Nevada Gaming Commission Adds Illegal Bookmaker Wayne Nix to 'Black Book'

^{The MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where illegal bookmaker Wayne Nix gambled millions of dollars before being added to Nevada’s List of Excluded Persons. (Photo:  Ben Nichols / Alamy)}

The Nevada Gaming Commission unanimously voted Thursday to add former Minor League Baseball pitcher Wayne Nix to the state’s List of Excluded Persons, a list also known as the Nevada “Black Book.”

Placement on the list will permanently bar Nix from entering any casino in Nevada.

Nix pleaded guilty in 2022 to federal charges of running an illegal bookmaking business and filing a false tax return and will face sentencing in a California court in March. He did not attend Thursday’s hearing.

Sompes: Nix Met Four Criteria for Black Book Inclusion

Nevada Deputy Attorney General Michael Sompes argued to the gaming commission that Nix easily qualified for the Black Book, as he met four of the criteria for inclusion, even though only one is required. Individuals appearing on the list cannot enter any casino floors in the state of Nevada.

According to Sompes, Nix has been convicted of felonies under federal law and crimes involving “moral turpitude.”

“Over the course of at least six years…Mr. Nix took millions of dollars in illegal wagers.” Sompes said during the hearing. “Further, Mr. Nix frequented Las Vegas casinos and used those illicit proceeds from his illegal bookmaking business to gamble millions of dollars and pay off casino markers.”

Sompes also says Nix allegedly violated the state of California's gaming laws and has a reputation that would adversely affect public confidence in Nevada’s gaming industry. 

Role in Downfall of Vegas Executive

Nix was one of the key figures in the case of former MGM Grand and Resorts World Las Vegas executive Scott Sibella.

Sibella received a year of probation in 2024 after pleading guilty to allowing Nix to gamble millions of dollars at the MGM Grand in 2018 and pay his debts in cash. Sibella also pleaded guilty to failing to file suspicious transactions reports. 

Sibella later reached a settlement with the Nevada Gaming Control Board that saw his gaming license revoked until at least Dec. 27, 2028, when he can apply to rejoin the state’s gaming industry. 

MGM Resorts also agreed to pay the NGCB an $8.5 million fine to settle a complaint over allowing both Nix and Mathew Bowyer – the bookmaker in the Shohei Ohtani sports betting scandal – to gamble at their properties despite knowing they were running illegal bookmaking operations. Bowyer has also been nominated for the Black Book and could have a hearing as soon as March.

In the end, it took the commissioners less than 15 minutes to make their unanimous vote in favor of placing Nix on the List of Excluded Persons. His placement brings the total number of individuals on the list to 38.