Posted on: June 24, 2026, 01:50h.
Last updated on: June 24, 2026, 01:58h.
- Convicted illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer spoke publicly for the first time following his release from a California federal prison after serving seven months of a yearlong sentence
- Bowyer reflected on his decades-long illegal career and his prison time, and on being nominated to Nevada’s famous “Black Book” of persons excluded from ever entering a casino in the state
- Bowyer’s multimillion-dollar betting network triggered unprecedented regulatory fallout on the Las Vegas Strip, resulting in nearly $27 million in casino compliance fines
Illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer has spoken for the first time since his release from prison, saying that he only regrets some of the choices that led to a 12‑month federal sentence.
Bowyer, 51, was sentenced to a year and a day in August 2025 after pleading guilty to tax fraud and running an illegal sports betting business. He was released after serving seven months at the Federal Correctional Institution in Lompoc, California.
Bowyer’s decades-long secret empire handled wagers from roughly 1,200 clients. They most famously included Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for L.A. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. Mizuhara’s alleged theft of $17 million from Ohtani, to cover his gambling debts to Bowyer, is what directly led to Bowyer’s downfall — and to the near-downfall of three of the biggest casino operators on the Las Vegas Strip.
Mizuhara is currently serving a 57‑month federal sentence in Pennsylvania. Bowyer has not been charged in connection with that theft.
Only ‘Some’ Regrets
“I regret some of the poor choices I made,” Bowyer told KNBC‑TV/Los Angeles from his home in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., “but I don’t regret it because it made me who I am today.”
Bowyer told KNBC he’s now an author. Before reporting to prison, he self-published a book, Recalibrate, about his life and career. He said he is currently working on a sequel centering on his adjustment to life after prison.
At the height of his operation, Bowyer was earning about $1 million a month, he said. The contrast between that lifestyle and prison life, he said, was jarring.
“To go from butlers to private jets to Rolls‑Royces, all these fancy things material‑wise, to all of a sudden you’re eating what I consider to be dog food,” Bowyer said.
Mounting Consequences
As part of his plea agreement and sentencing, Bowyer is barred from gambling for two years. While he was incarcerated, he also received an unexpected visit from Nevada gaming regulators, who informed him that his name was added to the state’s infamous “Black Book.”
“They served me, saying I no longer could set foot on any property in the state of Nevada that has a gambling establishment license of any format — for life,” Bowyer told KNBC.
In addition to the gambling restrictions, Bowyer is required to attend weekly meetings related to gambling addiction. He also owes approximately $9 million to the IRS in back taxes, penalties, and interest.
Massive Strip Fallout
Bowyer didn’t only ruin his own reputation, he took the Las Vegas Strip’s down with it.
Regulators alleged that three major casino resort companies knowingly allowed Bowyer, despite unverifiable funds, to lose millions at their tables on the Strip from 2017 to 2024. They said his presence exposed systematic negligence across the Strip, where casinos prioritized revenue over compliance.
In 2025, Bowyer’s activities were cited in disciplinary actions that resulted in the following fines:
- $10.5 million against Resorts World (the second-largest fine in Vegas history)
- $8.5 million against MGM Resorts
- $7.8 million against Caesars Entertainment.
The companies settled the charges without admitting guilt.
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