The Nevada Gaming Control Board has lodged a disciplinary complaint against one of the largest casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, Resorts World Las Vegas.

The complaint alleges that the casino welcomed illegal bookmaking, individuals with a history of gambling-related felony convictions and those linked to organised crime. Many of the allegations centre around Mathew Bowyer, a Southern California bookmaker who accepted thousands of sports bets from the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani.

Bowyer pleaded guilty last week in a federal court in Santa Ana, California, to running an illegal gambling business. The board has requested the Nevada Gaming Commission, which holds authority over disciplinary action, to fine the company and potentially take rare action against Resorts World’s gaming license.

Michael Green, an associate professor of history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who has extensively studied Las Vegas’ casino business, said: “The commission has the power to decide what it wants to do with this. They can decide to revoke the license. They can decide no, that’s too much, there should be fines. There are executives who might be forced out. So they have some latitude here. And they’re always hesitant to go that far, because you can’t be sure of the long-term effects.”

The commission has not yet responded to a request for comment on when a decision will be made. Resorts World has stated that it is in talks with the board to resolve issues so it can concentrate on its guests and nearly 5,000 employees. “We are committed to doing business with the utmost integrity and in compliance with applicable laws and industry guidelines,” the company said in a statement.

The 31-page complaint alleges that Resorts World allowed Bowyer to gamble on 80 separate days over approximately 15 months, consistently failing to verify his source of funds. During this period, Bowyer lost over $6.6 million, while the casino offered him gifts, discounts, and flights on its private jet, according to the complaint.

Bowyer was barred from Resorts World on Oct. 6, 2023, following a federal warrant being executed to search his home. Prosecutors claim Bowyer operated an illegal gambling business for at least five years in Southern California and Las Vegas, accepting bets from more than 700 gamblers, including Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.

Diane Bass, Bowyer’s lawyer, did not respond to a request for comment. The complaint lists 12 charges against Resorts World – six related to Bowyer – including failure to distance from suspected illegal bookmakers, failure of casino hosts to report suspected illegal bookings, and hosts referring potential customers to suspected illegal bookmakers.

Other counts were reportedly linked to hundreds of thousands of dollars in credit to others with histories of illegal gambling convictions or organised crime. One of whom was convicted of conducting an illegal gambling business and another who was convicted in a large-scale internet gambling operation.

The complaint also alleges that Resorts World employees failed to report unusual or suspicious activity and violations of its anti-money laundering program to their superiors. It is alleged that members of the program committee acknowledged during the board’s investigation that Bowyer’s source of funding did not justify his level of play.

“This culture results in the perception and/or reality that Resorts World is an avenue to launder funds derived from illegal activity and/or to further criminal activity causing damage to the reputation of the state of Nevada and Nevada’s gaming industry,” the board said.