I never thought Brits were any good at casino cheating. They're always getting caught trying to get on with really rank amateurish cheat moves. In fact, just by the sound of the British term for pastposting, "top-hatting," I could never take the Brits' attempts at doing this very seriously. I have done many interviews for UK television and print media, and it is hard to believe how little is actually accomplished by UK casino cheat teams, although let it be said that UK casino staffs are the sharpest of the sharpest when it comes to protecting their table games. I always considered it a challenge to take off London casinos, where inside some there is an inspector sitting in a high chair above every single roulette wheel. You can imagine some of the diversion techniques my casino pastposting teams had to use!
Here's an article covering the ill-fated UK "top-hatting" (LOL) team
A Roulette cheat from Manchester who was part of a gang that used bogus identities to sneak into casinos has escaped jail.
But Robert Evans, 36, from Broadlea Road, Burnage, was banned from every casino in the country for two years.
Evans, a tutor, was given a 48-week suspended jail sentence after admitting three false ID offences and must also complete 160 hours of community service.
The gang, led by Anthony Lopez, 42, also included 33-year-old Danny Ngo.
The trio were sentenced at a hearing at London's Southwark Crown Court.
Police said thousands of pounds had been made through the trio's scam known as 'top hatting'. This involves secretly placing a chip on to the winning number while distracting staff monitoring the game.
Officers believe the three made a 'substantial amount'.
Ringleader Lopez, of south-west London, also wrote a manual for the other cheats, with instructions on how to carry out the top hatting move and obtain false identification papers.
After being banned from a number of casinos, the trio used the false identities to gain entry to other gambling places.
Police monitored the gang operating at branches of Gala Casino in London and Stockport but believe other casinos were duped. The three were arrested in July and August last year.
When their homes were searched, numerous false identity documents were uncovered as well as some crack cocaine.
Lopez, a landlord from Wimbledon, pleaded guilty to three offenses under the Fraud Act 2006, eight offenses against the Identity Cards Act 2006 and three counts of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine.
He was jailed for three-and-half years.
Unemployed Ngo, of Birmingham, pleaded guilty to four offenses under the Fraud Act 2006 and two against the Identity Cards Act 2006.
He was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years. He is also subject to a supervision order for two years and excluded from casinos for two years.
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