Published on: November 14, 2025, 11:04 AM.
Updated on: November 14, 2025, 11:06 AM.
In a recent development, Caesars Entertainment has joined the ranks of major Las Vegas casino operators penalized by the Nevada Gaming Commission for lapses in anti-money laundering (AML) practices linked to illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer.
The Las Vegas-based corporation, which boasts eight casino resorts on the Strip, has agreed to a $7.8 million settlement with the Nevada Gaming Commission for permitting Bowyer to gamble over several years despite multiple internal alerts and risk indicators.
This fine follows earlier penalties imposed on Resorts World, which, along with its parent company Genting Berhad, faced a $10.5 million fine in March 2025, and MGM Resorts International, which was fined $8.5 million in April 2025. In all three instances, essential AML protocols were overlooked, allowing Bowyer to continue placing bets at these venues.
A comprehensive 21-page complaint filed on November 10 outlines that Bowyer was allowed to win and lose substantial sums at various Caesars locations, including:
- Caesars Palace
- Harrah’s Resort Southern California
- Harveys Lake Tahoe (now known as Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe)
The Nevada Gaming Commission is set to review the settlement proposal at a public hearing on November 20.
At the center of the controversy, Bowyer, who is 50 years old, has been implicated in the Shohei Ohtani scandal, where he accepted over $325 million in bets from Ippei Mizuhara, a Japanese translator convicted of embezzling approximately $17 million from Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani.
Bowyer began serving a year-long federal prison sentence in October.
The recent complaint states that Caesars identified Bowyer as a high-risk individual as early as 2017 but failed to verify the legitimacy of his funds or ensure that they aligned with his betting activities.
He remained permitted to place bets at Caesars until January 2024.
The Official Complaint
The investigation report from the Board indicated that Caesars and its subsidiary locations, including Caesars Palace, had flagged Bowyer’s gambling habits for potential illicit activities as early as April 2017. Multiple alerts concerning Bowyer’s insufficient source of funds were ignored leading up to his eventual ban.
Caesars faced five specific counts, which are as follows:
- Inability to establish the source of Bowyer’s funds
- Failure to enforce a ban on Bowyer
- Insufficient due diligence on Bowyer following negative information
- Neglect in raising Bowyer’s case with Caesars’ AML officer
- Failure to conduct a thorough investigation
In response to these allegations, Caesars, without admitting or denying any wrongdoing, issued a statement underscoring the importance of integrity and regulatory compliance in their operations:
“At Caesars Entertainment, our commitment to integrity and adherence to regulations is of utmost importance. We cooperated fully with the Nevada Gaming Control Board during its inquiry and remain dedicated to enhancing our anti-money laundering and ‘know your customer’ initiatives. We take our compliance responsibilities seriously and are committed to upholding the highest standards.”
The Impact on Vegas
As tourism sees an 11% decline from June 2024 to June 2025, this incident further tarnishes Las Vegas’s corporate reputation amidst an already challenging period.
Additionally, Wynn Las Vegas faced a $5.5 million penalty for unrelated AML issues, and the Fontainebleau is reportedly under investigation for possible ties to Bowyer.