The Nevada Gaming Commission has delayed a decision of discipline towards the wife of an illegal Vegas bookmaker. The matter has since been tabled for a later date.
Nicole Bowyer, wife of convicted illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer, was the subject of a Thursday, January 30, 2025, hearing. She faces the potential of a five-year ban as a registered independent agent in the state. A settlement could not be agreed upon because commissioners wanted to hit her with stiffer penalties.
The Gaming Commission initially considered a settlement negotiated for Nicole Bowyer from the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). Bowyer herself was not present for the meeting. The commission heavily scrutinized a representative from the NGCB, as the details of the situation did not appear consistent among commissioners.
The proposed terms for Nicole Bowyer’s settlement were conditional on the defendant admitting everything listed in the complaint from the NGCB dated August 2024. Additionally to this, she would have her registration revoked for a minimum of five years as a consequence. It was said that Nicole Bowyer profited from the illicit gains from her husband. The full complaint details a list of factual allegations, such as her time as a personal host at Resorts World Las Vegas.
In August 2024, Mathew Bowyer pled guilty to running an illegal gambling business, as well as money laundering through false tax returns. He told the judge: “I was running an illegal gambling operation, laundering money through other people’s bank accounts.” He is due to be sentenced on February 7, 2025.
Nevada commissioners wanted more details about the couple’s activities for the ongoing investigation in which the Gaming Commission is directly involved. No fine was proposed at the meeting; however, it was said to be seeking a lifetime ban instead of a five-year ban. Nicole Bowyer had stated she would never want to re-enter the gaming industry in Nevada, but the commission wanted this in writing before a concrete decision could be made.
Nicole Bowyer’s defense was to blame her husband, Mathew Bowyer, claiming to be a pawn in his schemes, according to what she told investigators. According to her testimony, it was his idea for her to become a personal host at the Resorts World Las Vegas to help recoup house losses. Additionally, she claimed to have no knowledge of any anti-money laundering protocols that were enforced.
George Markantonis, a Nevada commissioner, described Nicole Bowyer’s reasoning as “flimsy, whimsical excuses” and reiterated how it was hard to “even remotely begin to believe that someone would not know” about anti-money laundering protocols, being in her position. Bowyer did not cooperate with the NGCB until she was given the opportunity for an extension to respond. No time frame has been provided for when the proposal will be resubmitted.
More US gambling news includes the Mississippi legislature targeting online sweepstakes casinos.
