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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A new report by Microsoft has tied the recent cyber attacks against Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International to a broader hacker collective known as Octo Tempest. The attack was perpetrated by another collective, Scattered Spider, but they have been working with the notorious establishment that has been known for many successful attempts on wealthy individuals’ wealth and assets.

Microsoft Outlines the Octo Tempest Threat to Cybersecurity

The bad actors have used a popular hacking tactic known as social engineering, whereby the hackers obtained enough information to convince relevant parties to be granted access to certain aspects of a company’s operations. For example, a hacker who has the right information and input, can call the information technology department of a company, and request new login credentials. 

This is believed to have been leveraged against Caesars Entertainment and MGM, with Caesars reportedly asked to pay $15 million to regain access to its systems. Microsoft has been following Octo Tempest and the way the hackers ensure that they are successful when socially engineering an attack.

“Building on their initial success, Octo Tempest harnessed their experience and acquired data to progressively advance their motives, targeting, and techniques, adopting an increasingly aggressive approach,” Microsoft noted, adding that Octo Tempest has been able to target more robust organizations with a higher level of security successfully.

Microsoft is not surprised that Octo Tempest has targeted casinos, as there are many reasons to pursue these companies, as they collect vast troves of data through their loyalty programs, and also have credit card data for millions of people. MGM did not budge under the pressure and preferred to rebuild its systems rather than cave in to ransomware demand, following instructions from law enforcement.

Octo Tempest Takes Threats into the Real World

Surprisingly, investors did not react too badly to the news of new hacking against major companies in the United States from the sector. Octo Tempest has been amping up its game as well, using not just social engineering but also scare tactics, such as threatening people with physical violence if they refuse to give up sensitive corporate information. Some people have given in, Microsoft noted.

Reported messages sent to previous targets and victims include threats to send shooters to a person’s house and “shoot up” their families, but also a promise that if a target acquiesced and did Octo Tempest’s bidding, they would be left alone. The New York Gaming Commission was also recently targeted by a cyberattack.

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Recently, OKBet Infinity, the popular Philippine junket operator that operates VIP rooms in Newport World Resorts, Okada Manila, Hann Casino Resort, NUSTAR and City of Dreams Manila, confirmed that it has shut down all of its Philippines VIP rooms. The company unveiled the surprising announcement, confirming that it is in effect as of August 8, 2023.

However, amid media reports claiming that the closures were related to people that were arrested over alleged money laundering, OKBet released a new statement. Earlier this week, the company rejected claims that the 10 people, arrested in Singapore over money laundering and forgery, were related to the closures.

Media reports said that at least one of the people that was involved in the crimes was a “top official from OKBet.” The company disagreed with that statement and explained that the closures of its Philippines VIP rooms were “purely business driven.”

The Singapore Police Force said that it acted based on intelligence that included Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) which resulted in identifying a group of individuals that was believed to be involved in financial crimes such as money laundering. The law enforcement outlined that the group was suspected of laundering illegally obtained funds from criminal activities, including online gambling and scams.

Besides confirming that the decision to close its operations in the Philippines was a business one, the company reiterated that the closure isn’t tied in any way to the legal matter in Singapore. OKBet said its VIP rooms were committed to integrity and adhering to the established regulations. Additionally, the company highlighted that its clubs have been renowned for the unique luxurious experiences they offer to their visitors.

“The statement aims to clarify that the closure is not related to any legal issues in Singapore or any other specific jurisdiction. Throughout its operations, OKBet VIP Club has maintained a commitment to the highest standards of legal compliance and operational integrity,“

reads a statement released by OKBet Infinity

In its initial statement, OKBet said that its board of directors decided to cease operations. The company pointed out that its members will be allowed to withdraw their funds without interruptions.

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Steve Wynn, the former CEO of Wynn Resorts, has agreed to pay a fine of $10 million to settle his outstanding trouble in Nevada. In addition, the mogul will leave Nevada gaming for good.

Mr Wynn has been in hot water in the state after he was accused of sexual abuse and misconduct against female employees in 2019. At the time, Wynn served as chairman of the company.

As a result of the allegations, Wynn was deemed unsuitable to hold a gaming license in the state. In his new settlement, he agrees to never be involved in Nevada’s gaming industry. This means that he will never serve as an officer or executive with a Nevada gaming company. However, he will not be disallowed to have passive ownership of less than 5% of any licensed gaming company.

Wynn signed the agreement this Monday. If the Nevada Gaming Control Board signs off the settlement, this would mark the end of the four-year conflict. The authority is expected to make its decision next week.

Representatives of the two parties declined to comment on the matter before the commission makes its final decision. Despite that, Kirk Hendrick, chair of the Nevada Gaming Control Board signed the settlement.

Wynn’s Alleged Misconduct Caused His Company a Lot of Trouble

In 2018, Steve Wynn sold his Wynn Resorts stock, resigned from his position as CEO and gave up on his gambling license. Because of that, he claimed that gaming authorities should not have power over him. In addition, the real-estate developer continues to deny the allegations.

In 2020, a judge agreed that Wynn should be outside of the control board’s jurisdiction. However, the regulator succeeded in appealing the decision in 2022.

Now, despite his denial of the accusations, Wynn has agreed to forfeit his right to a public hearing and pay a $10 million settlement. However, even if the Gaming Control Board agrees to sign the settlement, he will still be subject to disciplinary action, should he breach the terms.

In addition to the action against Steve Wynn, the Nevada regulator previously reprimanded Wynn Resorts over its failure to report, investigate or prevent Wynn’s misconduct. As a result, the company was forced to pay a $20 million fine. The allegations also led to the company paying a $35 million fine in Massachusetts.

Following Wynn’s leave, the company introduced changes to its policies in the hope of weeding out harassment from its corporate culture.

In other news, the US government appealed a decision that exonerated Wynn from foreign agent allegations.

The post Steve Wynn Agrees to Pay $10M and Cut Ties with Nevada Gaming appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Moving forward, RubyPlay, a leading supplier and provider of outstanding games, among which Mayan Cache, Zeus Rush Fever Deluxe, and Diamond Explosion 7s, will have its titles featured at Circus.

RubyPlay Carries on with Aggressive Expansion

Circus will significantly benefit from this move as it will bring its audiences new games that have been hailed as esteemed and player-favorite options in a number of other jurisdictions. RubyPlay is also looking to carry on with what the supplier has described as an aggressive global expansion, as the company seeks to secure better reach in new and existing markets.

RubyPlay is happy to see its portfolio launch with Circus too as it allows the company to significantly improve its offerings and expand in the highly-coveted Dutch regulated gaming market. RubyPlay has been focused on delivering tailored and customized content that strikes home with players.

RubyPlay CEO Trevor Ginsberg was pleased with the opportunity to see the company’s products launch with a prominent and trusted brand. Ginsberg said:

Circus has a strong customer base and we’re excited to now bring them the very best in casino entertainment through this new agreement. The Netherlands continues to be a key market of growth for us, with demand for our games increasing.

RubyPlay CEO Trevor Ginsberg

Expanding Beyond a Single Brand and Geo

The company has been actively looking to grow its presence in regulated markets. To this end, RubyPlay has been negotiating a series of partnerships that allows it to achieve just this. Among those is a recent tie-up with NuxGame and its platform.

The supplier similarly teamed up with LeoVegas, one of the most prominent iGaming brands in the industry. In April, the company also obtained a license to provide its content to operators in Romania, making for another important milestone for the company.

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Big Daddy, an offshore ship-based casino in the Indian state of Goa, recently came under fire over alleged ties with Chikoti Praveen Kumar, a gambling investor who ran illegal gambling operations in Thailand. Some had even suggested that the illegal business was an extension of Big Daddy.

However, representatives of the Goa casino have now come forward, denying its association with the investor and his illicit activity. As reported by Inside Asian Gaming, the spokespeople blasted the claims, saying that there isn’t any truth to them.

We would like to clarify that Mr Chikoti Praveen Kumar is not associated with Big Daddy Casino in any capacity.

Big Daddy Casino spokesperson

The Big Daddy Casino representatives explained that their property is always striving to maintain a good reputation and is doing its best to keep its operations as transparent as possible. The property is committed to doing ethical business, the spokespeople insisted, saying that this automatically means that the claims of ties with Kumar are untruthful.

Representatives from the offshore casino noted that the property is not associated with Chikoti Praveen Kumar in terms of investment, ownership, management or in any other business-related aspect.

Kumar Was Arrested During a Police Raid in Thailand

For reference, Kumar was recently arrested in Thailand after hosting an illegal gambling event in a local hotel. Earlier this month, Phuket authorities raided the Asia Pattaya Hotel, busting Kumar’s operations. The police operation came amid discussions about the legalization of casino resorts, making it imperative to crush illegal gambling.

Kumar and his associates had shipped makeshift gambling equipment and dealers from India to Thailand. The equipment was supposed to be used for an unlicensed event, authorities believe. As a result of the operation Kumar and 82 more people were arrested. The police seized cash, playing cards, multiple computers, a CCTV camera and other incriminating evidence.

At the time, certain media outlets thought that the operations could have had ties to Big Daddy Casino – a notion that the casino has now refuted.

Big Daddy Casino is situated on a large ship that had its maiden voyage in 2019. The property is 72 meters long and 24 meters wide and, over its three decks, encompasses over 50,000 square feet of gaming space. The property is equipped with 100 gaming tables spread across the decks, providing players with a constant source of entertainment.

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