Cheating in casinos refers to actions by the player or the house which are prohibited by regional gambling control authorities. This may involve using suspect apparatus, interfering with apparatus, chip fraud or misrepresenting games. The formally prescribed sanctions for cheating depend on the circumstances and gravity of the cheating and the jurisdiction in which the casino operates. In Nevada, for a player to cheat in a casino is a felony under Nevada law. In most other jurisdictions, specific statutes do not exist, and alleged instances of cheating are resolved by the gambling authority who may have more or less authority to enforce its verdict.
Advantage play techniques are not cheating. Card counting, for example, is a legitimate advantage play strategy that can be employed in blackjack and other card games. In almost all jurisdictions, casinos are permitted to ban from their premises customers they believe are using advantage play, regardless of whether they are in fact doing so and even though it is not cheating, though this practice of barring law-abiding citizens from public places is subject to judicial review. So far, courts in New Jersey and North Las Vegas, Nevada have found the practice of barring law-abiding citizens to be illegal.
Online Casino Cheating
Online casinos are also vulnerable to certain cheating methods. In the early 2000s, some players discovered that the random number generator at one poker site did not produce truly random sets of 'decks', and instead chose from about only 200,000 different possible deck configurations. Generation of true random numbers by machines continues to be difficult. This allowed the players to know what flop was coming if they knew the hands being held by three players.
The slot machine would then think that another winning combination has been spun in and would pay out players for that additional win, as you can expected with each so called spin being a winning one when using a magnet it would take a slot cheat very long to empty a slot machines using this scam.
Methods of cheating by players[edit]
The methods for cheating in a casino are often specific to individual games and include the following:
- Past posting: After a bet is won, a player replaces smaller-denomination chips with large-denomination chips.
- Hand mucking: Palming desirable cards, then switching them for less desirable cards that the gambler holds.
- Card marking: Various methods exist to mark cards during play.
- Marked decks: Usually involving the collusion of casino employees, it may be possible for a marked deck to be introduced into play. There are many different ways to mark decks of cards, some of them very difficult to detect. Casinos often replace their cards at table games and either sell or give away the used decks. These decks are usually cut or altered before they are sold or given away. This to prevent cheaters from buying used decks and then using the cards to cheat at table games.
- Slot machines: Methods exist for altering the outcome of slot machine games.
- Collusion: In poker games, the practice of two partners signaling to each other the values of their cards can be very difficult to detect.[1] Also, in table games, players can collude with the dealer.
- Using auxiliary devices: In Nevada, New Jersey, and other jurisdictions, using any device which helps to forecast the odds or aid in a legitimate strategy such as card counting is regarded as cheating.[2]
- Top hats: In Roulette, players place a bet after the ball has landed. The chips are disguised using a third party's chip - the 'top hat'.
- Using a computer to gain an edge, illegal in Nevada since 1985.
Methods of cheating by casinos[edit]
- Using a rigged roulette wheel.
- False deals: A dealer may be able to deal the second card from the top (used in conjunction with marked cards), or the ability to deal the bottom card of the deck (used in conjunction with placing desirable cards at the bottom of the deck), see for example Mechanic's grip.
- False shuffles and cuts: A dealer may seem to mix or cut the cards, while retaining certain cards or the whole deck in a desired order.
- Using a deck of cards with non-standard composition.
- Using a cold deck.
- Using loaded dice.
- Using rulesets not sanctioned by a gambling control authority.
- Using slot machines which pay lower than the statutory minimum.
- False advertising by not paying advertised promotions.
- Mail fraud or sending a mail offer but not honoring the offer once the customer is at the casino, also called bait and switch.
- Rigged video poker machines, such as the Vegas 'American Coin Scandal'[3]
- Rigged drawings, such as at The Venetian, Las Vegas.[4]
- Corrupt regulators, such as Ronald Dale Harris.
- Using a computer to gain an edge over the players.
Prevention of cheating[edit]
Cheating can be reduced by employing 'proper procedure' - certain standardized ways of shuffling cards, dealing cards, storing, retrieving and opening new decks of cards.[5]
Most casinos are obliged to have an extensive array of security cameras and recorders which monitor and record all the action in a casino, which can be used to resolve some disputes. Some casinos use facial recognition software to detect known cheats and criminals.[6]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^T. Hayes, 'Collusion Strategy and Analysis for Texas Hold'em', 2017
- ^Forte, Steve. Casino Game Protection. SLF Publishing, 2004
- ^American Coin: A True Story of Betrayal, Gambling, and Murder in Las Vegas, Frank Romano, 2013, ISBN1475985096
- ^Simpson, Jeff (25 February 2004). 'Venetian Settles Complaints'. Las Vegas Sun. casinocitytimes.com. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
- ^Zender, Bill. Casino-ology 2 : new strategies for managing casino games. Huntington Press. ISBN9781935396437.
- ^Prince, Todd (13 October 2018). 'Facial recognition technology coming to Las Vegas Strip casinos'. Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The attraction of casinos is universal, most people hoping they will hit it big on just a few dollars. The fact is, it is difficult to beat casinos at their own game. Unfortunately, according to a federal criminal defense lawyer Las Vegas, this leads many people to try to cheat casinos in order to get an upper hand. Cheating a casino is a dangerous game that can lead to serious consequences.
Your Winnings Can Be Seized
If you are caught cheating, anything you may have won at the casino can be seized. Even if the casino suspects that you were cheating, they have the right to confiscate any winnings. There are some in Las Vegas who say the casinos use this illegally, claiming that winners are cheating in an effort to keep costs down.
Security Can Detain You
If the casino suspects you are cheating, they will immediately detain you. A casino can detain and question you if security believes you are cheating. In most cases, according to a casino marker debt attorney Las Vegas, neither the casino nor the security guards can be held criminally liable for detaining you, even if it is proven you were not cheating. The detention cannot be unreasonable and there must be probable cause to believe you were cheating. There are also limits on how long they can detain you and the conditions of the detainment.
You Could Be Blacklisted
If you are caught cheating at the casino, you could be blacklisted from the establishment. This means your name and information will be recorded and you will be barred from entering the premises. This information can be shared with the gaming commission, which makes the blacklist official. It can also be placed in the Griffin Book, which is shared with other casinos.
You Could Be Charged with a Felony
It is a felony to cheat at a casino in Nevada. If you are convicted, you could face one to six years in jail as well as a $10,000 fine. You will be required to pay restitution to the casino. If a casino finds evidence that you cheated, they will immediately call the police. The case will more than likely be handled by the Financial Crimes Unit.
You Won’t Get Beaten Up
One thing you won’t have to be concerned about is having a thug beat you up if you are caught cheating in a casino. In the past, casinos were tied to organized crime and it was not unusual for someone who cheated the establishment to suffer physical injury. Today, casinos are heavily regulated and their reputation is critical. The casino won’t like it if you cheat them, but they will follow the legal steps necessary for you to receive your punishment.
Casino Caught Cheating
Casinos use many different methods to prevent cheating, including video footage and constant monitoring of the casino floor. If you try to cheat, it is likely you will get caught. If you are charged with cheating at a casino, it is absolutely critical that you contact a criminal defense lawyer in Las Vegas with experience dealing with casinos. Contact Brian J. Smith by calling 702-380-8248, emailing brian@bjsmithcriminaldefense.com or by filling out the easy form online to arrange for a free, no obligation consultation.