NBA Star Allen Iverson Accused of Being a Casino Cheat!

Wow! But come on, gimme a break! Why would a guy making $20 mil a year shooting baskets lower himself to casino cheating? Okay, I know he´s got a few dozen hanger-onners whom he supports, but I think he could keep them all in decent life styles and then some with his salary. But according to some high-ups in Detroit casinos, Iverson has taken some "outside" shots at Motown´s blackjack tables. Spokesmen for two casinos say Iverson, now playing for the Detroit Pistons, has not been banned from the facilities despite reports to the contrary, according to the Detroit Free Press.

According to the report, Greektown casino spokesman Riley Meredith said Iverson was not banned, nor did he know if Iverson was warned about "improper benefits" (what the hell is that supposed to mean?).

MGM Grand Detroit spokesman Jamaine Dickens said Iverson was not banned from the casino, and he did not know of any behavioral problems involving the guard. But the Detroit News is sticking by its original story about Iverson making trouble at the casinos.

News reporter Chris McCosky wrote, "I've have been told countless stories, from eye witnesses, about Iverson throwing cards or chips at dealers after he losses, even spitting at a dealer, being overly loud and profane at the tables, not following casino protocal -- he was even accused of cheating more than once. So, the casinos can let him back in and take all the money he wants to lose -- that's what they are in business to do -- but don't think for a minute that he's been a model patron."

I investigated this report further, and learned from casino personnel in Detroit that several people sitting at various blackjack tables claimed they saw Iverson cap his bets (add more chips to his bets after winning outcomes) at least three times in an hour. I could not determine what the minimum or maximum bets were at the tables he played at, but unless he was popping ten grand a hand with $5,000 chips, I highly doubt he or any other professional sports star would be making more than a day´s pay in the NBA cheating casinos for an entire year!

If any of this is actually true, Iverson was probably drunk and unaware of what he was doing--at least I hope so!

UltimateBet Makes American Roulette Top-Ten Safe Online Poker Rooms List!

Yep, believe it or not and despite all the scandals, UltimateBet has shown enough recent cheat-free statistics to make Richard Marcus´s top-10 anti-online poker cheat ratings list. Also appearing for the first time on the list is William Hill Poker. See the entire anti-cheat poker ratings list here.

Also note the first-time appearance of Casino States on my top-10 anti-online casino cheat ratings list. See that list here.

Casino Cheats Caught Doing Reverse Savanah Move! Here It Is On Actual Surveillance Tape!

I've gotten lots of e-mails asking me about variations of my famous Savannah move, including the "Reverse Savannah," which is hiding the lower denomination chip under the higher one and hoping the dealer pays you two higher denomination chips, and now I've got some cold evidence of people out there doing the Reverse Savannah--and getting caught!



The above pictures are actual casino surveillance shots.

Here´s what happened according to an Atlantic City surveillance report:

Our first scam happened on a BJ game. The suspect sits down on the game where a
lammer is holding a spot. The lammer is left in the wager circle and a gaming cheque is placed on top of the lammer. The scam was successful as the single cheque was paid two cheques by the dealer. The scam was realized and the player was confronted and returned the ill gotten gain.

This scam is a minor variation of the famous “Savannah” scam as the lammer creates an
offset due to its size and the dealer can’t see the lammer under the actual gaming cheque. Dealer is shown sizing into the bet with two gaming cheques. It was not realized that the lammer was under the original wager. Both of the circled photos show that the lammer is under the wager that was paid prior to being paid.
My take on this? It is not smart doing the Reverse Savannah because the dealer has too many chances to see the bogus chip underneath. With the real Savannah move, the claim is made BEFORE the dealer has a chance to pay the bet, immediately after the winning bet is realized. With the Reverse Savannah, the claimer has to sit and wait for the dealer to pay the bet, at which the dealer gets several looks. And when the bet loses, the bogus chip ends up in the dealer's rack and sooner or later will be noticed, which can lead to the giveaway of the scam.

In short, forget the reverse variation of my great cheat move!

Slot PIN Casino Cheat Scams To Be Aware Of

A slot hustler will walk up and down the slot isles looking for the “white flash” up near the slot rating card bonus panel. This white flash indicates that the patron is looking up their bonus status and using their PIN number. The hustler will take note of the PIN number and wait to see if they can figure out a way to steal the player’s card. One common scam to pick up a date of birth from a high end slot player hoping they are using the DOB is to run the name in the many available online resources in the private, local and federal level. Credit agencies may also be a source of obtaining this type of information. It is suggested to players to not use their date of birth but we all know that players want an easily remember PIN. Many casinos actually use DOB’s as the initial processing generated PIN and hope the players change them later. Some players simply leave the account open and pull out their loyalty card. The downloads and comps are still open for the scammer to take advantage of the unknowing victim. Here is an excellent scam that was detected here in Atlantic City. Our scammer has an ID program on his computer up in the hotel. He circulates the floor using any means to obtain names and PINs on slot players. From that point he goes back up to the room and makes a fake diver’s license of the player. He proceeds to go back down to the floor and use the fake identification and his illegally obtained personal information to draw comps all over the casino. This same scam can have the suspect going back to the loyalty rewards center and having new cards and PIN’s made as well. It is a potential deadly scam to any casino from a marketing standpoint.

Did you know that slot manufacturer’s install software that picks up on the most common PIN numbers and does not allow it to be assigned to the accounts of players. Some of the most common PIN numbers are consecutive numbers such as 1111, 7777, 9876 or 1234. You must always be aware of people who know your personal information such as address numbers, date of birth, social security number or a personal favorite lucky number. It is this type of information that will be utilized to attempt to access your comps and downloadable credits.

Here is one final precautionary measure that slot manufacturers afford casinos to protect your comps: If you attempt and fail on three tries to enter your PIN number it will disable the card access to the bonus comp and point area.

Let’s look at the future of PIN scams and consider the following possibility. What if a scammer used a hand-held skimmer device to swipe in a player’s rating card. Is it possible that the information contained on the magnetic strip includes the PIN number and all personal information from the account? How easy is it to tap the credits and comps from the machine? Casinos use protective measures that help to control personal identification numbers but that is not always enough. You can’t assume without testing the possibility that somehow, someway this information can be cloned to duplicate cards.

The Washington Post wrote an article about prostitutes and drug addicts using this type of device to swipe Las Vegas casino high roller’s room keys allowing access to the credit card information posted to the room for any incidentals. Is it only a matter of time before IT or rewards program employees utilize scams with information contained within the magnetic strips of slot ratings cards to commit theft against their casinos.

Continued industry communication and networking will help to keep up with current slot scams of this nature.

Are All Macau´s Casino Patrons Cheats and Thieves?

HIGH ROLLER CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE EXPOSED

JAMES PACKER may not be able to rely on return visits from all of his high rollers
when his keenly awaited Macau casino City of Dreams opens later this year. Revenues at high-roller casinos in Macau are down due to a lack in repeat business because many of their big-spending patrons don't make it back to the tables for the roll of the dice. According to a study of 99 high rollers from mainland China whose gambling habits propelled them into the headlines, 44 per cent were either sentenced to death, murdered, committed suicide or were serving long jail sentences after committing crimes to fund their visits.

Zeng Zhonglu, a professor at the Macau Polytechnic Institute, found 15 of the gamblers were sentenced to death, seven committed suicide or were "killed by others", two were given a death sentence reprieve and 20 were serving long jail sentences.

Asian Financial Collapse and Criminal Corruption:

At least 10 Chinese companies collapsed, casualties of the massive gambling losses by big-spending players, known in the industry as "whales". Of the group Mr Zeng followed, more than half worked for the Chinese Government or state owned enterprises. The theft of state funds by government workers is believed to have triggered the Chinese Government's clampdown on issuing visas for visits to Macau, a move which has been blamed for the slump in gaming revenues which have fallen by 19 per cent since March. The 33 officials followed reported losing an average of $US2.7 million ($4 million) each while 19 senior managers at state-owned enterprises lost $US1.9 million each. Seven cashiers at state-owned businesses shed an average of $US500,000. Mr Zeng said he was unable to use questionnaires or surveys to poll high rollers because they were "reluctant to reveal their gambling experiences". His research found that in a single gambling session one gambler lost $US12 million, and one private company owner lost $US96 million over several years. The average total loss for 99 gamblers was $US3.4 million. Mr Zeng was unable to determine which casinos were used by the gamblers in his survey. High rollers are vital to Macau's 31 casinos, with revenues from baccarat games played in private rooms reserved for VIPs generating 70 per cent of total casino revenue at its peak at the start of 2008.

Counting Blackjack Cards With iBacus 2010 Has Casinos Scared Shitless!

Gambling regulators have warned casinos around the country about a card-counting program that works on Frigemall Industries iBacus 2010. The program illegally helps players beat the house in blackjack. The iBacus 2010 is a high-tech version of the original card counting device used in ancient Greece by Leonidis Wankeris and his legendary 300 Spartan card counters. This updated version of the device is believed to have been developed by a Spartan descendant who immigrated to Australia in 2004 to open a Souvlaki store in Melbourne. Card counting itself is not illegal under most gambling laws, but it is considered a felony to use devices to help count cards.

The iBacus 2010 from Frigemall Industries allows the user to accurately count cards at the game of blackjack. The device will not only keep a running count but will convert the count into a true count and keep a side track of Aces. The handy printer tells the player when the deck is rich with 10 value cards as well. The device can be
purchased for $11.99 from the Frigemall online store.

Iowa Tribe Gets Scalp Of Its Own Inside Casino Cheat!

A Meskwaki tribe member was sentenced to 10 years for stealing from his own tribe's casino. If you ask me, I think the punishment is a bit harsh, don´t you? Read the article and let me know what you think.

Ryan Roberts, a member of the Toledo, Ohio Meskwaki tribe, stole $480,000 from the Meskwaki Bingo-Casino-Hotel because he has a gambling addiction, his attorney Matthew Boles told a 6th Judicial District Judge Thursday. Boles said during a sentencing hearing Roberts destroyed his career as a manager in the poker department and his standing within the Meskwaki community. "That's all he had. He's 42 and he has nothing." Boles asked the judge to forgo jail time and instead, give Roberts a deferred judgment, gambling rehab and make him pay restitution.

Assistant Tama County Attorney Michael Marquess asked for 10 years and restitution for the one count of theft because from 2006 to 2008 he took money 137 times. He stole an average of $3,500 each month from the casino. "One of their own tribal members are taking their lifeblood from the community," Marquess said. "It's one of their biggest assets."

Judge Nancy Baumgartner said this wasn't an easy case because there's no violence involved but Roberts stole an enormous amount of money, and while she doesn't doubt his addiction, everything can't be excused because of it. Baumgartner sentenced Roberts to the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for one count of theft and ordered him to pay restitution of the $480,0000. Marquess said he was relieved after hearing Baumgartner's ruling because he was outraged over a pre-sentence report that recommended a deferred sentence for Roberts.

"It's outrageous and disrespectful to the Meskwaki community. If the judge granted the deferred judgment, there would be no jail time and his record would be swept clean," Marquess said. Marquess said this was the largest theft in the Tama community, and no jail time would have sent the wrong message. "How much has to be taken before someone is given jail time?" he said.

Several members of the Meskwaki community were in the courtroom but only casino officials and the Tribal Council wrote victim's impact statements that weren't read in court but entered into the record.

Marquess said the casino officials asked the court to "do justice" and the Tribal Council asked the judge to give Roberts the maximum sentence.

Leodean Peters, a Meskwaki tribal member, said the other community members who attended court were reluctant to say they supported the prosecution because they don't want it to adversely affect them. Some of the community members still support Roberts, he said. Peters said the theft especially affects the community now since the per capita payments have dropped to $500 a month. The members were receiving $2,000 a month since the casino opened in 1992 to around 2005 and then it dropped to $900 and now it's $500.

"Justice was partially served," Peters said after the hearing. He hopes the case will be picked up in federal court.

Donald Wanatee, a former Tribal Council, said in an interview Tuesday nobody had the "right to steal from another's checking account. I hope he goes to prison and I want people to know what's going on in Tama County."

Roberts pleaded guilty Dec. 19. There were 18 original charges because the police counted each month a theft was committed, but Marquess lumped them together for one overarching theft charge.

Roberts signed out vouchers to use for promotional prizes and pocketed the money. Management discovered the theft after observing on casino surveillance cameras Roberts taking money into his office, which is against casino policy.

Dead Man Caught Poker Cheating...And Cheating Life!

John Park may have cheated death, but police said he couldn't cheat a casino.

In a jailhouse interview, the California man accused of faking his death and then cheating a Las Vegas casino said he’s glad his life on the lam has ended.

Earlier this week Park was gambling at the MGM Grand poker tables, where he said he got drunk and drew the attention of security guards. But other players at the table complained that Park was systematically shortchanging pots and that dealers weren´t catching on. Finally, however, surveillance did, and Park, whether he was good or not, got arrested and charged with gambling fraud. He denies cheating the casino, but confesses that he was "playing it all wrong," whatever that means.

“I guess I was just playing it all wrong and that’s why the security came and detained me for cheating.”

The arrest ended a nearly seven-month search that began when Park went missing during a spear-fishing trip off the California coast. At the time, he was accused of cashing a bad check and marijuana possession. Park knew there was a warrant for his arrest and said he planned to turn himself into police after spending one last day with friends. (Sure, and I'm the Pope!)

During the trip, he said he was swept away by a riptide and nearly killed. When he came ashore six hours later, he knew police were looking for him.

“I decided that at that time the best thing to do was just hide out because there were too many things going on, too many people threatening my life, he said.

Police were suspicious from the beginning, but Park insisted he never faked his death and simply panicked. From there, he said his unfortunate circumstances “Snowballed."..."I guess you could call it an avalanche.”

He panhandled to earn enough money for a ride to Las Vegas, where he struggled to find work. “I’ve had this huge boulder hanging on my shoulder and I couldn’t go anywhere. I couldn’t get a job, I can’t even mow lawns. It’s literally just destroying me.”

Park was able to keep his secret from his girlfriend, who is two months pregnant. They planned to get married, and despite his arrest, Park said he wants to move on with his life. “Everything happens for a reason, as upset as I am that I’m here I’m kind of relieved.”

Sounds to me like Park was much better at switching life for death than he was at switching poker chips!

Macao Casino Cheated From Inside...Again!

Macao customs official arrested for embezzling money from casino!

The Judiciary Police (PJ) of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) have apprehended a senior SAR customs service official and his wife, who were suspected of committing theft of 50 million Hong Kong dollars (6.3 million U.S. dollars) in cash and gaming chips from a local casino, the Macao Post Daily reported on Friday.

The two suspects were arrested by the Chinese mainland police in Chongqing, a municipality located in southwestern China, and a sum of 10 million HK dollars (1.3 million U.S. dollars) in cash and 10 million HK dollars in gaming chips were seized from the couple at the time of their arrest, the daily quoted a PJ spokesman as saying. The arrested couple were transferred by the mainland police to the PJ at the Macao-Zhuhai borderline Thursday morning.

The PJ spokesman said the 37-year-old male suspect, surnamed Fu, has already been suspended from his job as he was subjected to an internal investigation earlier. The male suspect had worked thereafter illegally as a gaming promoter for the casino's VIP room, where his wife worked.

The 35-year-old female suspect, surnamed Mou, has been assigned by the VIP room operator to move the 50 million Hong Kong dollars in cash and chips from one room to another within the casino on Feb. 4, but she allegedly disappeared from the casino with the cash and chips, according to the daily.

The PJ spokesman declined to reveal the name of the casino hotel, but the daily quoted unconfirmed sources as saying that it is Crown Macao.

The couple have been transferred to the SAR's Public Prosecution for further investigation and possible arraignment on a series of criminal charges, according to the daily.

Big-Time European Poker Player Linked To Huge Bank Fraud!

Officers from the Serious Fraud Squad are investigating an alleged fraud relating to companies led by entrepreneur and gambler Achilleas Kallakis.

The officers yesterday conducted searches at addresses in central London as part of an investigation into the alleged fraud, which surrounds loans provided between 2003 and 2007 by Allied Irish Bank.

It is alleged that `guarantees of certain lease payments on these properties by an investment grade counterparty (a blue chip property company’ were fraudulent.’

This subsequently led to Allied Irish Bank taking a write-down of £56m after it was realized that `over-riding’ leases allegedly taken by the blue chip property company had artificially inflated values and did not exist.

After this AIB took control of and sold the properties.

It has now emerged that the properties involved were allegedly managed by Kallakis’s Pacific Group - and were before Christmas sold to Green Property, as revealed in Property Week. Green Property is in no way involved with the alleged fraud.

Kallakis, who was unavailable for comment, is also a big name at Europe’s top poker tables. His Pacific Group ventured into property in the early part of the decade on behalf of a Swiss Family Trust, buying properties in London’s St James’s Square and Buckingham Palace Road.

At its peak this portfolio was worth more than £1bn, but having fallen sharply in value was transferred to Green with Allied Irish’s debt package intact late last year.