Considering that casinos handle large sums of cash, they are often vulnerable to attempts of criminal activities. From fraud and cheating to money laundering, land-based casino operators are constantly on high alert to combat unlawful activities and identify bad actors.

While in some cases, the culprits are guests, in others, insider involvement is possible. This is precisely the case for several people who have recently been arrested by the Judiciary Police in Macau over allegedly participating in a criminal syndicate that defrauded a Cotai Strip casino.

Overall, eight people have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the criminal activities. All of the detainees are local residents, and their age is between 33 and 42. Despite the arrest of the eight people, law enforcement considers that more individuals are involved in the unlawful activities and it will continue to investigate in order to identify and detain them.

The Judiciary Police said that the group’s actions resulted in losses of an estimated HK$4.54 million ($581,500) for one casino operator in Macau. However, the name of the casino was not disclosed. The same group is suspected of being involved in at least two other crimes, dating back to earlier this year.

During the arrest of the eight individuals, police raided a number of properties. In the process of detention, some of the suspects were not cooperative with law enforcement. It is unclear what charges each of the suspects is facing.

Casino Operator Employees Suspected of Collaborating with Criminal Syndicate

Out of the eight people who were arrested, five have been employed by the casino operator that was defrauded. Those employees, who held roles such as dealers, table game managers and directors, are suspected of collaborating with the criminal syndicate that ultimately resulted in the hefty losses for the gambling operator.

On the other hand, the three other individuals who were apprehended are suspected of orchestrating the criminal activities. The trio allegedly played an important role for the group with a focus on planning the unlawful activities.

The three members of the criminal syndicate allegedly collaborated with casino employees to manipulate card games. This enabled them to gain an advantage in games, ultimately defrauding the casino out of HK$4.54 million ($581,500).

The recent case raises a serious concern about the breach of trust of the aforementioned casino employees, some of which held important roles. Still, anyone is considered innocent before being proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

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State police have arrested two employees of Rivers Casino following an investigation into what authorities describe as a complex cheating conspiracy at a Roulette table. Robin Schnepp, a table games dealer, and supervisor Anthony Laush stand accused of aiding at least two players in cheating on multiple occasions, resulting in significant winnings.

A Roulette Game Quirk Allowed for an Exploit

Pennsylvania law enforcement initiated the investigation after Rivers Casino received an anonymous letter a few months ago detailing concerns about irregularities with Interblock Roulette. A regular patron who wished to remain anonymous shared his observations with news outlet WPXI, noting several suspicious occurrences during his visits to the casino.

In the past year, I noticed a couple glitches with it, with the digital number coming up and the delay.

Rivers Casino patron

The reported manipulation occurred with Interblock Roulette, a game that requires the dealer to manually spin the ball in the opposite direction of the wheel. Allegedly, when this manual spinning does not occur, sensors fail to detect that the wheel has been spun, allowing players to continue placing bets even after the ball has landed on a number and the outcome has been determined.

According to state law enforcement, surveillance footage captured Schnepp spinning the roulette ball incorrectly on multiple occasions, followed by a man and a woman increasing their bets after the ball had landed. Laush reportedly validated these spins, with each player walking away with over $2,000 in fraudulent winnings.

The Suspects Will Appear in Court

Police speculate that the two suspects had an arrangement with the two players and received a share of the spoils. In addition to the cheating at the Roulette table, Laush also allegedly loaded fraudulent comps onto the account of one of the players involved. The motive behind this action remains unclear.

This incident marks another case of potential criminal activity by staff. December saw a report that a Rivers casino manager in Pittsburgh reportedly stole $20,000 from the cashiers’ cage, raising concerns regarding the staff’s integrity. A casino representative briefly commented on the most recent case, noting the venue fully cooperated with law enforcement.

Schnepp and Laush’s preliminary court hearings are scheduled for 2 April. Their activities allegedly cost the casino over $10,000, and they will likely face several accompanying charges. While the legal process unfolds, establishments like Rivers Casino must uphold the highest standards of professionalism and accountability to retain the trust of their patrons. 

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Last month, unionized casino workers at Detroit’s three casinos, MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown, launched a strike. The move came at a time when the workers asked for better working conditions, including pay raises, job security and workload reduction. The strike saw 3,700 casino workers, including dealers, housekeepers and other employees protest for more than a month.

On Sunday, November 19, 2023, the strike for Hollywood Casino at Greektown and MotorCity Casino employees ended. At the time, the Detroit Casino Council (DCC), representing the workers, confirmed that the employees of the two casinos had voted and ratified the new contract “with historic wage increases and other gains.”

Despite their decision, MGM Grand Casino employees who voted on the same contract turned it down. As a result, now, more than a week later, the strike for MGM Grand’s casino employees continues. As announced by Click on Detroit, unions confirmed Wednesday that they are “back at the negotiation table” with MGM Grand Casino.

Reportedly, the workers at MGM Grand filed a new proposal to the operator on Wednesday. The union representing them confirmed that the casino is yet to respond to that proposal. Specific details regarding the proposal were not disclosed at the time of writing.

Talks with the Casino Employees on Strike Continue

While negotiations continue, the DCC did not disclose why MGM Grand’s casino employees rejected the initial proposal that was accepted by the workers at the two other Detroit casinos. Instead, the Council explained that there are additional dates scheduled for negotiations and outlined that each casino property voted separately for the proposed five-year gaming contracts.

“Union members at MGM Grand Casino voted to reject the proposed deal and will continue to strike. More bargaining dates will be scheduled. Membership at each casino property voted separately about whether to accept the deal,“

reads a statement released by the Detroit Casino Council

Matt Buckley, MGM Resorts Midwest Group’s president and COO revealed earlier this month that it is disappointing to see MGM Grand’s employees reject the proposal. “This is a very disappointing result, especially considering the historic nature of our offer and the fact that it would immediately and positively benefit our DCC-represented MGM Grand employees and their families,” he explained at the time.

Moreover, Buckley was left baffled by the decision of the employees at MGM Grand, considering that the workers of the two other Detroit casinos voted in favor of the proposal. Speaking about the DCC, he said that even they deemed the gaming contract proposal as “historic” and one that offers good benefits along with an increase in pay for the casino workers.

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Ahead of the launch of ESPN BET on November 14, sports media giant ESPN has unveiled strict guidelines to ensure the integrity of its brand and journalistic operations. 

The New ESPN Guidelines Strive to Safeguard Against Information Misuse

ESPN is leaving no stone unturned in preventing any potential misuse of information by its employees, particularly those designated as “Insiders” or “Reporters.” The guidelines, released internally on November 10, outline the rules for ESPN’s 5,000 employees, explicitly stating that insiders like Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski are prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating any bets on the leagues they cover, such as the NFL and NBA.

The company is taking extra precautions to prevent the use of confidential information for betting purposes, covering a range of potential insider knowledge, including player injuries, officials’ decisions, and management insights. This extends to all ESPN employees, from front-facing talents to production personnel and journalists working both on and off-site.

ESPN’s stringent stance also extends to executives managing business relationships with leagues. The guidelines explicitly forbid betting on leagues or properties they handle on a day-to-day basis. Additionally, the company urges all employees to avoid participating in any form of illegal betting.

ESPN’s Guidelines Unveil Restrictions on Awards, Personnel Decisions, and Draft Picks

Certain types of bets are singled out for extra caution, such as awards votes (e.g., league MVPs), player personnel decisions, and draft picks. ESPN does not want its employees, particularly those with potentially relevant confidential information, to influence or participate in these types of wagers.

These guidelines were developed in alignment with The Walt Disney Company’s Standards of Business Conduct and may see updates once ESPN BET goes live in 17 US states on November 14. The network has already initiated promotional efforts for ESPN BET, with anchor Scott Van Pelt leading the way.

While ESPN declined to comment specifically on the guidelines, it is clear that the company is taking proactive measures to ensure the separation of its journalistic enterprise from the operations of the sportsbook. The memo explicitly states that no story should be reported, delayed, influenced, or withheld with the intention of impacting betting lines.

In August, ESPN and Penn Entertainment joined forces to launch ESPN BET, transforming the existing Barstool Sportsbook into an exclusive sportsbook deeply integrated into ESPN’s programming. The partnership, accompanied by a $1.5 billion cash infusion from Penn Entertainment to ESPN, aims to create a seamless sports betting experience for fans and capitalize on the growing legal sports betting market in the United States. The collaboration signifies ESPN’s strategic entry into the sports gaming arena, leveraging its platform for comprehensive gaming industry coverage and betting-oriented programming.

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Irish gambling company Paddy Power is set to close several shops in the country, local media outlets announced. According to the reports, the operator will be shutting down a total of 21 of its retail locations across Ireland.

The company plans to close the venues in question because of their failure to perform well enough. This move would leave the company with 230 shops in the country.

The reports say that Paddy Power would offer redeployment to many of the workers who will be affected by the closures. However, the company also confirmed that it will have to lay off some employees.

In a statement, Flutter Entertainment, Paddy Power’s ownership group, confirmed the move and said that it will try to redeploy as many of its employees as possible and offer them jobs in close proximity to their existing employment.

Despite that, the company is unlikely to be able to redeploy everyone and will instead offer support to employees it has to part ways with.

However, the closures will unfortunately lead to a small number of job losses. We are consulting closely with colleagues and providing support to those affected by these changes.

Flutter statement

Paddy Power Promised to Support the Affected People

Paddy Power’s chief commercial officer, David Newton, also commented on the matter. He attributed the closures to a recent review of Paddy Power’s estate and the company’s desire to operate efficiently and meet the evolving needs of its customers.

The latest review pointed out some redundancies Paddy Power will now proceed to eliminate. According to Newton, the 21 shops the company is closing are underperforming and don’t benefit the company’s business.

Indeed, a well-invested retail estate remains a key component of our omnichannel strategy. Whilst the majority of our estate continues to perform well and is growing market share, we have decided to close a number of underperforming shops.

David Newton, CCO, Paddy Power

Newton concluded that the decision to close these shops is in no way related to the work of Paddy Power’s employees there. He thanked his “hard-working shop colleagues” for their professionalism and promised that the company would provide the needed support to anyone who is affected by the changes.

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EPIC Risk Management, a gambling harm minimization consultancy, unveiled an expansion of its existing relationship with The Hippodrome Casino. As announced, the two companies have now signed a two-year gambling harm minimization deal.

Previously, EPIC delivered a pilot safer gambling program to the casino. Soon after, the two parties teamed up for a showcase event at the property where they underscored the importance of harm minimization training.

As per the current deal, EPIC will deliver such training to The Hippodrome Casino’s staff. According to the announcement, both licensed and unlicensed customer-facing employees will learn how to prioritize safer gambling while interacting with casino visitors.

According to the announcement, the first such program will include 20 workshops and 4 focus group evaluation sessions where EPIC will teach The Hippodrome’s employees to identify signs of harm, vulnerability and stigma. The workers will be taught how to handle such cases and how to properly deal with harmed or at-risk customers.

EPIC will leverage lived experience to reinforce the program and make sure that The Hippodrome is able is ready to minimize harm.

In June, EPIC Risk Management and the Entain Foundation formed a partnership agreement with the Major League Soccer Players Association.

The Hippodrome Trusts EPIC to Teach Empathy to Its Employees

The new program will be led by EPIC’s sustainability manager Joanna Whitehall. The harm expert commented on the partnership with The Hippodrome, saying that her team is happy to deepen its relationship with the famous London-based casino.

Whitehall noted that harm minimization is still a fairly new sector which is why many casino workers may lack the knowledge needed to intervene when needed, even if they want to. However, EPIC’s expertise will help The Hippodrome remain ahead of the curve by teaching its employees to identify and tackle harm with confidence, Whitehall said.

We look forward to working with The Hippodrome Casino further, to improve safety and confidence for staff and clients alike, and trust that we can continue to expand the reach of this program to other land-based casinos across the UK who have expressed an interest in a similar project at their venue.

Joanna Whitehall, sustainability manager, EPIC Risk Management

Sam Douglas, The Hippodrome’s director of business services, also expressed his company’s delight to work with EPIC Risk Management. He said that the casino trusts the agency to leverage lived experience to teach its employees to be empathetic and understanding.

The training they provide is invaluable, and we have already seen a positive impact on our team. We are happy that this partnership will assist us in creating a safe environment for our players in the years to come.

Sam Douglas, director of business services, The Hippodrome Casino

Two months ago, a branch of Max Halley’s Sandwich Shop opened at the Hippodrome.

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Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency (NRA), the country’s government department responsible for the regulation of gambling, announced that self-excluded people are not be allowed to work for casino companies.

According to the NRA, people who are included in the country’s newly-introduced self-exclusion register are prohibited from working with gambling operators. Employers must also adhere to a special norm outlined in Bulgaria’s gambling laws, the NRA noted.

As announced by the agency, gambling companies that violate this rule and employ self-excluded people risk a fine of between 5,000 and 20,000 Bulgarian leva (around $2,800-$11,250).

For reference, the NRA also prohibits people in the national self-exclusion register from entering gambling establishments. Armed people, uniformed people and minors also may not enter a casino, as well as people without ID or those under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Operators are required to make sure that the players they allow on the premises of gambling properties are not self-excluded. Bulgaria’s national register, however, is not public and is available only to certain NRA members and operators that request access for safer gambling purposes.

Thousands of Bulgarian Players Are Excluded from Gambling

Bulgaria re-launched its national self-exclusion program in December, 2022, allowing Bulgarian citizens to exclude themselves from gambling for two or more years. The NRA invites people who believe themselves to be high-risk customers or problem players to sign up in the register and shield themselves from gambling.

To do so, players must visit a NRA office and fill in a document or sent the document digitally to the NRA’s official email address. Players can learn more about the register on the NRA’s official website.

In the meantime, the list of self-excluded persons continues to grow, according to the agency. Recent data shows that some 11,500 people are excluded from gambling now. This figure is based on data collected in June, 2023, and represents a significant growth from the 7,000 excluded people recorded in April, 2023.

Bulgaria’s Gaming Market Looks Promising

Bulgaria’s budding gaming market makes the country an attractive destination for international operators and suppliers. This is underscored by the high number of companies seeking to expand their footprint in the Balkan country.

Just now, Kaizen teamed up with 7777 gaming, agreeing to power its Betano Bulgaria brand with content. Prior to that, Spinomenal teamed up with Palms Bet and Alphawin, expanding its presence in the country.

Palms Bet, on the other hand, also secured solutions from Altenar.

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With affected workers already discussing the terms of their first contract with the union, their decision may have widespread consequences for the region’s hospitality industry. Rising discontent among casino workers in North America prompts more employees to consider unionization, ensuring their concerns receive proper attention.

Parking Ambassadors Presented a United Front

Parking ambassadors at Maryland’s MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino unanimously voted to join Teamsters Local 639. The union represents worker rights across Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia, advocating for fair compensation and improved working conditions. Teamsters Local 639 has operated since 1934, giving them significant experience dealing with some of the region’s leading businesses.

MGM National Harbor parking ambassador representatives noted they provided a valuable service for visitors. Unionization represents a significant milestone for these workers, allowing them to hold management accountable and receive improved working conditions and better wages. Washington, D.C. Local 639 president Steve Williams agreed, congratulating the MGM staff on their bold decision.

Congratulations to the MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino workers on their successful organizing victory. We look forward to helping them secure their first Teamster contract.

Steve Williams, Washington, D.C. Local 639 president

Joining the Teamsters provides employees with substantial benefits like access to experienced negotiators and legal representation during collective bargaining. The union’s expertise in labor relations can help workers secure favorable terms in their employment contracts, ensuring their rights are protected. Additionally, the Teamsters can provide training and skill development resources, fostering members’ career growth and advancement opportunities.

Hospitality Sector Unionization Is on the Rise

The decision by MGM National Harbor staff to unionize carries broader implications for the labor movement in the hospitality sector. Should the parking ambassadors’ decision pay off, it may inspire other casino workers to follow and pursue similar initiatives to secure fair treatment and improve their working conditions. MGM’s status as a world-leading operator means such aspirations can spread to many of its other venues.

Such employee initiatives are part of a broader push towards better treatment for workers in the hospitality industry. Quebec recently saw casino staff begin an indefinite general strike, protesting over inadequate compensation. Unionized employees at Encore Boston Harbor casino also proved the value of forming a united front, protecting the rights of over 1,400 workers during tense negotiations with Wynn Resorts.

MGM National Harbor staff joining the Teamsters highlights their determination to have a collective voice and negotiate for their rights. The success of this unionization effort and other similar initiatives carry broader implications for the labor movement in the hospitality sector, hopefully setting an example for others in the industry. The MGM parking ambassadors may inspire others to consider similar initiatives, driving positive change and promoting fair worker treatment.

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As the junket industry in Macau is continuing to adjust to the new reality, more than 90% of people who were previously employed with junket operators have not returned to the gaming industry.

Junket Operators Staying on the Sidelines

The figure was revealed by the president of the Macau Association of Gaming and Entertainment Promoters, Kwok Chi Chung, who also said that the majority of junket operators are currently staying on the sidelines, waiting to see how the VIP sector would restart under the new law.

With less than 10% of junket employees returning and just a few junket operators having resumed operation so far, the prospect of the sector is unclear. Kwok noted that he was not in a hurry to resume operation with his company either.

“As the profit of all the junkets comes from a 1.25% commission (on rolling chip turnover) and there is no more profit sharing with the casino operators, we are figuring out the new start under the new gaming rules,” Kwok stated as quoted by Asia Gaming Brief.

It seems that the resurgence in visitations to the Special Administrative Region (SAR) is not helping the junket sector to recover, but is in alignment with the new reality pictured by the local government, in which Macau’s focus is shifted away from VIP gambling and into a mass-centric model, and the once gambling Mecca is re-branded as a tourist destination.

Kwok also noted that most of the former employees of VIP casino rooms would gladly return to the sector as they do not feel the same level of financial security at their new jobs as taxi drivers or local food delivery personnel, wrongfully considering that their old jobs would pay the same level as before.

Kwok admitted that VIP room operators would not be able to pay the same remuneration for their employees as the new junket law limited junket operators to one source of revenue only – the 1.25% commission – and employees cannot participate in gaming revenue share schemes.

Difficulties Finding Jobs in the Sector

Information that former VIP workers find difficulties to return to the sector was confirmed by data released by the Macau Gaming Industry Employees Home related to a survey the workers union conducted in March last year.

According to the data, 85.1% of respondents confirmed they could not find work at the time, and for 70% of those who managed to find a new job in the sector, it took them more than six months to do so.

Yet, the majority elected to start working in retail or as taxi and delivery drivers, earning far less than they have earned before and are still being owed termination compensation.

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