NGCB nominates Mathew Bowyer for commercial exclusion

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has nominated convicted illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer to join the state’s “Black Book,” which would prohibit him from entering any commercial gaming establishment in Nevada. 

“Normally, I wouldn’t give much airtime to this particular individual in this particular setting,” NGCB Chairman Mike Dreitzer said. 

“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.”

Nevada’s “Black Book” includes a list of 37 individuals who were previously banned from entering casino properties within the state. Bowyer’s exclusion must be approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission, while the illegal bookmaker will also receive an official hearing to refute accusations. 

NGCB Board Member George Assad also spoke on the nomination, having said, “He was just thumbing his nose at us. He played at Caesars for seven years. He played at other casinos around town with impunity, he knew what he was doing.

“He was ruining people’s lives. He was tempting hosts with bribes if they would refer customers to him, knowing that they would probably be terminated if they were caught, but he didn’t care. He is responsible for so much negativity, worldwide negativity, throughout the escapade that he engaged in.”

Bowyer pleaded guilty to federal charges of running an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return in 2023.

He allegedly took sports bets from approximately 700 gamblers, including Los Angeles Dodgers’ star Shohei Ohtani’s former translator Ippei Mizuhara, who was sentenced to four years in prison for stealing $17m from Ohtani. 

His name has also appeared in a number of fines handed down by the Commission against Las Vegas operators, such as MGM Resorts International, Resorts World Las Vegas and Caesars Entertainment.