Illegal Bookie Mathew Bowyer Nominated to Nevada’s Black Book

Posted on: January 14, 2026, 11:09h. 

Last updated on: January 14, 2026, 11:38h.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) on Wednesday nominated Mathew Bowyer to the state’s List of Excluded Persons — the notorious “Black Book” of individuals permanently banned from all Nevada casinos. Bowyer is the convicted illegal bookmaker whose gambling at Resorts World and various MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment properties cost Las Vegas casino operators $26.8 million in money-laundering fines last year.

The Nevada Gaming Commission has the final say on whether Bowyer gets added to the Black Book, which currently contains 37 names. However, at least concerning Black Book matters, the Commission nearly always approves a nomination made by the NGCB.

Bowyer, now serving more than a year in federal prison, became eligible for nomination after pleading guilty in 2023 to running a sprawling illegal gambling ring, laundering money, and filing a false tax return. He has the right to a hearing to refute the accusations against him.

Bowyer is scheduled to be released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Lompoc, Calif. on August 16, 2026.

A Dishonor Just to be Nominated

Bowyer’s illegal gambling empire handled wagers from roughly 700 bettors — most famously including Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. (Mizuhara was sentenced in February to four years in prison for stealing $17 million from Ohtani to cover his debts.)

In 2025, Bowyer’s activities were cited in disciplinary cases that resulted in a $10.5 million fine against Resorts World, an $8.5 million fine against MGM Resorts International, and a $7.8 million fine against Caesars Entertainment.

At Wednesday’s hearing, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, NGCB chair Mike Dreitzer said it was important to make an example of Bowyer.

“Normally, I wouldn’t give much airtime to this particular individual in this particular setting,” Dreitzer said, according to the R-J. “However, I think it’s important to note that today the board takes an action that goes to the very core and the heart of Nevada’s gaming regulatory mission — the protection of integrity of gaming, the confidence of the public, and the reputation of the state as a gold standard for gaming regulation.”

Dreitzer emphasized that exclusion is rare and reserved for cases where allowing someone into casinos would “erode public confidence” or “tarnish the reputation Nevada has spent decades building.” Bowyer, he said, exemplifies why the Black Book exists.

Bowyer is the second person nominated to the Black Book in only two months. In December, the NGCB unanimously recommended to exclude Wayne Nix, the former minor‑league baseball player-turned- illegal bookie whose operations led to the downfall of Resorts World President and COO Scott Sibella. Nix pleaded guilty in 2022 to operating an illegal gambling business and filing a false tax return.

The Nevada Gaming Commission last added someone to the list in April 2024. It was Neal Ahmad Hearne, 45, of North Las Vegas, who was twice-convicted of felony theft for grabbing casino chips off blackjack tables and fleeing — once at Aria in 2018 (attempted theft) and again at Silverton (theft).