The Nevada Gaming Control Board on Wednesday nominated convicted illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer to the state’s List of Excluded Persons. The list, widely referred to as the “Black Book,” permanently bars individuals deemed threats to licensed gaming from entering any casino in the state.
Bowyer, currently serving a 12-month and one-day sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Lompoc, California, became eligible for nomination following his 2023 guilty plea to federal charges of operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and filing a false tax return. He is scheduled for release on August 16, 2026.
Under Nevada regulations, Bowyer may request a hearing to contest the exclusion and could appear in person, via video, or be represented by counsel. Board member George Assad stated a hearing could potentially take place by March, though most nominees decline to pursue that option.
The Black Book currently lists 37 individuals. The Nevada Gaming Commission, which has the final say, has not yet announced when it will consider Bowyer’s case.
Deputy Attorney General Nona Lawrence told the Board that Bowyer meets multiple criteria for exclusion, including felony convictions under federal law, crimes involving moral turpitude, violations of California gaming laws, and tax evasion. She also cited his notorious or unsavory reputation as grounds for concern over public trust in the gaming sector.
Bowyer drew widespread attention for taking millions in sports wagers from Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter and de facto manager of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. Mizuhara was sentenced in February to four years in prison for stealing an estimated $17 million from Ohtani to fund gambling losses.
Bowyer’s operation reportedly involved around 700 bettors and has been linked to multiple disciplinary actions taken by the state last year. These included fines of $10.5 million against Resorts World Las Vegas and Genting Berhad, $8.5 million against MGM Resorts International, and $7.8 million against Caesars Entertainment Inc.
Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Dreitzer emphasized the significance of the nomination. “Normally, I wouldn’t give much airtime to this particular individual in this particular setting,” 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 the integrity of gaming, the confidence of the public, and the reputation of the state as a gold standard for gaming regulation.”
He added: “Exclusion is very rare. It’s reserved for cases where the facts compel the conclusion that allowing continued access to licensed gaming establishments would erode public confidence, invite regulatory circumvention, or tarnish the reputation Nevada has spent decades building.”
Assad characterized Bowyer’s presence in Nevada casinos as highly damaging. “He had toyed with us,” Assad 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.”
Bowyer’s cooperation with federal authorities during his case and his payment of over $1.6 million in restitution led to what was widely considered a lenient sentence. Despite this, state regulators maintained that his past actions merited exclusion from Nevada’s gaming establishments.
His nomination follows a similar move in December, when the Gaming Control Board recommended the addition of Wayne Nix, a former minor league baseball player who pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and to filing a false tax return. Nix’s sentencing is scheduled for March.
The last addition to the Black Book occurred in April 2024, when the Nevada Gaming Commission approved the exclusion of Neal Ahmad Hearne, a North Las Vegas resident convicted of felony theft after incidents at two Las Vegas casinos.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/01/15/117149-nevada-gaming-board-moves-to-exclude-convicted-bookmaker-mathew-bowyer-from-state-casinos
