Casinos have always served as a platform for opportunistic individuals seeking to amass great wealth. Delve into the following list, which highlights the five most significant and renowned casino scams in history.
The Roselli brothers
Emerging in 2000, the case of the Roselli brothers shook the casinos in Las Vegas and numerous unsuspecting victims. The tale commences in 1995, as two men adopted the Roselli brothers' identities and joined forces with a hacker who obtained all the necessary details about high-credit-score casino players. Armed with this information, they opened accounts in several casinos and deposited around $50,000 in each, leaving the casinos more than eager to extend them credit. Over the course of five years, the fake Rosellis' credit had soared to over $1,000,000 in nearly every casino, and they were placing modest bets of up to $100,000. After amassing approximately $40 million, they withdrew all their accounts and vanished without a trace. It was only when the casinos and creditors started pursuing the victims of the scam that people realized the Rosellis had stolen their data, including that of the real Roselli brothers. The fraudsters' identities remain unknown, and they have yet to be apprehended.
Radio transmitters inside roulette balls.
After developing an interest in amateur radio, a French dealer realized he could harness this technology to become a millionaire. With his brother and sister-in-law, the croupier replaced the roulette ball with one he had designed to respond to radio transmissions, while his sister-in-law, seated at the neighboring table, concealed a small radio transmitter in a pack of cigarettes. The brother, in turn, played the role of the gambler, consistently placing bets on the same set of numbers – the scheme boasted a six-number precision. Within a week, this scheme had yielded over $1,000,000 for the scammers, and it seemed that there were no limits to their success. However, security personnel eventually took notice of the woman's consistent presence on evenings when the casino suffered its greatest losses. Following extensive investigations by both the casino and the police, the casino's radio frequencies were uncovered.
Cameras in shirt sleeves.
Around 2011, Cutter Gang, a notorious criminal group, gained international notoriety for their operations in the United States and the Philippines. Their ingenious scheme involved using tiny cameras concealed in shirt sleeves to discreetly observe playing cards during baccarat games. One gang member, responsible for filming the cards, would pause the game to pass the camera to other accomplices who would then relay valuable information. Although the gang was eventually apprehended, their ill-gotten gains amounting to $1,000,000 were confiscated. However, due to insufficient evidence, the police were unable to keep them detained, resulting in their release and the return of their money. Fleeing to the Philippines, the gang's scheme was eventually unraveled. Yet, the cunning criminals managed to elude custody and have remained fugitives ever since.
Contact lenses and invisible ink.
Also in 2011, the tale of a brief-lived scam executed by three Italians and one Frenchman may have unfolded as one of the most lucrative schemes in the history of casinos. In this plot, one of them discreetly marked the card values with invisible ink during a poker game. Then, another player utilized contact lenses capable of detecting invisible ink. As a result, they raked in substantial consecutive winnings, prompting authorities to launch an investigation. While it didn't take long for them to uncover the four individuals' deception of the casino, it took a while longer for them to unveil the secret behind this scheme: the contact lenses.
The Ritz casino roulette wheel
In 2004, a gang of players from Eastern Europe utilized a smartphone application to gauge the size of the roulette wheel and the velocity at which the ball spun, in order to predict its final destination. Remarkably, the syndicate managed to amass over $2,000,000 in winnings. When apprehended, the authorities refrained from arresting the fraudsters, as there lacked a legal basis to prosecute them, thus enabling them to retain their gains. However, for obvious reasons, all members were subsequently banned from virtually all casinos.
Casino legends
Such colossal scams, though infrequent, have become an integral part of the global casino folklore. These captivating tales never fail to pique the curiosity of casino enthusiasts worldwide.
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