Casino Game Protection Post: Top 10 Reasons High-Tech Surveillance Systems Do Not Always Protect Casinos from Cheats

Many of you experience the latest state of the art surveillance video systems at the World Game Protection Conference, but what you should also know is that in many cases it is not enough to stop the casino-cheats and advantage-players.

Here is a top-10 list why:

1) Casino personnel depend too much on them.

2) Casino personnel lack ability to spot cheat scams on their own.

3) Professional cheats have much more knowledge about cheating than casino personnel.

4) Lack of proper and rapid communication between casino floor personnel and surveillance operators.

5) Casino personnel lack ability to pick up on cheats and their scams before they’re put into operation.

6) Failure of casino personnel to understand how cheats silently communicate in casinos.

7) Failure of casino personnel to recognize how casino cheats obtain large denomination chips without their knowledge.

8) Failure of casino personnel to differentiate between a set-up bet and a completely honest bet.

9) Casino personnel lacks understanding of the psychology casino cheats use to control them.

10) Casinos do not implement proper cage operations to pick up on cheats cashing out chips.

My Own Investigation into 2015 WSOP Cheating Allegations against Valeriu Coca

WSOP Cheat?

You've all heard about the very serious card-marking cheating allegations against Moldavian poker player Valeriu Coca at the 2015 WSOP $10,000 Heads-Up Championship, in which several players were spooked by the handsome player whose face was shielded by dark sunglasses during the play of that tournament. They accused Coca of somehow marking the cards with invisible dye, perhaps only viewable through the lenses of those glasses or contact lenses behind the glasses.

The WSOP officials released this statement about their findings: "Once issues were brought to our attention, we immediately commenced an investigation and worked cooperatively with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The investigation that was performed has now been completed by all parties. At this time, the matter is considered closed and the fifth-place finisher in Event Number-Ten will now have his funds released for payment."

I took a serious look at this matter and I do believe that Coca had indeed cheated via marking the cards. I also believe the Nevada Gaming Control Board behind closed doors came to this same conclusion. However, it is always in the best interests of the WSOP that no cheating scandals envelop the event, especially after the huge UltimateBet online scandal engineered by for WSOP Main-Event Champion, Russ Hamilton.

I have no proof of my claim here, as I did not have access to any evidence or materials in the case...but it is my strong gut feeling--and I am usually right!

No! It’s not me out there doing Savannah!!!

Me doing it--but it's only a Game Protection demo!

I can’t believe I’m even saying this! Or better yet…that I have to say this!

It’s been twelve and a half years since I wised up the casino world to my notorious Savannah roulette pinching-move, still generally considered the best casino-cheat move ever concocted, and I am still getting twenty emails a week from both sides of the table.

The cheats are asking me the obvious: Does it still work? Can I still go out and do it?

Casino and surveillance personnel ask if I am aware of anyone out there doing it! LOL

Well, I have to be honest, in spite of my sworn commitment not to encourage casino-cheating to anyone. But the truth is that Savannah is still super effective in the world’s live casinos, mainly because the vast majority of them still haven’t figured out how to safeguard their roulette tables against it. The few casinos that do know how to combat Savannah happen to be my clients in the field of casino table-game protection.

But the REAL Killer is the email I received yesterday from a Midwest US casino surveillance director whom I’d met several years ago at a game protection conference.

His email read: “Rich, I thought you retired years ago…but did you come out of retirement? I’m asking you this because a guy did a Savannah on us with a purple chip ($500) and I could have sworn it was you. The video was top-quality and he had on a hat, but I think I still recognized you! Please say it ain’t so!” (He did not add LOL)

Well…wow! That really threw me for a loop! I wrote back simply: “It ain’t so!” (I did not add LOL either)

Well, to all you casino and surveillance bosses out there who might see video of a guy who looks like me cheating casinos…

I did retire some fifteen years ago—and plan to stay that way! NO BULLSHIT PLEASE!

This all reminds me of a funny story that happened at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut in 1994. I had just laid and claimed a $1,000 Savannah move that took tons of heat. The supervisor told the pit boss, and the pit boss held up the game to check with surveillance before paying me. After he received video verification that it was a legitimate bet, he ordered the dealer to pay me. Then he apologized and said to me,” I’m sorry for the delay but we received photos from Atlantic City casinos of some guy who looks like you cheating roulette wheels with the same bet.”

I nearly shit it my pants! Not from fear but from the unbelievable stupidity of his remark.

Oh, you have a question, right?

The answer is no…this wasn’t the same guy who is now a surveillance director in a Midwest casino…at least I hope not!!!