The chances are getting rejiggered within the closely watched race for 3 lucrative casino licenses within the Recent York City area — partly due to an alleged bookmaking scandal that’s unfolding in Las Vegas, The Post has learned.
Until as recently as last week, MGM Grand and Resorts World — operators, respectively, of the Empire City Casino in Yonkers and the Resorts World Casino on the Aqueduct Race Track in Queens — had been considered shoo-ins to win two of the three coveted full-scale casino licenses in a state-run process that’s slated to conclude next spring.
Those calculations, nevertheless, could have been upended in recent days — with MGM’s odds particularly in danger, in line with sources.
That’s following news that Scott Sibella — the previous head of the MGM Grand casino in Las Vegas — has been ousted as president and operating chief of Resorts World, which he had joined from MGM in 2019.
In a press release to The Post, Resorts World said Sibella’s surprise exit from the corporate Friday was “effective immediately” over Sibella’s “failing to reveal certain information required under company policies.”
Resorts World declined to offer more specifics.
Federal agents, nevertheless, are reportedly probing whether employees at MGM Grand, where Sibella was president in 2017 and 2018, had been using company assets to repay gambling debts to notorious bookie Wayne Nix, who pleaded guilty last 12 months to running an enormous, illegal gambling operation and filing false tax returns, in line with an August article within the Nevada Current.
![Picture of the outside of Empire City](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/nys-issues-casino-rules-556.jpg?w=1024)
A call was placed to Sibella, who didn’t return the message.
The proven fact that Resorts World took motion to oust Sibella may be enough to avoid wasting its place within the Recent York City casino race, in line with sources.
The image may be more complicated for MGM, which now could have inquiries to answer about what happened on Sibella’s watch several years ago, in line with people near the Gaming Commission.
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“That is an even bigger problem for MGM because they were [allegedly] involved within the conduct,” said a source who has recently advised the Recent York Gaming Commission, although not involved in the present race for licenses. “But Resorts World would wish to eliminate the stain.”
“Ethics goes to be an enormous deal in deciding who gets the licenses,” the source added. “The ethics and the relationships with the communities where they’re putting their casinos is where that is going to be fought and won.”
![Scott Sibella standing and smiling](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/NYPICHPDPICT000039758824.jpg?w=683)
“You’d must think this investigation into Sibella reflects badly on MGM,” in line with the source, who is just not advising any of the casinos on this process.
Reps for MGM didn’t reply to requests for comment on Monday.
Unlucky news for MGM could be good for rivals within the casino sweepstakes.
Bally’s, a bidder controlled by Recent York financier Soo Kim, increased its probabilities of getting a license this month by acquiring the contract to run Trump Links within the Bronx.
![Picture of the Trump Links sign](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/081317golf5CS.jpg?w=1024)
Other bidders include Recent York Mets owner Steve Cohen, the billionaire hedge fund manager who has proposed to construct a casino within the Citi Field car parking zone.
Casino giants Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands are also amongst those battling for the three licenses.
Nix, meanwhile, is scheduled to be sentenced in March when more may be revealed concerning the investigations into his activities by the US Justice Department, US Immigration and Customs, and the IRS.
DOJ, and US Immigration spokesmen declined comment.
The IRS said it didn’t speak about ongoing investigations.