Former casino exec. Scott Sibella faces potential gaming license loss after Nevada officials file complaint

Nevada officials have taken action against former MGM Grand president Scott Sibella, filing a complaint just a week before his scheduled sentencing for failing to report suspicious transactions linked to an illegal bookmaker. 

The complaint, submitted by Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford on April 30 to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, could result in substantial penalties, including fines and the potential loss of Sibella's gaming license.

The complaint stems from Sibella's involvement in a federal case, which outlines his plea agreement to federal charges related to the failure to report illicit activities involving Wayne Nix, identified as an illegal bookmaker. Sibella is expected to receive probation under the federal plea agreement, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 8.

Former MGM Grand president Scott Sibella

The state's complaint parallels the violations in the federal case but emphasizes Sibella's role as a licensed gaming operator and his suitability for such a position. Documents reveal that Nix, a gambler from Orange County, California, identified as an illegal bookmaker, frequented MGM Grand and other affiliated casinos during Sibella's tenure as president at the MGM Grand.

A significant unreported cash transaction of $120,000 at the MGM Grand on July 27, 2018, led to Sibella's guilty plea in Los Angeles in January. This payment was intended to settle a marker owed to the casino.

The complaint points to Sibella's deliberate avoidance of learning about Nix's transactions, despite being aware of Nix's gambling activities exceeding $5,000 at MGM Grand and its affiliates.

Following Sibella's guilty plea, MGM Grand and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas faced combined fines totaling $7.45 million. Nix, on the other hand, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to charges related to illegal gambling activities and false tax returns, with his sentencing scheduled for September 25.

Despite leaving MGM in 2019 to join Resorts World Las Vegas, Sibella's tenure at that casino came to an abrupt end last year, as he was replaced as president in September 2023 due to violations of company policies and employment terms.

The Nevada Gaming Commission is yet to deliberate on the Control Board's complaint, which asks “That the Commission take action against SIBELLA’s license(s) and/or finding(s) of suitability pursuant to the parameters defined in NRS 463.310(4).”