By: John Nobluff, Monday, May 25, 2009

Cheating in casinos is a topic worthy of its own book since it has a long and not-too-distinguished history. As an ordinary casino visitor, you should understand a few basic facts about this subject and how they may affect you. With so much cash flowing, casinos are a predictable target for cheaters. But you can put your mind at ease since the house virtually can’t cheat on you. The gaming commission and intense casino competition ensure fair play these days, and other than that, casinos don’t need to cheat. Probability theory ensures them long-term profits on legal casino games. Nevertheless, a few cheating still goes on - at both sides of the table - but they are not performed in the way you may think. Casinos usually catch cheating dealers, but the dealer’s targets are seldom the gamblers at the tables. A few deceitful dealers try to cheat the casino by overpaying an accomplice, palming chips or using other technique. Of course, the Wild West era, when a cheater might end up hanging from the gallows or with a bullet through his head - is over. And, in spite of their gangster heritage, modern-day casinos don’t make it a habit to give their dishonest visitors with cement overshoes. Although you may not end up thrown to the sea, make no mistake about that: Cheating when gambling is a very serious offense. If the house catches you cheating, jail is your new home.

Perhaps, you are not able to imagine yourself cheating at the casino in any shape or form to get your winnings. But if you invest any good amount of your time in gambling, chances are you will be confronted by that temptation. A dealer may unwittingly overpay you, or the slot machine may malfunction and cough out extra coins.

You may also find casino protocols that, externally, seem irrelevant but are essentially in place to avoid circumstances that can be interpreted as cheating attempts. One example is the cards marking. Certainly, you didn’t mean anything by putting your ‘chili cheese fry’ fingerprints on the Ace of Heart. Yet you will find that casino employees are very unsympathetic to your lack of napkin.

Following are a few efforts made by the house to eliminate cheating among gamblers.

• Casinos usually have the legal right to interrogate anyone that leaves their premises for any reason and at any time. If casino personnel suspect a visitor of cheating, they can ask the person and possibly detain him or her.

• Although casino employees do their very best to be courteous about it, touching taboos are taken extremely seriously. Casinos expect newbies to accidentally violate these regulations from time to time, but repeat wrongdoers are eventually asked to leave the premise.

• Theft is an issue that casinos take very seriously even though they are not directly in harm’s way. Players are caught stealing chips from others stacks each day. You are especially defenseless at craps and roulette tables since your attention is so frequently focused away from the stack.

• The house is also sensitive about violation of interstate gaming laws, so they are wary of cell phone use in some areas. For instance, never make or take calls while you are in the sports book and race.

• Most casinos invest millions of dollars in security equipments to protect themselves and defeat cheaters. You may use this technology to benefit yourself as well. For instance, if you believe your dealer made a mistake, a tape can be replayed to see what actually happened and the moving images won’t lie.

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