Mississippi regulators renewed the gaming license of Universal Entertainment chairman Kazuo Okada (pictured) on Thursday, but the renewal came with strings attached.

The Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) voted to approve the ‘suitability’ of Okada and Universal’s US gaming device subsidiary Aruze Gaming America, but only on the condition that a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into Universal’s activities in the Philippines fails to turn up any dirty laundry.

The hearing came one day after the Japan-based Universal announced that the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation had “concluded” its investigation into Okada’s activities in their country. Universal’s local subsidiary, which is building an integrated resort in Manila’s Entertainment City, stood accused of funneling $40m to gaming regulators to obtain land concessions and other favors related to the casino project. Universal has denied allegations of bribery and claimed that the bulk of these payments were made by now ex-employees acting without authorization.

Okada himself appeared at the MGC hearing, making his first public appearance in the US since the brouhaha began several years ago. Okada told the MGC he wasn’t the “bad guy” portrayed in reports by the Reuters news agency and Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper. Universal has sued these media outlets for “biased and unfair reporting.”