It sounds like the stuff of conspiracy theories — a casino that is actually cheating its players instead of relying on its built-in advantage to gradually extract as much money as possible from each customer.
However, this possibility is something that the gambling industry takes quite seriously. After all, people will only play if they think the games are fair, and a single bad apple could have disastrous consequences for every operator in the business.
With that in mind, we’ll take a look at what safeguards are in place to prevent casinos from cheating, the types of cheating you need to look out for, and a few notable instances of operators playing outside the rules — and paying the price.
Forms of Casino Cheating
Cheating works a bit differently when a casino does it compared to when a fellow patron attempts it. Before we get started, it might be helpful to define some of the ways a casino might cheat players.
This is not an exhaustive list, obviously – new scams and methods are devised every day. However, these are some of the most noteworthy casino scams you might encounter:
- Rigged Games: Whether it’s slots that don’t pay out, dealers who use false cuts and shuffles, or croupiers who load the dice, a casino is only as good as its games. There are countless ways they can tip the odds even further in their favor, making it all but impossible for you to win.In fact, the house edge, which already gives casinos a natural advantage, can be manipulated even further with rigged games.
- Refusing to Pay Out: Some casinos might offer you a square deal at the tables, but cheat you at the cashier cage. If a casino refuses to pay out money you’ve won fair and square, they’re cheating.
- Refusing to Honor Promotions: These days, almost every casino has an attractive bonus offer designed to attract new players. However, you should keep an eye on your account to make sure they’re actually giving you the cash they promised. Many shady casinos, banking on players being too busy to notice, short-change players on their promised promotions.
- Exploiting Players’ Data: Casinos require a lot of personal information, which is understandable – it’s part of preventing money laundering and underage gambling. However, some casinos play fast and loose with all that data; offenses can range from selling it for marketing purposes to outright identity theft.
How Do Casinos Get Caught?
Given the amount of power and control that casinos have over their operations, it may be surprising that they ever get caught. However, the potential for getting busted is a very real threat for disreputable sites.
One of the most common ways for casinos to get caught is via a whistleblower.
This could be an employee with a conscience who disagrees with the casino’s actions, or it could be someone upset that they didn’t get a big enough share of the stolen pie. Either way, having someone on the inside come forward is a frequent way shady casinos are exposed.
Another way is when enough players notice and speak up about the issue. Now, this is a bit of a tricky one, as many are initially ridiculed for being conspiracy theorists. However, once enough evidence piles up, it becomes almost impossible to ignore.
Consequences for Casinos That Get Caught Cheating
If a casino gets caught cheating, the consequences can be dire.
The severity of the punishment will depend on the extent of the cheating, but it could even result in criminal charges for those involved. These charges can be quite serious, especially when a large amount of money is involved.
If only a few bad actors are involved, then the consequences are likely to be limited to just them. However, if it’s a systemic issue, the penalties will be much more significant.
The casino could lose its license, as well as face stiff fines. The damage to its reputation could well be irreparable, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them shut down entirely.
As you can tell, there are many built-in deterrents to keep casinos from cheating. The stakes are undeniably high.
Notable Cases of Casinos Who Were Caught Cheating
There have been several instances of casinos being caught cheating, but most of these cases date back to well before the modern era.
The rise of Vegas has shown operators that there’s much more money to be made by running a clean game than a rigged one.
There haven’t been any instances of big-name casinos rigging games against players in quite some time. However, there have been quite a few instances of casino employees rigging games in their favor.
It should be noted, though, that even in these cases, everyday players weren’t the ones being cheated — it was the casinos. Typically, a crooked dealer would arrange for one of their compatriots to win an outsized amount, which they would later split. Other players at the table weren’t affected.
How Worried Should You Be About Casinos Cheating?
If you gamble regularly, it’s natural to worry about the possibility of being cheated. However, the chances of a casino trying to cheat you out of your hard-earned money are extremely slim — the odds are already far in their favor.
That said, that’s only true if you play at reputable, licensed casinos. Without an enforcement body overseeing the casino, you’ll have little recourse if you’re cheated (and they’ll have little incentive not to cheat you).
As long as you stick to well-known establishments, you should be safe from any funny business. The risks of cheating far outweigh the rewards for them.
Gamble with confidence — and the knowledge that the house always wins.
