Neon lights glow across the facade of Resorts World, and inside are VIP tables, private rooms, and an atmosphere where money matters more than reputation. For 15 months, Matthew Boyer was a regular presence there. Neither his suspicious behavior, ties to underground bookies, nor his criminal past stopped the casino from treating him like just another high-rolling guest from a legal grey zone.
Formally, Resorts World is one of the biggest players on the Strip. But an investigation revealed that its doors were open to individuals with criminal records, connections to illegal betting, and millions in cash. Some of them, including Boyer, not only had full access to gambling but also received lavish perks: free hotel rooms, discounts, even private jet flights.
Matthew Boyer wasn’t a sports star, businessman, or investor. He was a bookmaker from Southern California who became the central figure in a high-profile case. The casino arranged private flights for him, offered discounts, and showered him with bonuses. He spent 80 days gambling — losing over $6.6 million. No one ever asked where the money came from.
Interest in Boyer spiked when it was revealed that he had been accepting bets from the former interpreter of Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani. The story quickly moved beyond the casino. Boyer was charged with running an illegal gambling operation. He pleaded guilty in federal court and now awaits sentencing.
While investigators were gathering evidence, the casino continued to treat Boyer as a valued guest. According to the complaint, his activities didn’t raise any alarms among staff — despite large sums of cash, unclear income sources, and a criminal trail.
On paper, Resorts World had all the necessary protocols: customer vetting, income source verification, and systems to flag suspicious behavior. In this regard, land-based casinos strive to keep pace with the iGaming industry. Operators know that more and more players are choosing to gamble online. To grasp the scale of this shift, it’s enough to browse industry news platforms.
We reached out to several sites in the U.S. and neighboring Canada. Experts at TwinspinCA responded, noting that dozens of new online casinos open each year in both countries. These platforms offer thousands of games and are constantly improving their services — including customer identification and overall security. As a result, land-based casinos are also being pushed to raise their safety standards to meet modern expectations.
But in Boyer’s case, those safeguards remained a formality. The casino allowed him to gamble for nearly a year and a half without a single background check. No one questioned the source of his funds. Suspicions were ignored.
According to the complaint, employees didn’t just fail to act — some even directed potential clients to illegal bookmakers. Others turned a blind eye to obvious red flags. Violations were documented but never reported. The standards of responsible gaming were replaced by a system of personal connections and quiet agreements.
The Nevada Gaming Commission stated that the casino either knowingly ignored the risks or lost control of its operations. In both cases, it constitutes a direct violation of the law.