Caesars Entertainment has agreed to pay a $7.8 million fine to Nevada regulators after issues connected to convicted illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer. The fine is part of a proposed settlement outlined in a newly released disciplinary complaint. Caesars is now the third major Las Vegas company to face penalties related to Bowyer, following earlier actions involving MGM Resorts and Resorts World Las Vegas.
Caesars faces penalty from Nevada over links to Mathew Bowyer
In a press release, the Nevada Gaming Control Board said, “The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has entered into a proposed Stipulation for Settlement (Stipulation) with Caesars Entertainment, Inc., and Desert Palace, LLC, dba Caesars Palace (collectively, Caesars) regarding a Complaint for disciplinary action filed contemporaneously with the Stipulation by the NGCB on November 13, 2025.” The complaint alleges “unsuitable methods of operation arising from the activities at Caesars by illegal bookmaker, Mathew Bowyer.”
Regulators pointed out that the stipulation “includes a fine of $7,800,000 payable to Nevada’s General Fund, and dictates specific conditions be placed on Caesars gaming approvals.” It also states that Caesars has already implemented “numerous remedial measures,” with most focused on “enhancements to Caesars anti-money laundering (AML) program, as well as additional training and employee awareness of AML requirements.”
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter case
The enforcement action comes as Bowyer, 50, begins serving a one year federal sentence. He is widely known for handling more than $325 million in wagers from baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Bowyer admitted that he ran an illegal bookmaking operation, laundered money, and failed to report $4 million in income to the IRS. Prosecutors previously pushed for a lighter sentence because he cooperated, asking to reduce his expected punishment from a possible 51 months to 15 months.
Bowyer’s illegal gambling network also involved moving money through Las Vegas casinos, including Resorts World, which led to earlier penalties for other operators. Caesars is now the latest major gaming company to face fallout as Nevada regulators continue their wider review of casino compliance problems tied to the high-profile case.
The Nevada Gaming Commission will review the proposed settlement on November 20. According to the release, “At that time, counsel for Caesars and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office will explain the terms of the proposed Stipulation and request NGC approval of the negotiated settlement.”
Featured image: Mathew Bowyer via Instagram / WikiCommons CC BY-SA 3.0
