Casinos pull in vast sums of money daily, making them prime targets for scammers who apply various casino cheating methods.
Some casinos make hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue annually, making it no surprise that they end up being targeted by scammers. Of course, casinos are aware of this ongoing war with deceitful individuals and often undertake precautions to avoid being swindled out of their profits through creative casino cheating methods.
Different Casino Cheating Methods
There is always a surplus of dishonest gamblers who look at new ways of scamming casinos, even when they know security barriers are in place.
Here are a few ways scammers try to cheat the system:
Relaying Knowledge to Other Gamblers
Most scammers work in groups. For example, one player might try and get a good vantage point to focus on the cards a dealer is holding. Once they are in a good position, they will use wireless transmitters to stay in contact with other players who they are working with.
These communication devices have evolved over the years and become more sophisticated. However, casino fraud detection has also become refined. One contemporary technology that casinos are using to combat fraud is NORA. NORA allows casino security teams to manage public-record searches and locate any relationships between scammers.
Colluding with Dealers
This common scam usually involves a dealer making a so-called “false shuffle”. Here, the dealer would keep some cards in the same order that they were before they were dealt. To prevent this scam from happening, many casinos observe the dealers and the players. Casino surveillance does not only have cameras on the game tables but also keeps track of each dealer’s losses and each player’s wins.
This is an excellent tactic because it reveals if a table is doing better than the others. The dealers are aware that they are being observed, and they are fully cognisant of the consequences of what might happen if they are caught partaking in a scam. Because of this, most dealers are reluctant to collude with players since the penalty is just not worth it.
Watching Dealer Hands
Even honest dealers aren’t always flawless in their execution. Some dealers could accidentally tip their hole card. This would give players a peek at their hand, revealing their position. Therefore, casinos must ensure their dealers don’t make this mistake.
To prevent this scenario, casinos need to train their dealers thoroughly. There need to be strict penalties in place for dealers who fail to hold their cards correctly. Any dealer who mishandles their cards, even by accident, would be liable for penalties.
Serious Punishments for Cheating
For the most part, time in jail is the most severe punishment a scammer could receive. It is essential to know that not all double-dealers will be prosecuted. But those who are caught stealing large amounts of money or who have developed sophisticated scams would likely end up behind bars.
The punishments for cheating can vary, and it depends on the nature of the offence. Some scammers have been put behind bars for just a few days, while others dwell in prisons for years. One former swindler, Derek Bethea, went to jail for 17 years for cheating at a casino.
It’s also important to know that most casinos have powerful lobbying groups backing them that can push for more robust and severe laws. Gaming regulators can also press charges against scammers they view as significant threats to the casino industry.
Scammers Can’t Win
Ultimately, scammers are viewed as the most prominent threat to casinos. So, the best way to defeat your enemy is to enter their mind. Know what they are thinking, and you will be able to thwart their plans. Remember to stay alert and keep updated on the latest scamming tricks and tools. Scammers never rest, and casinos that don’t wish to lose money have to stay abreast with the latest casino cheating methods.
