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) during his tenure at the MGM Grand Casino and Hotel, where he worked before joining Resorts World.
Resorts World’s failure to comply with NRS 463.170(8) and/or Commission Regulations 5.011(1), 5.011(1)(a), and/or 5.011(1)(k) is grounds for disciplinary action against respondents.
In its complaint, the NGCB recommends the state’s regulating agency, the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC), impose sanctions against Resorts World.
The Board suggests the NGC should impose a fine for each violation and that the Commission take action against Resort World’s “license(s), registrations, and/or findings of suitability.”
If it is decided that Resorts World’s license should be revoked or suspended, the complaint states the NGC could consider appointing an external supervisor. This would allow the casino to continue to operate.
All casinos are required to develop anti-money laundering systems to comply with KYC and AML regulations. If a casino fails to do so, the regulating agency can have the casino’s license(s) revoked and levy hefty fines on the establishment.