LV Review Journal: Are gamblers being fleeced?
PostedAn editorial in Saturday’s Las Vegas Review Journal references the suit I mentioned a few days ago, and features this telling quote:
“The gaming industry’s viability — and the state’s economy — hinge on the premise that gamblers get a fair shake. Even the slightest hint that fancy shufflers and other glittering casino technologies can be used to swing the outcome of games is a black eye for Nevada.”
Here’s the whole story:
In other unconfirmed news, I hear that the Imperial Palace was on the losing end of another suit filed by the same attorney, Bob Nersesian. The jury is said to have awarded $99,999 to a gambler who was illegally detained in a backroom at the Imperial Palace. I’ll post a follow-up if I see this story make the newspaper or other media.
The debacle regarding MindPlay is just another attempt by the casinos to BREAK the law. NRS 465.075 is VERY clear – “It is unlawful for ANY PERSON … to use, any device to assist”
Any person means JUST that. The Gaming Board’s contention that a casino is NOT a person is fallacious.
Remember the ill-fated SafeJack game at Ballys Vegas a few years ago? Has anyone ever thought to ask WHY that game seems to have been discontinued?
Sometime ago, I wrote an Op/Ed on preferential shuffling (See: http://www.borisbj21.com/Page21/page21e1.html).
Amazingly enough, that discussion is more pertinent than ever.
Has anyone actually had their play “pulled up” because of MindPlay? If so, please write me about it at: [email protected].
The preferential shuffling issue is FAR from over, don’tcha think?
– Ron Fitch (a.k.a. “Boris”)
http://www.borisbj21.com.
I hope the lawyer sues Mindplay out of existance. I totally agree that the casinos with the electronic Mindplay device are 100% able to alter the odds of the game. In addition, Mindplay provides them with a device which enables them to cheat the gamblers and leave no evidence. Once all of the cards are read into the computer and their order is known before they are dealt, the house has complete capability to cheat the gamblers without giving the gamblers or regulators an opportunity to detect it.
Here are just a couple of the many ways:
1. Signal someone at the table to “sit out a hand to change the luck of the cards” when sitting out will cause the dealer to get a blackjack.
2. Signal someone at 3rd base when to take a hit or stand so that the dealer makes a hand instead of busting.
This cheating doesn’t have to be widespread or happen all the time for it to be profitable. The casino could just concentrate on cheating the gamblers at the high limit tables. As far as the gamblers know, they are just having some bad luck and will blame it on the other player that is making dumb plays.
Here’s the real reason why Mindplay should be shut down. It’s not a matter of whether or not the casinos are signalling for shuffles or signalling to cheat the gamblers, it’s a matter of Mindplay creating the capability to change the odds and cheat the players. Mindplay gives the casinos absolute power to control not just the game, but the outcome of the game. We all know that absolute power corrupts, absolutely. If the capability to cheat exists, is easy, and hard to detect, some casino employee will do it, and then all hell will break loose.