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The
Nevada Gaming Control Board alleged that Caesars Palace failed
to verify bookmaker Mathew Bowyer's source of funds as he
gambled millions of dollars between 2017 and 2024, despite
suspicions being raised on several occasions and an anonymous
tip that Bowyer was a bookie.
It's the third casino to be fined at least partly in relation to
Bowyer's activity; a $10.5 million stipulated fine handed to the
Resorts World casino earlier this year was the second-largest
ever from the gaming board.
Caesars executives said their systems for catching such behavior
had failed.
“There is no customer that’s worth illegitimate profits. We
didn’t catch Bowyer and we should have,” Tom Reeg, the CEO of
Caesars Entertainment, said at Thursday's hearing.
Bowyer pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2024, which included
running an illegal gambling business and money laundering.
Prosecutors said Bowyer took bets from hundreds of people,
including Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
Mizuhara — who translated for the Japanese athlete — was
sentenced in federal court earlier this year to five years in
prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly $17 million
from Ohtani's bank account.
The settlement between Caesars Palace and the Gaming Control
Board includes requirements for the casino company to better
ensure compliance with anti-money laundering laws, including
more training for staff.
“The way our (anti-money laundering) program operated in this
instance was unacceptable," said Gary Carano, the executive
chairman of Caesars Entertainment's board of directors, at the
hearing. “We will do everything possible to prevent this from
coming before you ever again.”
Earlier this year, MGM Resorts International was fined $8.5
million for actions related to Bowyer and another bookmaker, the
Nevada Independent reported.
MGM Resorts International and Resorts World did not immediately
respond to requests for comment.
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