Bear Praise: Gaming Control Board settles Treasure Island false imprisonment case
By LVBear | July 23, 2010
As regular readers know, I am a frequent critic of the Nevada Gaming Control Board for failing to use its considerable enforcement power to punish wrongdoing by casinos and their employees. I dislike the Board’s ability to legally operate in secret in most cases. I think transparency would be best for Nevada and best for the industry, because the fear of bad publicity might provide more incentive for top management to curb wrongdoing by casino employees. If errant employees were publicly named, the scorn and shame might make some think twice before engaging in wrongful or criminal behavior.
As it stands now, most investigations never get public scrutiny. Punishment by Gaming, when agreed to by the offending casino, is done in secret, private deals that never see the sunshine. This is not healthy for the industry, and is not healthy for the reputation of the Gaming Control Board. It would be appropriate for the Board and Nevada Gaming Commission to request that the legislature change the statutes permitting the Board to operate in secret, and instead impose the same openness that is required of most government agencies.
Be that as it may, I commend the Board for recently taking action against Treasure Island in Las Vegas. According to the details of the complaint, a patron arguably pulled a cheating move by removing a $500 bet after the cards were dealt in a mini-baccarat game. In the absence of more complete information, we cannot be sure it was a cheating move, but it is reasonable for the casino to believe it was cheating. Casino guards seized the patron and forcibly backroomed him, probably within their rights.
But what happened next is bizarre, and makes one wonder if this particular casino shift manager has a functioning brain. Instead of immediately notifying the Gaming Control Board and/or Metro police, as is legally required when casino security “detains” a person, the casino shift manager essentially committed a robbery of the patron. While the patron was handcuffed, casino employees rummaged through his pockets. The shift boss found five black Treasure Island chips and stole them from the patron. Then, the guards trespassed the patron and walked him out the door. No law enforcement involvement whatsoever. Instead, because of their “self-help,” it can be reasonably argued that the casino employees committed several felonies, including kidnapping and robbery. The possible cheater became a crime victim. No allegation of cheating was made with the authorities. The “detention,” use of force, kidnapping, and robbery of the patron became the crimes because of the abject stupidity of these casino employees.
Though the Board did not specifically address the felonies committed by the casino employees, it filed a complaint against Treasure Island for unsuitable method of operation. It would be in the best interest of the public to have casino employees individually prosecuted for crimes they commit, just as any other individual. But that is not likely to happen in the near future, absent a vicious beating administered by guards resulting in serious injury or death to a patron, or some similar circumstance that is too egregious for the usual cover-up.
Treasure Island quickly settled the complaint for a paltry $10,000 fine and agreeing to train its employees properly, which it should have done all along. Because this complaint became public, rather than the usual secret settlement, we can only assume TI refused to cooperate or admit its wrongdoing until the glare of bad publicity hit it right in its corporate nose. Suddenly it wanted to settle, and have the problem go away.
Posted on BJ21.com Green Chip:
… a fine of about $250,000 would have been more appropriate, but it’s interesting how quickly Treasure Island settled, and good to see Mr. Ruffin himself have to sign on its behalf. Ruffin cannot later claim he didn’t know how his employees behaved, though this settlement was carefully crafted to try to avoid any personal liability for Ruffin.
I wonder if the District Attorney will file robbery charges against the shift manager who stole the $500 from the illegally detained patron. It appears that the circumstances are strikingly similar to the robbery charge against O.J. Simpson that was prosecuted with such vigor. “Trying to recover his own allegedly stolen property,” use of force, illegal detention, etc. I see no real distinction between this and the Simpson robbery case.
The good news from this is that the Gaming Control Board took this seriously, even if the specific charges and the settlement were weak, and there apparently will not be any punishment for the shift manager. I think illegal detentions of advantage players might get some action from the Gaming Control Board in the future, if promptly called to the Board’s attention.
Though the penalty was too small, I think this is an important case for patron rights vs. casino abuse. I congratulate the Gaming Control Board for getting involved in a case that in the past it would ignore. Let’s hope for more Gaming involvement in false imprisonment cases.
Topics: Bear Praise, Casino Executives, Las Vegas, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Treasure Island | 3 Comments »
Can Las Vegas learn from Atlantic City? Eastern USA and Canada trip report
By LVBear | May 26, 2010
It has long been a goal of mine to visit every state. Prior to this trip, I had been in every state except Delaware and the six New England states. I have now been to all fifty. The main purpose of this trip was business in Toronto; the tour through the seven states was just to finish off that project.
I lived the first eight years of my life in Indiana; thereafter, in California, Arizona, and Nevada. I don’t like cold weather, don’t care for large clumps of trees (“forests”), and am not particularly interested in visiting old historical sites or rundown buildings. If you reside in the northeast, please take my criticisms of your part of the country with those facts in mind. No offense is intended to my friends or anyone else who, for whatever reason, is forced to or chooses to live in the northeast.
I think we should give New England to “old” England, and include New York and Delaware in the package. Or see if Canada would like to annex that area. I simply found those states to be uninhabitable, particularly in view of the fact that they are covered with horrible snow part of the time. During my visit, the weather was beautiful, but just the thought of snow made me cringe. The traffic was bad enough, and the drivers are crazy enough that in snow I cannot imagine what happens, except that it is probably a constant cleanup of traffic accidents.
My three main gripes regarding driving in New England: The lack of coordination of traffic signals, the toll roads, and the bad drivers. I realize most of the traffic control systems are probably fifty years old, but to have to sit through entire cycles of left-turn arrows when there are no cars turning left is absurd. Why can’t they modernize the systems? And the toll roads — how can such stupidity exist? Why not just raise license plate fees a few dollars, or raise the gasoline tax a few cents per gallon, and do away with the nuisance of the toll roads? Bridge crossing is silly as well; I had to pay five dollars to cross the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York – ridiculous.
A place that was a pleasant surprise: Atlantic City. I expected it to be a bum-infested slum, but I felt safer there at night than in downtown Reno. The Boardwalk is nice, the casinos nicer than expected (except for the blackjack, of course), and the streets surrounding the casino areas not as bad as expected. I feel more danger on East 4th Street in Reno, or anywhere inside the Cal-Neva in Reno, than I did anywhere I went in Atlantic City.
Atlantic City service people were a pleasant surprise as well. Everyone we dealt with was top notch. I did not expect this at all. Las Vegas could learn from the service-oriented people in Atlantic City. I did not play any casino games, so I cannot comment on the dealers or the special breed of Atlantic City ploppies I’ve been told about, but the hotel desk employees, valet parkers, restaurant wait staff, hotel maids, etc. were all pleasant, polite, and efficient. All spoke English, another improvement over Las Vegas.
Other Atlantic City observations: The apparently-standard $5 valet parking fee is ridiculous, though I was able to avoid it with proper-level player’s cards. Our suite at Harrah’s was nice, but a few oddities: The sink and toilet are black, which was weird, and the floor is wood, which also felt weird. Apparently as part of some water conservation idea, the shower water turns off automatically every two minutes or so and comes back on a few seconds later. The windows were covered on the outside by ugly screens, which distorted the beautiful view of the water. The screens should be removed. Other than those issues, Harrah’s was nicer than expected. On a weekday morning at 10 am, the buffet was inexplicably closed, but the coffee shop was good.
Another surprise was that Harrah’s is overrun with hookers. When my wife and I checked in at about 2 am, there were more prostitutes milling around than there were casino patrons. It was as if there was a hooker convention there. In a bit of hooker comedy, in front of us at the check-in line (only one clerk on duty at that time of night), a young man was trying to find out why his room key no longer worked, with a hooker standing about ten feet away, listening. Finally, he turned away from the desk clerk, and said to the hooker, “We’ve been evicted.” The hooker, apparently not as bright as she was otherwise well-endowed, replied, “What does that mean?” They walked away together, while he explained it to her.
In Philadelphia, we enjoyed a terrific dinner at Famous Dave’s BBQ. I was disappointed to later learn that it’s a chain. I thought we had stumbled upon a great mom-and-pop restaurant. A sign outside announced that the restaurant was “Built 100% by union labor.” I wonder why that would be important to customers. Apparently management believes it is. The place was busy and good, so who am I to argue with management’s decision to put up what I thought was a silly sign.
After a brief visit to Wilmington, Delaware, we spent an hour on the I-295 bridge crossing into New Jersey because of lane closures for roadway repairs. We would find a lot of roadway repairs on our trip; apparently there are only a few months in the year where road work can be done because of the otherwise terrible weather. A silly thing noticed in several states: Police cars with lights flashing parked at construction zones. I don’t think all of them even had officers in them; maybe cardboard cutouts of officers, like Metro used to do in Searchlight, Nevada. (Maybe Metro had a blow-up doll of an officer, I don’t remember.) If there really were officers in those cars, it was a waste of taxpayer money. I didn’t see a single motorist receiving a ticket for speeding through the construction zone, so no revenue was being generated by having those police cars sitting there.
In New Jersey, we went the scenic way, US 40 to Atlantic City. We went through many small villages that seemed to have no purpose for their existence. In one of them, there was an unusual little arena featuring a statue of a religious figure, “Father Pio.”
http://www.padrepioshrine.org/history.htm
After an overnight stay in Atlantic City, we ventured north on the Garden State Parkway. What a nice roadway. I particularly liked the rest areas in the middle of the road, accessible from both directions. They were clean, well-maintained, with good stores. An unusual feature I had never seen before was unisex public restrooms. From out of the past was an area with many pay phones.
We decided to avoid New York City entirely. A Green Chip member who we had breakfast with in Atlantic City gave us a good route to avoid the core of the Rotten Apple. My wife had recently been to New York City and said she never wants to go there again. Though I have not been there for years, I also never want to go there again, so around it we went.
Heading north into Connecticut, we stopped in Stamford, a hardscrabble town that has seen better days. We enjoyed watching some kids practicing hockey in a nice indoor arena that was part of a municipal park. It’s very late in the hockey season; maybe they play year-round there?
Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun Casinos were impressive, other than their mostly-lousy games. I was surprised at the lack of adequate signage approaching them from I-395. There seemed to be a lack of billboards throughout the region, which is unfortunate, because billboards would brighten up the place and relieve some of the monotony of miles and miles of nothing to look at but trees.
Providence, Rhode Island was nicer than I expected. The downtown area was clean and the place appeared to have community pride. It reminded me of downtown Milwaukee.
In Peabody, Massachusetts, we watched through a window at closing time as two police officers got a giant free bag of doughnuts from a Dunkin’ Donuts. It was hilarious to watch, because of the humorous stereotype of police officers and doughnuts. I was later told by a friend that “Peabody” is not pronounced as it would appear, but instead “PeeBUDee.” It seems so many towns in the northeast have weird pronunciations of their names.
New Hampshire is a state that would probably not even be missed if it fell into the ocean. The first highway exit when entering the state on I-95 is amusing: “Liquor Next Exit.” I later found it has something to do with stupid restrictions on liquor sales in Massachusetts, causing Mass. residents to sometimes drive to New Hampshire to buy liquor. Didn’t that nonsense go out with Prohibition? I guess not.
There is nothing I found in New Hampshire worth visiting. On the other hand, I was surprised to learn that Dartmouth College is located in the tree-infested, literally backwoods town of Hanover. Perhaps I missed some things on our quick pass-through.
We spent a night in York, Maine at a motel called the Microtel Inn and Suites.
http://www.yorkmicrotel.com
It was interesting. I had never been to a Microtel before; everything is “micro” size; the room was about the size of a closet, but clean and functional. Maybe the “suites” are the size of normal rooms. We had tried two national chains — I think they were Days Inn and Rodeway Inn– but their offices were closed for the night. Yes, some places in this area actually close for the night. Not “Ring the bell and the sleepy resident manager responds” type of closed, but closed, period. If you don’t get your room by 11 pm or midnight, well, too bad — sleep in your car. I had never seen a motel that doesn’t accept check-ins twenty-four hours a day. A nasty thing about this part of Maine is that the water feels slimy and unclean, like Biloxi water. I think it’s called “soft” water. I’ll take good old Las Vegas “hard” water anytime.
Vermont was my fiftieth state; a totally forgettable place. I think it last welcomed a tourist in about 1900. We went up I-91 towards Canada, stopping in a dumpy little village for deli sandwiches. When I tipped the woman who made our sandwiches, instead of “Thank you,” she muttered, “Ummm hmmm.” Welcome to Vermont!
Crossing the border into Quebec was no trouble, unlike four years ago when we were hassled and our car and luggage searched when trying to enter Canada near Winnipeg. This time we were the only car, and were politely waved through after a couple of simple questions.
My favorite place of the trip was Quebec City, a beautiful old city. Though Quebec Province is primarily French-speaking, everyone we encountered knew a reasonable amount of English. Everyone was welcoming and friendly. I regret that we didn’t have more time to explore this place. It is the only city on the entire trip, besides Atlantic City, that I would consider for a return visit in the future.
We saw part of Montreal, which was disappointingly gritty, and Ottawa, before reaching our destination, Toronto. Toronto appeared bigger than Los Angeles, and similarly spread out. However, it was cleaner and more pleasant than Los Angeles. We conducted our business there and had a fine dinner at the Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yyzec-toronto-marriott-downtown-eaton-centre/
On the way to Toronto, we stopped in Napanee, Ontario, the birthplace and childhood home of one of my favorite singers, Avril Lavigne. I saw the fried chicken place from which she was fired as a teenager.
After our stay in Toronto, heading to Buffalo, NY for our flight home, we made the slight detour to Niagara Falls, a major disappointment. I felt as disappointed as I did when I saw Mt. Rushmore; much fame for little reason. We viewed the falls from both the Canadian side and the U.S. side; it reminded me of the water falling in the Jacuzzi in a suite at Montego Bay Wendover. What’s the big deal about this place? We were hassled by a bum on the Canadian side; the only bum that accosted us during the entire trip.
Our return to the United States was as easy as our entry into Canada; again, we were the only car, and the process took less than a minute. I think there is universal agreement that Buffalo is a dump. We drove through some scary-looking slums before making our way out to an airport hotel for the final night of our trip.
The Buffalo airport is efficient and surprisingly nice, especially considering the city in which it is located. I rate it right up there with Reno and Little Rock as the most efficient small airports I have used.
We took a nonstop flight, which was fortunate. I tried to sleep most of the way, but the flight was The Travel Ploppy Express. Many of the people behaved as if they had never before been on an airplane. They stood up and walked around while the seat belt sign was on, much to the consternation of the flight attendants. One woman opened the overhead compartment, removed her suitcase, and appeared to be rearranging its contents for some unknown reason. Little kids ran screaming up and down the aisle.
When the well-meaning captain announced that the Grand Canyon was visible from the left side of the aircraft, a dozen or more people from the right-hand side stood in the aisle, some pushing into the left-side seats to try to get a glimpse of it, again while the seat belt sign was illuminated.
When we were on approach to McCarran Airport, someone shouted, “Can anyone see The Strip yet?” When the plane landed, many people applauded. I suppose I should be glad we’re getting such enthusiastic, unsophisticated visitors to Las Vegas. I assume that many of these folks played 6 to 5 blackjack at Harrah’s. Thanks for the money.
I was happy to see the familiar brown, parched, dusty desert. I could see for miles with no trees blocking my line of sight. And the dry, craggy mountains! Home Sweet Home.
It was an enjoyable trip, but there is no reason to ever go back, except to Atlantic City and Quebec City.
Topics: Atlantic City, Bear Praise, Cal-Neva, Las Vegas, New York (state), Police, Reno, Resorts Atlantic City | 2 Comments »
Federal jury awards patron $200,000 for false imprisonment by Venetian security guards, and wrongful hotel room eviction
By LVBear | April 9, 2010
A bully before jury verdict
The $200,000 jury verdict against Venetian for abusing a patron is great news. Many casino managers somehow believe that their hotel operations are not subject to the laws and regulations that apply to innkeepers. Just as they run their casinos, these cretins believe their hotels are “above the law” and not subject to the normal rules of civilized society. This jury just set the bullies at Venetian straight. I know there are other, similar cases pending. Let’s hope this verdict opens the floodgates. The common casino industry practice of kicking people out of their hotel rooms for using their brains to win, or just because someone employed by the casino doesn’t like them, is despicable. Congratulations to Bob Nersesian and Thea Sankiewicz for another great job and congratulations to the jurors for having the courage to stand up to the bullies.
Originally posted on BJ21.com Green Chip
LAS VEGAS – The jury verdict was delivered (Wednesday). Here is what I know so far, and my impressions from having read the court file: This case began in 2004. The victim is not an advantage player; just an average casino patron from New York. His room was paid for, not comped. It appears to be a case where no one employed by the Venetian used any common sense. The Venetian employees seemed to be hell-bent on escalating a minor incident. Racial overtones appear to be involved as well; the patron/victim is African-American.
The guards appear to have grossly overreacted to a petty situation, and a front desk manager, now employed at the Wynn, worsened the problem by wanting to evict the patron from his room for no logical reason. Subsequently one of the guards made a dubious citizen’s arrest, and, according to the guard’s own written statement, chained the patron to the floor of the security room. The patron, prior to being arrested by the private-citizen security guard, had offered to leave the premises, but refused to allow the guards access to his paid-for room. The guards admitted he several times offered to leave the premises. Metro eventually became involved, and arrested the patron for trespassing, apparently based on falsified or embellished information by one or more of the guards.
No criminal charges were filed against the patron. But while the patron was in the Clark County Detention Center, Venetian guards entered and ransacked his room, piled his belongings into garbage bags, then dumped the bags in the basement. The room safe was opened by a Venetian employee. The patron’s personal property, including cash and other valuables, were removed and stored.All this was done despite the fact that the room had been paid for in advance. In fairness to Venetian, apparently nothing was stolen by the guards.
It appears that the jury award was for the false arrest, false imprisonment, and the breach of innkeeper’s duties by the Venetian. Surprisingly, the Venetian stipulated that it had ratified the actions of the low-level employees involved. The victim was represented by Bob Nersesian, author of Beat the Players, Thea Sankiewicz, and Barry Levinson.
The front desk manager who is now employed at the Wynn did not respond to an email requesting comment.
Case information:
United States District Court, District of Nevada (Las Vegas)
CASE #: 2:07-cv-01032-JCM-PAL: Lockhart v Venetian Casino Resort, LLC, et al
James C. Mahan, Judge presiding
Link to news article
—————————————————–
Another incident and jury award involving Venetian security guards:
False imprisonment verdict of over $70,000 against Tao nightclub in Venetian
Topics: Las Vegas, Las Vegas Law Enforcement, Nevada Judicial Cases, New York (state), Venetian, Wynn Las Vegas | 2 Comments »
The Bear Growls: Harrah’s slithers off the hook again
By LVBear | February 26, 2010
The Nevada State Contractors Board on Thursday closed its long-standing investigations into illegal remodeling at six Las Vegas hotels in the Harrah’s Entertainment group, when it adopted a settlement in which the parties agree to pay the board $26,000.
http://www.lvrj.com/business/harrah_s-hotels-will-pay-fines-85462462.html
A tiny fine for all the building code violations and related crookedness. Shameful, but expected. A disgusting performance by all the public officials involved in this skulduggery, even by Nevada standards. I wonder what the price was of each public official who refused to properly do his or her duty?
A recap of the case:
http://www.thebeargrowls.com/?p=602
Topics: Government Corruption, Harrah's, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Law Enforcement, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Nevada Politics | 1 Comment »
The Bear Growls: Colorado casinos move to cheapen blackjack
By LVBear | February 17, 2010
It’s a shame that Colorado casino operators have already shown their excessive greed by requesting state regulators to permit the sucker-fleecing 6 to 5 payoff on blackjack. Some of the information in this article is misleading, to say the least:
“Six-to-5 is common in Vegas now, so the industry wants to be consistent with other jurisdictions,” (Colorado Division of Gaming spokesman) Don Burmania said.
It is not mentioned that the 6 to 5 sucker ripoff is rare in other parts of the country and throughout the world. In Las Vegas, 6 to 5 is found mostly on the lowest-stakes tables of the tourist ripoff capital of the world. Of course, with all of Colorado being low-stakes, there is no distinction. But the present Colorado game rule regulations are fine. There is no need to change them, except to further increase the table maximums. Let’s hope the Colorado regulators have the backbone to stand up to the casino bullies and say NO to this ripoff.
UPDATE February 19, 2010:
Unfortunately, the Colorado regulators had no backbone to stand up to the casino bullies and say NO to this ripoff.
Topics: Casino Executives, Colorado | 2 Comments »
The Bear Growls: The coverup and whitewash of Harrah’s crimes — criminal case dismissed
By LVBear | December 6, 2009
HALL OF SHAME CHARTER MEMBERS
Judge Eric Goodman
DA David Roger
Harrah's CEO Gary Loveman
Judge Eric Goodman in Las Vegas Justice Court dismissed six misdemeanor counts faced by the hotel company and two hotel employees. Goodman, who happens to be the son of the Las Vegas mayor, did so after hearing statements by Clark County District Attorney David Roger and Harrah’s attorney, who is Richard Bryan, the former governor and U.S. senator.
Criminal charges related to Harrah’s remodeling dismissed
Though this was entirely expected, the reality of it actually happening is still sickening. Similar to the Gaming Control Board, our apparently corrupt District Attorney David Roger seems to have decided that when a casino corporation commits crimes, all it has to do to avoid prosecution of it and its executives is say it’s sorry and pay the costs of the investigation.
Of all the shameful, despicable things we see from Nevada governments on a routine basis, this has to rank among the worst. Shame on David Roger, shame on Harrah’s, and shame on Judge Goodman.
Judging by the comments posted after the news article linked above, it appears that many other local residents are outraged by the cowardly behavior displayed by Mr. Roger and Judge Goodman. I hope that voters remember this when these two creeps are up for re-election.
Previous comments on this matter:
Harrah’s whistleblower names names
Petty spitefulness by Harrah’s?
District Attorney helping sweep Harrah’s crimes under the rug
Shoddy construction but no meaningful enforcement; MGM, Harrah’s get free passes
Topics: Government Corruption, Harrah's, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Law Enforcement, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Nevada Politics | 4 Comments »
The Bear Growls: Nevada Gaming Control Board won’t punish casino wrongdoing
By LVBear | November 8, 2009
As regular readers of this blog know, I often criticize Gaming. I think the agency is much too cozy with the industry it is supposed to be policing. I think it fails to mete out adequate penalties when casinos try to cheat patrons. Indeed, most of the time there is no penalty whatsoever for cheating attempts or other misconduct. The casino essentially gets a free roll to cheat patrons. All that happens is it is ordered to pay what it should have paid in the first place; no further penalties. This is Gaming’s biggest weakness — it does not use its considerable statutory authority and latitude in a way that would discourage casinos from trying to cheat patrons or engage in other unsavory practices. A few fines against individual dishonest employees and revocations of their “work permits” would go a long way in discouraging the common mindset of “we get one free bite” that has infested the industry. Referrals to the DA for criminal prosecutions of casino executives who try to cheat patrons, and security thugs who commit violent felonies (forcible backroomings and illegal “detentions”) would help reduce these incidents. Sadly, Gaming is woefully inadequate in taking meaningful enforcement action in these cases. The most egregious recent example is Gaming’s refusal to take action in dozens of false imprisonment and extortion cases admitted to by casinos.
Nevertheless, Gaming is fairly good in properly resolving simple patron disputes. It does err in favor of casinos too often, but overall I think the individual patron usually gets a fair shake. When there is large-scale dishonesty or malfeasance, as in the recent Hard Rock/IGT/Krider case, or going back a few years, the Eldorado Reno/MindPlay cheating incidents, the patron(s) has very little chance of meaningful recompense for being wronged. But in petty individual cases like this Vegas Club incident, at the field agent level the patron often recovers what is owed him or her.
I personally have had Gaming involved in disputes with casinos fifteen times. Twelve times Gaming ruled in my favor and the casino complied with the ruling. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, in none of the twelve cases was the casino or its employees punished for the wrongful behavior that resulted in my complaints. Admittedly, my complaints may have a higher success rate than the average complainant, as I have good working knowledge of the statutes and regulations, and involve Gaming only when I am certain the casino is wrong. In the three cases in which Gaming ruled against me, I believe the field agent was mistaken in his interpretation of regulations or the facts, but I did not pursue any of cases through the administrative appeals process. Had I done so, I might be fifteen for fifteen.
In the Vegas Club cheating attempt, I think Gaming will rule in the patron’s favor, and he will be paid, or given the opportunity to play the free play that is due him. But I doubt if any of the dishonest Vegas Club executives will be punished in any way, and I doubt if the casino itself will be punished in any way. Again, this is Gaming’s glaring weakness. If it becomes clear that the apparent attempt to cheat Mr. Peterson came from personal dislike of him, or because he was identified as a brain-using patron, there should be a large fine against the casino as well as firing, banning from the gaming industry, and criminal prosecution of the executives involved in the cheating attempt. When proper punishment starts happening, this bad behavior by casino people will be curtailed, and the industry might respect Gaming, instead of treating it like a drinking buddy. Until then, in Nevada it continues to be open season on casino patrons, and Gaming’s enforcement continues to be a laughingstock.
Topics: Eldorado Reno, Government Corruption, Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, MindPlay, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Nevada Judicial Cases, Nevada Supreme Court, Vegas Club | 1 Comment »
The Bear Growls: Vegas Club — Cheaters, Idiots or Both?
By LVBear | November 5, 2009
My friend Bradley Peterson posted the below at Las Vegas Advisor.com
It is reprinted here with permission:
For the first time in my life, I have had to contact the Nevada Gaming Board. The following is what occurred that prompted my call and subsequent filed complaint.
On Wednesday, October 28th, I went to the Vegas Club at about 8:45PM and signed up for their slot player card, which I had never done before. I did this as they have a new player reward program that could reward a new player with a maximum of $280 in free play if one obtained a certain number of player points. A friend of mine signed up and played as well. We started playing at about 9PM. The Vegas Club has one of those virtual blackjack machines that have been popping up around town. The house edge with the rules offered and perfect play is about .60% so it is slightly more in the house’s favor than full pay 9-6 jacks or better video poker. The machine had a minimum bet of $2 and a maximum bet of $25. (Note: I was told that the machine had a maximum wager of $40 just a few days before but somebody experienced positive standard deviation and won about $3,000 on it, so I assume that was why the limits were lowered). I played two hands on the five player machine and my friend played two hands. Other casino players that I didn’t know would occasionally drift in and out on the one unoccupied hand in seat #1. We were drinking, playing and having a good time. Just like one is supposed to have in a casino experience. I even made some operator button input errors. For example, one time I accidentally hit a hard 19 and, of course, busted. My friend got lucky and was winning while I was losing. He earned enough points to qualify for the highest initial free play reward bonus and quit sometime after midnight ahead $385. During this same time, I found myself down about $400 so I stubbornly kept playing. Before I knew it, I was down $650 and was wishing that I had just quit but I kept playing (might have been the wine) and got lucky and was ahead for the session a whopping $40. Since it was now 1AM and I had many more points than I needed to get the maximum new player bonus reward, I also quit playing at that time. The slot club booth at the Vegas Club closes at midnight so I did not get my free play arranged at that time but I knew, according to the rules posted on the Vegas Club promotional flyer, that I had 24 hours to get all of that arranged.
My friend and I returned the following evening, Thursday, October 28th, at about 9PM to complete the transactions in order to get the $280 in free play that the Vegas Club had advertised. I was also entitled to an additional $60 in free play for the base points that I had earned while playing the night before, so I was expecting a total of $340 in free play. I handed my card and ID to the players’ club representative. She went into the computer after a bit of a delay then said that a supervisor had to handle the transaction. The clerk switched positions with the supervisor who was occupying another window with customers. After tinkering a bit, she said that she was having problems with the computer and had to go to another computer, which was located behind a desk in the players’ club booth. Time was passing and she was still there, as well as on the telephone. I went off to use the bathroom and returned to find no service still. I then went to check out one of the bars. It had already been a good 20 minutes or more since we arrived at the slot club booth. When I returned from the bar, there were three suits and a security guard around my friend. When I arrived, the head suit said that our play was not welcome in the casino and that we would not be getting the free play that we had earned. How could this be? How can they make an offer, I comply and complete their offered program, risking my money and bankroll while doing so, and then they say that they will not honor the contract that they wrote! I was very upset and left to make a phone call and while I was gone, my friend was read the trespass act!
Feeling cheated, I called the Nevada Gaming Control Board the next day. I told the agent what had happened and he advised that I go back into the property, find the highest ranking official on property and, if the situation could not be resolved, call him back and put said casino official on the phone with the agent directly. I did so. The slot booth clerk was the slot club supervisor from the night before so she recognized me and knew me by name. I told her what I wanted. She said that I should go to The Plaza (sister property to the Vegas Club) to find this person. I called the gaming agent again and he suggested that I stay on Vegas Club property and again stated that I should get whomever was the highest ranking official. More waiting. For maybe 45 minutes to an hour. (Note that waiting is the way of the world with the people and management at the Vegas Club, see below). Finally, three guys show up with a security guard and escort me into the office adjacent to the slot club booth. Only one of the four attendees actually spoke to me. He was rude. He was crass. He was trying to be intimidating. He spoke harshly and loudly. He refused to give me his name or a business card. He wanted to know what I wanted and I told him. He said that I wasn’t entitled to anything. He knew that I had already had been in touch with gaming as I had made that clear at the slot club booth. He kept saying to me that I knew what I had done. That he had tapes and that if I wanted to contact gaming, that I should go ahead. He kept bashing me asking me to admit to what I had done? I was perplexed. I was flabbergasted. What had I done? I only played their machine that the casino has an edge on that I cannot possibly beat in the long run in order to participate in the program. Was that supposed to be wrong? He kept insisting that I knew what I had done and he said that all I was getting was my points cashed out, that would have been $60 in free play, at their cash value of $30 and that he was being generous at that and that I was precluded from the property. Since I had done nothing wrong, I did indeed try to call the agent at gaming again from the room where I was being insulted. Unfortunately, my phone had a bad connection from the internal confines of that room and the agent kept saying that I was breaking up. I told the rude man that I was not going to sign for the measly $30 and I got up to leave to go outside to call Nevada Gaming Control Board. He said that I was to go to a back room and be “processed”. Right. No way, Mr. Manure for Brains. I just calmly walked out the closest door; all the while all the suits were yelling at the security guard to, “Read it to him” (the trespass act), but he engaged on a previously started call while I started walking and he didn’t get started until I was at the at the door and I was in and across the street before he got through even one sentence. I called the Nevada Gaming Control Board again. Unfortunately, the agent who had been advising me had left for the day so I explained the entire situation to another agent who said that he would be sending a field agent out to meet me.
The field agent called me back and we arranged a time to meet in front of the Vegas Club. When I arrived, he was there with a second agent. I told both of them all that had happened to me. They asked if I had any idea what the rude, “I won’t even give you my name,” guy was talking about. I told them that I had no idea, and between that, and being cheated, was why I called Gaming to begin with. The main agent said to come inside the casino with him. Once inside, he asked for whoever was in authority. In the meantime, I was asked to complete a complaint, which I did. However, just as I had to wait so long on a couple of different occasions, nobody arrived for the Nevada Gaming Control Board agents for quite some time. Quite some time enough that he commented about their tardiness on more than one occasion. Finally Mr. Congeniality arrives with his friends and the main agent goes off to conference with them while I sit and wait with agent number two. By the way, both agents were pleasant, professional and personable. When agent number one returns, he tells me that he was basically told the same thing, that they didn’t want my play on the property so I would not be getting my free play that the Vegas Club had advertised even though I had completed their program successfully and in good faith. Also that they would cash out my points at the 1/2 free play level and pay me $30. I asked him what they had accused me of doing, as I was still perplexed and had no idea what could possibly cause such a reaction, other than the Vegas Club trying to cheat me by not allowing me to have or play my free play.
What he told me astonished me! He said that the Vegas Club representatives had accused me of playing as a team and pushing combinations of buttons on the machine in order to make the game pay off! WTF!!!??? You have to be kidding me? How ignorant and or stupid could the management of this place possibly be? Really? That is what they believed? I can’t think that the Gaming agent really believed this either because if this was even possible (and I doubt that it is possible with not, at least, inside programming help on the machines), I am certain that I would have committed something illegal and I would guess that I should have been arrested immediately! This was obviously not the case. And if I had done something so horrible, why would they even bother to pay me the $30 for my points? I was so stunned and shocked at this out of left field nonsensical excuse to not pay me that all I could do was laugh! These machines are all over town. Why would I bother playing at one with the lowest maximum in town of $25? And if I had actually done this, why was it that I was losing during my entire session until my last hand and that I only won $40? Does that sound like the results of somebody who had insider programming information? What stupid fools!
So I can only conclude at this point that the management at the Vegas Club is amongst the least informed and least intelligent in the entire state. Or that their ridiculous excuse is merely that, and is really a smoke screen to avoid fulfilling their own written-out offered promotion. Or that both of the above are true and accurate!
I am also attaching a follow-up letter that I sent to the main investigating Nevada Gaming Control Board agent. Out of respect for him and his privacy, I have omitted his name.
In a message dated 10/31/2009 8:02:29 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, XXXXXX writes:
Dear Mr. XXXXX,
Thank you for your assistance yesterday regarding the incident and events at Vegas Club. I appreciate, expect and respect the courtesy and professionalism extended by both you and your assistant yesterday.
After departing, I realized that I did not obtain a copy of my statement. How can I obtain a copy of the statement, report or any associated paperwork on the case?
Also, since departing, I have had more time to consider the comments made by the Vegas Club representatives and I am 100% certain that they are using fabricated stories to avoid paying me the proceeds that I fairly earned. When you told me that they claimed that I was using magical mechanical abilities to manipulate and control the machine, of course all I could do was laugh. Please consider the following.
1) If I were doing something like this — and I’d assume this wouldn’t even be possible without there being some sort of illegal inside-help arrangement — I certainly wouldn’t have gotten GCB involved.
2) If I really was capable of doing this, then why was it that after all of this time playing would I be satisfied with a $40 profit, and not $400 or $4,000?
3) Along the same lines as above, why would I play the Vegas Club machine that has a maximum bet of $25 when across the street, at the Horseshoe, I could play the exact same machine with a $200 maximum bet?
Of course the answer to all of the questions above is that I don’t have the ability to do what Vegas Club is claiming in an attempt to avoid fulfilling their end of the contract that we entered into when I signed up for their player card program. And specifically relating to question #3, the reason I was playing on the machine in their casino was because I was simply trying to complete the requirements they set forth so that I could obtain the maximum value of $280 in free play that they offered in their new-player sign up program.
In the final analysis, the management at the Vegas Club has to be either highly misinformed, or are using deceitful measures and methods to avoid paying me the advertised bonuses.
I am a well known and well respected gambler. I have been on television a dozen times playing in major tournaments, as well as in documentaries. I have written for and contributed to several gambling publications. In addition to my given name, I also write and sometimes appear on television under my pen name of Bradley Peterson. I understand the rules and abided by them at Vegas Club.
Thank you again for your kind attention and most appreciated cooperation and I will look forward to the findings and resolution that your Board will research and adjudicate in approximately 29 days. If I can add anything, answer any further questions or provide anything else to be of assistance to you or the Board, please do not hesitate to ask me.
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It certainly appears that this is a case of a casino trying to take advantage of the Gaming Control Board and take a free shot at a patron it does not like. In the absence of any circumstances that Mr. Peterson is unaware of, the appropriate resolution would seem to be that the Board orders Vegas Club to pay him, and brings an unsuitable practices complaint against Vegas Club. This is plainly an attempt to cheat a patron. Let’s hope the Gaming Control Board makes an example of Vegas Club, so casino managers might think harder before welshing on promotions.
Topics: Casino Executives, Downtown LV, Las Vegas, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Vegas Club | 1 Comment »
The Bear Growls: Steve Wynn stoops to new low — Concert attendees have to show identification
By LVBear | October 27, 2009
Garth Brooks and Steve Wynn
Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com
From its beginning, Wynn Las Vegas has been the worst casino at privacy invasion and abuse of its patrons’ personal information. Wynn’s casino management has no respect for the privacy of its patrons. The casino harasses patrons for identification at every possible opportunity. It has the despicable policy of demanding to scan personal documents into its computer system in order for a patron to get a player’s card, leaving patrons more vulnerable to identity theft. It demands Social Security numbers at the lowest buy-in and payout amounts of any casino, with no legitimate reason to do so. The sportsbook is run in an equally tyrannical manner. Perhaps one day there will be an identify theft scandal originating at Wynn that will result in so many lawsuits that it puts this horrible man out of business.
Now, under the guise of “protecting” patrons from paying whatever they wish for tickets, Mr. Wynn has instituted a policy of demanding identification from concert attendees. No, this is not a joke. Interfering with the long-standing, effective free market system of ticket sales, Wynn is forcing patrons to show ID if they want to see Garth Brooks perform. This policy is so absurd and abusive as to leave me nearly speechless, which doesn’t often happen.
Mr. Brooks is a popular performer. I doubt if it will happen, but I would be delighted to see a boycott of the performances because of Mr. Wynn’s latest assault on patrons’ privacy.
What is Mr. Wynn’s problem with legitimate ticket brokers? In cities where I have attended events to which casinos did not give me free tickets, I have several times used the services of ticket brokers. I have always gotten better tickets than I could have obtained directly from the venue, with little or no hassle. I am happy to pay extra to get excellent tickets without standing in line or other waste of time.
I find it ironic that a cretin like Steve Wynn, who has done and/or directed/encouraged/tolerated so many bad things to so many people, claims to suddenly care about saving the average person some money. There is undoubtedly more to this phony burst of “kindness” by Mr. Wynn than we know. I would say shame on Mr. Wynn, but the man appears to absolutely shameless.
Mr. Wynn should go back to grappling with hookers on his property, and leave ticket sales to people who understand what they are doing.
Subsequently, a response from the National Association of Ticket Brokers:
“As a top travel destination, Las Vegas is one of the largest markets for secondary ticket sales. The average visitor can’t always plan their trips around the most popular shows, or track down the best seats as soon as they go on sale.
“Fans hire brokers to help them find the tickets they want, for the price they can pay, or to resell the tickets they can’t use. Wynn has no right to tell these fans ‘hey, tough luck – unless you bought them at our box office within two hours of going on sale then you can’t go to the show.’
Mr. Wynn, the ultimate predator, has become wealthy by exploiting suckers and sick, addicted gamblers. He then stuck his foot more deeply in his mouth: “…we’re going to stop these predators, believe me.”
- Steve Wynn calling someone else a predator. Priceless!
Topics: Casino Executives, Las Vegas, Wynn Las Vegas | No Comments »
The Bear Growls: Planet Hollywood and other casinos think false imprisonment and extortion “make good sense”
By LVBear | September 17, 2009
This complaint filed today with the Nevada Gaming Control Board speaks for itself:
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Jerry Markling, Chief of Enforcement
Randall Sayre, Board Member
Nevada Gaming Control Board
Unsuitable practices complaint against Planet Hollywood — False imprisonment and extortion
Please accept this for the purpose of filing an unsuitable practices complaint against Planet Hollywood, for its admitted conduct in detaining patrons for purposes other than making a citizen’s arrest or other purposes permitted by statute. I know you normally would not take a complaint based on a newspaper article, but this one quotes the security director by name. He essentially admits these crimes were committed.
It would appear that there are at least sixty-five cases of false imprisonment, as well as numerous other felonies committed by Planet Hollywood employees. I understand that Metro and/or the District Attorney should be the primary agencies investigating and prosecuting the criminal matters, but a licensee blatantly committing such crimes surely is also an unsuitable method of operation that should be addressed by the Board. I respectfully suggest that if this security director is a key employee, consideration be given to revoking that status; indeed, revoking his privilege to work in the industry at all.
From the article:
(Calvin) Abercrombie (Planet Hollywood security chief) told detectives that 65 people Planet Hollywood detained had enrolled in the program, but that the resort had received notification from the company that only two had completed the program. The casino received two $100 checks from United States Justice Associates for those cases, the affidavit says. …
They allegedly pitched a program to casinos to do an end run around law enforcement and the courts. It was to have worked like this, authorities allege: When the casinos’ security forces detained people on trespassing and other minor criminal charges, the casinos were to route those people into United States Justice Associates’ program rather than calling police to make the arrests. Once enrolled in the program,
the detainees would be charged $500 and the company would kick back $100 to the casinos for each person who completed the program
the affidavit says. (emphasis added)
Receiving such kickbacks is unsavory, and certainly does “…reflect or tend to reflect discredit upon the State of Nevada or the gaming industry…” (Regulation 5.011). With the ongoing incidents of false imprisonment by casino security employees, this appears to be a perfect case for the Board to address the issue. The basic facts of the multiple instances of wrongdoing do not appear to be in dispute; in fact are admitted by the head of security of the licensee. Undeniably, the conduct is egregious.
The article mentions that other licensees may be involved in these crimes:
The attorney added that United States Justice Associates had agreements with a “number of casinos,” all of which thought the program made good sense.
It “made good sense” to commit false imprisonment and extortion? If you are able to determine which licensees they are, please extend the unsuitable practices complaint to them as well.
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Topics: Casino Executives, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Law Enforcement, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Planet Hollywood, Police | 1 Comment »