England High Court Rules Poker Pro Phil Ivey a Casino Cheat!

You all know by now how Phil Ivey has raked in millions across the worlds´s casinos by using his edge-sorting card scam on the baccarat tables. The issue as to whether or not edge-sorting constitutes casino-cheating has been discussed around gaming circles all over the online and brick-and-mortar world, including this blog. I have always held that Ivy and his edge-sorting scam do indeed qualify as cheating since it is premeditated and alters the natural form of dealing the game.

The key word is "alter," which Ivy did by having dealers deal the baccarat games in a matter that was not correlating to official casino dealing and game-protection procedure.

Now an English high court agrees. Crockford´s casino in London, who refused to grant Ivy his $12 million in winnings, now does not have to legally do so, as the judge ruled that edge-sorting is cheating. Ivy, who victimized the Borgata casino in Atlantic City with the same scam is now being sued by that casino in an attempt to recover millions of dollars that had been paid to Ivy upon his cheating at their baccarat tables.

So Ivy, who lost his suit as the plaintiff against Crockfords, may now soon lose his next lawauit against the Borgata as the defendant.

My take: I think the Borgata may not have the same success legally in the US as Crockfords had in the UK, but I still think they are entitled to win the case as I consider Phil Ivey a casino cheat.