Ippei Mzuhara, the former translator of Shohei Ohtani, bet millions on an illegal bookie. His addiction grew quickly. He could have been helped or slowed down if he had been betting with a licensed operator.
There are many checks that US operators use to determine whether Mizuhara has or is developing a problem with addiction. None of the US operators would have given Mizuhara any credit for gambling.
According to an addiction counselor who is a former addict, none of it would have made a difference. Addiction is stronger than any legal operator.
Dave Yeager is a recovering gambling addict who says that none of these things are deterrents to an addicted bettor. When an addict is in the grip of addiction and the desire to bet on the next game is overwhelming, nothing else is important. …. It’s hard to find anything that will stop you.
Addiction is overwhelming at its peak
Yeager is a Kindbridge Behavioral Health employee who developed a gambling problem while playing slots in the military. He lost everything: his wife, his job, and even his savings. He didn’t seek help until he felt ready to make a change.
Yeager explained that seeking help depends on where you are in your addiction.
Yeager stated that the adrenaline rush gamblers feel is overwhelming. He compared it to eating too much.
Yeager explained, “Imagine you are sitting in front of the TV with a bag full of chips. You only want to eat a couple,” he said. The bag will be empty before you realize it. You’ve been mindlessly shoveling the chips into your mouth. You can imagine a situation where you are craving something, such as chocolate or salt, but you simply cannot stop eating it.
Mizuhara will plead guilty on Tuesday
Mizuhara is scheduled to appear before the court again on Tuesday, 4 June. This time it will be for an appeal hearing. Mizuhara, in a matter of procedure, pleaded not guilty last month to the charges against him for fraud and signing an alleged fraudulent tax return. After Mizuhara accepts his guilty plea, the sentencing will take place on Tuesday.
This case is handled by the US District Court for Central District of California. The case has been assigned by US District Judge John W Holcomb.
Mizuhara surrendered himself to federal agents in March after it was revealed that he stole $17m ($17m) from Ohtani for gambling debts. Mizuhara may have bet with Mathew bowyer, even though he was not named in the Wayne Nix gambling cases. Bowyer, who is based in Orange County and has been under federal investigation but not charged, was betting with Mathew Bowyer.
No credit if you don’t know your client
In contrast to illegal operators, consumers who bet with legal operators are required to go through a KYC (Know Your Customer) process. Consumers must provide personal data, including their social security number, birth date and email, during this screening.
One operator’s representatives agreed to provide information on this process but wanted to remain anonymous.
This information is used by operators to verify that the person who registers actually matches what they claim. Any person on an exclusions list, whether voluntary or not, would be rejected and flagged during this stage of the registration process.
Operators have programs in place to require that a customer undergo additional review once they’ve completed the KYC. The operator said that VIPs (big bettors) are subject to “enhanced screening practices” which require additional data such as income and estimated networth.
Mizuhara would likely have undergone a more thorough background check if he had signed up and started placing large bets at a licensed operator. This is especially true as the amount of his wagers increased. A sworn statement states that Mizuhara averaged $12,800 in wagers. The largest bet he made was $160,000. The source claimed that either of these numbers would have attracted the attention of an operator and warranted a further investigation.
Some big bets may not cause concern
Customers of legal operators can bet up to a hundred thousand dollars at a time. They are called VIPs, or whales. Anyone associated with a professional US sports team is worth a closer look. The gambling policies of each league are different, but they all prohibit betting on the sport itself.
The operator stated, “We will investigate their source of wealth and funds as well as the activities that generated them.” Legal operators don’t extend credit to their customers. Mizuhara’s account would have been flagged and re-evaluated if he had said he was Ohtani’s interpreter.
Some big transactions aren’t bad. Some people make lots of money, and this is their leisure time.
The frequency of betting often requires further examination
The operators use extensive controls to detect suspicious behaviours, such as high frequency betting.
According to the affidavit, Mizuhara made 19,000 wagers in a period of two and half years. Any legal betting operator would have also been suspicious of such a high frequency.
The integrity team or investigators of a licensed operator would investigate “frenzy gambling” and funding a account with different sources. It could also be an indicator of gambling addiction. The teams of all legal operators are dedicated to helping consumers with gambling problems.
Mindway AI is one of the many companies that works in this industry. The company claims to use machine learning algorithms as well as predictive analytics in order to identify possible trouble.
A company representative said that nightly gaming for some people may be normal or even beneficial, depending on the individual’s lifestyle. For another person, it could be a sign of increased tolerance or loss-chasing.
Addiction is not a problem that can be stopped by the operator
Operators are legally required in all US states to post clearly the helpline numbers and websites. The majority of operators offer tools for responsible gambling, such as ways to limit the amount of time or money that can be spent on gambling. Yeager stated that anyone in the throes of addiction wouldn’t use these tools. Operator warnings would not stop gambling.
The operator may send an alert suggesting that a gamer take a rest or in more severe circumstances, forcing a person to do so. Emails or telephone calls may also be sent to the player. You could do anything from merely mentioning that the player has changed their habits to completely cutting them out.
As the betting frequency or cadence increased in Mizuhara’s case, it is likely that an operator contacted its responsible and problem gambling teams. The source stated that operators have the legal right to restrict or limit players. If a player displays “erratic behavior”, they can reduce or suspend their limits.
Mizuhara says, “I’ve got a problem.”
The source stated that operators will limit their contact with players when this occurs. The operator source explained that because communication occurs when the consumer logs in to the app or platform to bet, they don’t encourage players with potential problems to sign in.
In the affidavit in Mizuhara’s case and other texts, Mizuhara did mention more than one time that he was a gambler.
MIZUHARA sent BOOKMAKER 1, on or around 24 June 2023, a message stating “I have a serious problem …. Can I get one last last last bump? This is the real …. This one is for real. ]”
Mizuhara would not have been allowed to continue betting if a legal bookmaker had offered him more credit. Illegal bookies offered him more money.
Gambling addicts are often lured offshore
Yeager, a caretaker who was not involved in Mizuhara’s case, stated that any limitations or suspensions were just bumps on the road.
Yeager stated that he had “more than a handful of clients” who held multiple accounts at different operators. If they exhausted one account, then they moved on to the next, and if that was also exhausted, they went offshore.
The experience of betting on the illegal market, or through an illicit bookmaker, is completely different from the one you have when gambling in the legal marketplace. Nobody is watching accounts, or concerned about gambling problems. No one is concerned about the source of money, there are no checks or controls.
The illegal bookmaker in Mizuhara’s case offered credit. Legal US operators would and cannot do this. It is against the law in some states to use a credit card to fund an online gambling account. Some credit card companies like Bank of America don’t let their cards be used for gambling.
The operator said: “We would rather lose a client who acts suspiciously than keep one who does something wrong.” We made this decision because we value our business reputation and that is what I believe would be the most common strategy.
The illegal operators would say, “Great, now you have the money.”
Illegal operators are attracted to the money they can earn
As revealed by the affidavit in Mizuhara’s case, the illegal bookmaker was aware that Mizuhara is Ohtani’s translator. According to the texts of the affidavit the illegal bookmaker gave credit for this reason.
The bookmaker once threatened Ohtani with Mizuhara:
Ippie! It’s Friday at 2 pm. Why aren’t you returning my phone calls? I am here.
Newport Beach, and I saw [Victim A(Ohtani),] walking his dogs. If you don’t respond, I will just go and speak to him.
Mizuhara owed $40m to the bookmaker when he was caught. Mizuhara stole $17 million from Ohtani, without his knowledge. Ohtani has publicly admitted he was duped, and investigators from the federal government agree that he’s a victim.
Bowyer the bookmaker was relying on this connection in order to recover funds. Mizuhara paid Bowyer $5000 per week for a period of time.
Mizuhara was arrested in mid-April. He turned himself into police. On a $25,000 bail, he was released. He was then ordered to begin counselling for his gambling addiction. He was also prohibited from entering casinos, speaking to illegal bookmakers and contacting Ohtani.
Mizuhara could develop another addiction
Mizuhara is not easily recovered. The legal system may have temporarily stopped Mizuhara from betting but it’s a long road to recovery.
Yeager explained that “most of the time, when someone is caught the obsession temporarily stops because they are afraid of what has happened.” There will be an urge to stop doing this. In nine out of ten cases, people don’t know what they’re doing. They become scared and don’t do it. Over time they become too afraid to try it. But eventually they do.
Yeager stated that Mizuhara was also thrust into a bright spotlight in the public eye, and he could have made his final bet. He may still be addicted.
Yeager explained that addiction could manifest in other ways, such as pornophobia, excessive spending, or alcohol. He could be scared to death of gambling. If he is a dopamine-seeker, as many addicts are, then he may find another activity.
