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The operators of The Venetian Resort Las Vegas have agreed to pay a $7.2 million settlement to Nevada gaming regulators over anti-money laundering (AML) failures linked to convicted illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer, even though most of the alleged misconduct occurred before the property’s current owners acquired the casino.
The proposed settlement, which is subject to approval by the Nevada Gaming Commission at its August meeting, resolves a four-count complaint alleging The Venetian failed to properly monitor Bowyer’s gambling activity between 2019 and 2021, when the resort was owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp.
Apollo Global Management acquired the operations of The Venetian and Palazzo from Las Vegas Sands in a $6.25 billion transaction completed in 2022. Under the purchase agreement, Apollo assumed the property’s assets and liabilities, including regulatory obligations.
According to the complaint, Bowyer made about 30 visits to The Venetian between 2019 and 2021, depositing approximately $22.3 million. He wagered millions of dollars and lost at least $3.6 million at the casino.
Regulators alleged that a Venetian casino host knew as early as 2019 that Bowyer was operating as an illegal bookmaker but failed to report it. The complaint also alleges the casino failed to verify Bowyer’s source of funds, conduct adequate due diligence, investigate his activities or ban him in a timely manner, undermining its AML programme.
“The Venetian’s failure to conduct adequate due diligence to substantiate Bowyer’s source of funds and/or that his source of funds did not support his level of play,” the complaint said.
It also alleged that “The Venetian’s failure to timely ban Bowyer violated and/or undermined the Venetian’s AML program, resulting in the Venetian’s failure to prevent the possible laundering of money derived from an illegal bookmaking business.”
Bowyer was banned from the property in March 2024 after information about his illegal bookmaking activities came to light.
With the Venetian settlement, Nevada regulators will have imposed a combined $34 million in penalties on four Las Vegas casino operators tied to Bowyer’s gambling activity.
Resorts World Las Vegas agreed to pay $10.5 million, MGM Resorts International $8.5 million and Caesars Entertainment $7.8 million in earlier settlements.
The Bowyer case prompted Nevada to strengthen its anti-money laundering (AML) regulations in April following consultations with money laundering experts and the casino industry, according to Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Dreitzer.
“We heard and saw loud and clear that there were limitations and concerns with AML,” Dreitzer said.
“The industry has seen that and resoundingly got around this culture of compliance and the need to put compliance over commerce. We believe these (regulations) will make real differences,” he added.
Bowyer pleaded guilty in 2024 to operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return. He was sentenced in August 2025 to 12 months and one day in prison, ordered to pay more than $1.6 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and was released on parole in March.
He was added to Nevada’s List of Excluded Persons, known as the “Black Book”, in April, permanently barring him from entering casinos in the state.
Bowyer’s case drew international attention after it emerged he had accepted thousands of illegal bets from Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.