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Nevada gambling regulators have formally banned former professional baseball player Wayne Joseph Nix from entering any licensed casino in the state, pointing to his role in a sprawling illegal sports betting operation that has drawn federal scrutiny and touched several high-profile figures.
During a public meeting on Thursday (February 26), members of the Nevada Gaming Commission voted unanimously to add Nix to the state’s List of Ineligible Persons. The designation, often referred to as the state’s casino blacklist, prohibits individuals deemed a threat to the integrity of regulated gaming from entering licensed properties.
the orderwhich was published the next day, ordered all unrestricted license holders throughout Nevada to ensure that Nix was not allowed on their gaming floors or other casino premises.
Nix, 49, lives in Newport Coast, California. Federal prosecutors charged him in 2022 operating an illegal sports betting business handling millions of dollars in bets through an offshore website called Sand Island Sports. Investigators say the business ran for more than six years, taking bets, moving money in and out, and evading state gambling laws.
In April 2022, Nix pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling enterprise and to filing a false tax return. He is scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
Nevada’s decision in Wayne Nix follows the expansion of the federal investigation
The state’s decision comes as federal authorities continue to unravel a wider network tied to Nix’s bookmaking operation. In February 2026, a Los Angeles jury found the former Major League Baseball star Yasiel Puig is guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements during a federal investigation of a betting ring.
At trial, prosecutors CEBU how Puig placed hundreds of bets on sports, though not baseball, through a middleman connected to Nix’s business. Evidence presented in court showed that Puig bet nearly $1 million between May and September 2019. Some of those bets were made at MLB stadiums before and after games.
When interviewed by federal agents in 2022, Puig denied knowing significant details about the betting activity and the people involved. He later pleaded not guilty and the case was brought to trial. The jury ultimately convicted him of one obstruction count and one count of making a false statement. His sentencing is expected later this spring.
According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Puig’s betting losses included nearly $282,900 in early 2019. Prosecutors said he later wired $200,000 in an effort to pay off part of his debt, then continued betting.
The larger federal investigation that ensnared Nix also led to indictments and plea agreements for several associates accused of helping manage bets, collect debts, and distribute payments. Court filings outline how the operation generated millions while underreporting income to tax authorities.
Featured image: Ideogram
The post Nevada regulators banned Wayne Nix from casinos due to illegal gambling charges first appeared in ReadWrite.
