Las Vegas Casino Cheating Crimes

Representation from a Vegas Criminal Lawyer

The city of Las Vegas would be so much less if it did not have the world-famous strip and all the casinos that line it. In fact, the gambling industry there is virtually the heart of the local economy, and many more people than just casino owners rely on their fair and constant operation. To try to protect these valuable assets to Las Vegas, Nevada State lawmakers have made it quite clear that anyone caught cheating in any way will be slammed with harsh punishments and given no leniency.

Forms of Casino Cheating Crimes

Legislation has tried to keep the term ‘cheating crimes’ relatively broad to capture more potential offenders in their dragnet. The issue that needs to be addressed with such accusations is how vague a term ‘cheating’ actually is, and how it is unreasonable to push so many penalties on someone for a crime that is somewhat nonspecific. For example, some people would argue that the ability to count cards in a deck is a parlor trick and a sign of high intellect, but a casino calls it cheating; therefore, having a good memory and using it during a game of poker could be a crime.

Some of the main types of casino cheating crimes are:

1. Gambling fraud: Using outside information, third-party influence, or deception to alter the outcome of a bet either in your favor or to the disadvantage of opposing parties or the house.
2. Cheating devices: Any device that can be used to give you any sort of advantage in a casino game, such as a counting device, probability analyzing application, or a camera.
3. Counterfeit chips: Using, manufacturing, or distributing counterfeit chips to either gamble with or turn into cash at a cashier.
4. Selling or teaching cheating techniques: Passing on your knowledge of ways to cheat in a casino game or devices that allow cheating.
5. Cheating at gambling: A crime as vague as it sounds, this blanket term basically means anything that is against the rules or could be used as an unfair advantage.

Punishments for Cheating Crimes

Getting thrown out of a casino is the least of your worries if you are caught cheating. In most cases, a cheating crime is at least a category B felony.

If the casino presses charges and if you fail to protect yourself with a professional attorney, you could be hit with penalties as severe and unforgiving as:

• $10,000 fine
• Up to six years in prison
• Restitution to the casino

Call Our Las Vegas Defense Attorney Today

You need to take action right away if a casino is accusing you of cheating. They will undoubtedly already have a team of attorneys ready to take you down and pin a conviction on you, regardless of the evidence. When they hit hard, hit back harder with representation from Attorney David R. Fischer.