What Happens If You Get Caught Cheating in a Casino?

Every gambler has probably wondered what happens to casino cheaters when they are caught, whether at table games or slot machines. Well, the answer varies based on different casinos and the severity of the crime but this article will describe all possible outcomes that they could face.

You May Get A Warning First

Not all forms of cheating are dealt with in the same way. Certain cheats are opportunistic: like someone grabbing forgotten chips on the table and putting them in their stack. For these less severe kinds of cheating, especially if you play low stakes, the casino will give you a warning before any real repercussions.

The dealer can change their dealing speed or a pit boss may hang around to make a remark about your play. This is their way of passively telling you the casino suspects you’re cheating. At this point, you can probably still come back at another shift without being recognized. 

But if they ask you point-blank to not play a game anymore, it’s best to stay away from that game for a while because they may have the security camera snap a picture of you for future reference. Remember, you can still play other games at the casino.

You Can Have Your Winnings Seized

If the cheating is more serious and involves a decent amount of money, most casinos will seize your winnings. Casinos have a right to do this even just based on suspicion. This is why choosing a good casino to play in is important because dodgy Vegas casinos can abuse this policy to accuse innocent players of cheating simply for winning too much.

The Casino Can Detain You

The security guards can ask you to go with them to the backroom for questioning. In Las Vegas, you cannot sue either the casino or the guard for detaining you even if you were not cheating. However, the casino has to provide some reason for their suspicion and there’s a limit as to how long they can detain you.

Card counting using only your brain without help from external devices is NOT illegal, but the casino can still stop you from playing when you’re counting cards successfully. You’re technically a guest on their property so they can enforce their policy to protect their business.

Your Name Can Be Placed In The Black Book

Essentially, if a casino suspects you’re a cheater or an advantage player, they can blacklist you. In the best-case scenario, you will just be banned from that casino and its branches. But sometimes, your name will be sent to the Nevada Gaming Control Board or the Griffin Book, which will share its information to all casinos subscribed to it – preventing you from entering numerous gambling establishments around the world.

Cheaters Can Face Legal Repercussions

In a Nevada casino, depending on the scale of the cheat, you can be sentenced to jail for 1-6 years and/or a $10,000 fine. You will also have to pay restitution to the casino. Multiple charges can be found guilty among cheaters, such as fraud, racketeering, abetting, and money laundering. 

Cheating is definitely not worth all the consequences, especially with how advanced surveillance technology in casinos nowadays is. However, if there is one consequence you won’t face, it is getting beaten up in a dark alley like in gambling movies. 

It is true that the American gambling industry used to be directly related to organized crime, so in the past, casino cheats would be locked in a basement and beaten. But today, all casinos have to follow regulations and they’re way too smart to inflict physical damage on you (otherwise you can sue them back).