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A long Nevada probe ended with the arrest of William West Roberts, 57, but the bigger point sits elsewhere: investigators say illegal bookmakers are still using licensed Las Vegas sportsbooks as risk tools inside wider offshore operations. Roberts was arrested after a joint case built by the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the FBI.
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Authorities say Roberts ran an offshore betting business through a Costa Rica-based website while also betting heavily with legal Nevada sportsbooks. Their view is simple: those wagers worked as hedges. If his own customers won too much, a legal sportsbook ticket could offset the hit. Investigators say that also helped blend illegal betting proceeds into regulated casino activity.
The money trail drew attention fast. Investigators tied Roberts to millions in sportsbook wagering and millions more in casino cash reports. They also say funds were mixed through two local businesses, Ace’s Family Fitness and Wild Bill Consulting Inc., which the arrest report identified as part of the wider commingling pattern.
The case did not start with a routine audit. It started after an email from a former girlfriend, then expanded through a confidential source and undercover agents posing as bettors. Authorities also reportedly recorded Roberts talking about how the operation worked.
Roberts now faces felony counts tied to operating without a licence, disseminating racing information without a licence, and receiving compensation for bets without a licence, along with misdemeanor charges. The arrest also lands in a broader Nevada enforcement cycle focused on how illegal bookmakers used casino floors and sportsbook counters as part of their day-to-day business.