Resorts World, a flagship property on the Las Vegas Strip, has been scrutinized for alleged violations of anti-money laundering laws and other gaming regulations. The casino was just granted an extension to respond to the allegations.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) recently filed a 12-count disciplinary complaint, highlighting serious lapses in compliance and accountability. The NGCB alleges that the casino allowed individuals with known ties to illegal gambling activities to play at their casino.
NGCB confirmed the extension to the media and responded, “Resorts World Las Vegas requested, and the Board agreed to, an extension of time in which it must file a response to the Board’s Complaint up to and including December 9, 2024.”
The complaint could lead to additional regulatory supervision or a gaming license violation that could eventually lead to a revoked status. The 31-page complaint by the NGCB indicates that individuals with histories of federal convictions and organized crime were welcomed and enticed to gamble.
Resorts World Fires Sibella
Scott Sibella was the former president of MGM Grand and Resorts World Las Vegas. However, news of his involvement and neglect concerning several individuals has removed him from his position at Resorts World.
Sibella failed to report suspicious financial transactions from a convicted illegal bookmaker properly. He eventually pleaded guilty to one count of failing to file proper anti-money laundering records, was sentenced to one-year probation, and ordered to pay a fine of less than $10k.
According to the NGCB, Sibella’s case is still under active investigation; however, the agency will not release details about its investigation at this time.
US Takes Measures To Combat Money Laundering Schemes
The United States of America takes money laundering very seriously, as those funds are often linked or derived from other criminal activities. When gambling online in the USA, there are a couple of federal laws that make it harder to send or receive money from outside of the states.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was enacted in 2006 to fight money laundering schemes using offshore sites. The law makes it harder for operators located offshore to accept US payments online; however, most players will never have to worry about the act.
There are no federal gambling laws that make gambling online illegal. However, states are allowed to enact local laws concerning the matter. No US state has banned online casinos for now, but several prominent players have been asked to stop accepting players from certain states.