Casino Surveillance News

It's News Time:

(Email me if any of the links don't work for you and I will send the text.) BUSTS AND SCAMS: On December 9, Louisiana state troopers assigned to the Gaming Enforcement Section arrested two people for their roles in internal theft during drawings held at L'Auberge du Lac Casino in Lake Charles.  See the story A Munster, Illinois, man was charged with felony theft in a scheme to defraud Ameristar Casino in East Chicago where he was a pit manager. See the story Two men face embezzlement and fraud charges in a case where one person, and a casino host, allegedly conspired to use funds embezzled from the employer for gambling at MGM Grand Detroit. See the story A pair of Houston co-workers settled a lawsuit over the rights to a $12.7 million Megabucks jackpot won at the Aria nearly a year ago. See the story When the Revel megacasino opens in May in Atlantic City, applicants are being told, they will have jobs only for as few as four years at a time, after which they will have to re-apply. See the story [Ed. Note: this is only one of the ways in which casino and other employers are avoiding the costs of keeping employees for the long term. Marketed as a method of keeping its employees young and fresh, it is a means of getting rid of unsatisfactory employees with little liability, reducing annual wage increases customarily a part of the long-term employment process, and reducing payrolls in general. It is a bean-counter's solution to rising payroll costs and the need to really train and discipline employees. It has been many years since a person in the casino industry (or many others) could count on long-term employment, and this is another nail in the coffin of long term employment with benefits. I believe this casino, and many others with similar practices, will soon be running afoul of the Fed for unfair employment practices. This type of "solution" also encourages unionization, which I have personally never favored, but I can see the advantages in it for casino employees.] One of the 11 individuals indicted on April 15 during the federal government's crackdown on Internet poker pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to charges of bank fraud, wire fraud and engaging in unlawful Internet gambling. See the story This one is really not casino news, but I could not resist throwing it in, having had something very similar happen to me a couple years back. A FEDEX delivery was made by throwing a large and fragile object over the fence, without even bothering to ring the doorbell first. [In my case, a box of computer components was thrown over the fence into my backyard, where they were shredded by my dogs.] See the story See the video [when you watch this one, there are several links to similar "deliveries"  available.] Another lawsuit was filed in Austria by a Swiss national who feels he was defrauded by the casino when he hit a jackpot showing 57 million euros. He feels the casino should honor the win, and that he was insulted by the offer of a free meal and 100 bucks. See the story [Not having the facts in the case, I don't know who is the scammer here.] A New York man was arrested on an outstanding warrant in connection with an alleged team card marking scheme last year at Dover Downs and Delaware Park casinos. See the story

ONLINE POKER NEWS:

Nevada Gaming Commission made online gaming history when the board unanimously approved the nation’s first regulations for online poker. See the story A Department of Justice legal opinion released in late December declares that Internet gaming transactions are legal between states where gambling is legal. See the story Professor  I. Nelson Rose has published an article examining this decision and putting it in legal perspective for all online gaming. See the story A summary of popular issues in regard to online Poker and other online gaming: see the story

OTHER CASINO NEWS:

A Colorado man who found $10,000 before boarding a flight in Las Vegas says he returned the money to the owner because he wanted to show his children it was "the right thing to do." See the story