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Links to Media Coverage of Casino Abuse of Patrons
Patron wins $200,000 jury verdict against Venetian for false imprisonment and wrongful eviction from his hotel room
An incident that began over a petty traffic incident in the valet area escalated when guards falsely arrested a patron and the front desk manager wanted the patron evicted from his paid-in-advance room.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/resort-loses-civil-trial-90726669.html
http://bj21.com/advantageplay/lawandtaxes/patronabuselinks_docs/lockhart_vs_venetian.pdf
Patron hassled by nightclub wins award
A patron who purchased "bottle service" at Tao night club at the Venetian was hassled during a confrontation with a bouncer.
http://bj21.com/misc/morrison_vs_buddha/
Casinos, police, state officials often intimidate legal patrons, lawyers say
"By what legal authority do guards detain, handcuff or arrest anybody who has done nothing illegal and is in the process of leaving the premises? It doesn't exist," said Allen Lichtenstein, general counsel of the Nevada chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Jul-06-Sun-2003/news/21616613.html
Official requests 'guidance' -- Casinos' use of force at issue
A Nevada Gaming Control Board member is asking the attorney general for "guidance" about the limitations on the use of force by casino security personnel and the legal rights of advantage gamblers.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Jul-10-Thu-2003/business/21692188.html
Court: Board, agent immune from suit
But the gambler then filed suit against the resort, the Control Board and Hearn charging false imprisonment, assault and battery, and conversion and conspiracy.
Griffin book producer files for Chapter 11, citing suit
Griffin Investigations Inc., which distributes lists of suspected cheaters and card counters to casinos, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing a defamation lawsuit filed against the company by gamblers who said they were improperly detained at the Caesars Palace and Imperial Palace casinos, called cheaters and arrested.
http://gamblingwebsites7.com/gamblingwebsite_news_D_blackjack_876.html
Jury: New Frontier must pay $110,000 to card counter
The jury found the New Frontier, its security chief and a security guard liable for false imprisonment, assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence.
http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article.cfm?contentID=153679
Regulators side with gamblers in cases of confiscated chips
Over the past few months, Nevada regulators have ordered the MGM Grand casino to pay two gamblers whose chips were confiscated by the city's biggest gambling hall after employees said they couldn't verify whether the players had won them.
http://casinocitytimes.com/news/article.cfm?contentID=152880
Gaming Control Board agents fabricated crimes to aid casino
The effect of this ruling is that police officers are given carte blanche to make up reasons to arrest people in Nevada with impunity. Simply, police officers now have the discretion to knowingly lie in police reports, knowingly lie in bringing charges against citizens and force imprisonment without legal cause. Then, when the victim seeks justice, the police officers in Nevada can claim and receive immunity from the lawsuit.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Dec-12-Sun-2004/opinion/25307487.html
Gambler wins $400,000 verdict in suit against Imperial Palace
Clark County District Judge Lee Gates has unsealed a $400,000 verdict a jury made in favor of advantage gambler James Grosjean against the Imperial Palace in a wrongful imprisonment suit.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Nov-05-Fri-2004/business/25149847.html
EDITORIAL: Playing by the rules
Imagine what would happen to this town's biggest industry if word got out that visiting players who break no rules or laws can be handcuffed, threatened and locked up for hours against their will -- with impunity -- for nothing more than playing card games well enough to win.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Nov-08-Mon-2004/opinion/25191641.html
Attorney sues casinos for using card counting system
A Las Vegas attorney who has represented dozens of card counting clients filed another lawsuit Monday, this time to stop Nevada casinos from using a computerized card counting system that boosts the house's odds of winning at blackjack.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Oct-19-Tue-2004/news/25027617.html
Copy of the Mindplay complaint:
http://bj21.com/allen_vs_nevada/complaint.html
EDITORIAL: Are gamblers being fleeced?
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.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Oct-23-Sat-2004/opinion/25062234.html
Venetian to pay $1 million; Casino admits 'serious violations' in rigging giveaway for high rollers
The Venetian agreed to pay $1 million in fines and investigation costs to settle a first-of-its-kind complaint that the resort had fixed promotional contests to favor specific Asian high rollers.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Feb-26-Thu-2004/business/23301208.html
Station found former Venetian executive suitable
An executive fired by The Venetian in connection with a 2002 contest-rigging scandal is working in a top job at a small Las Vegas casino.
Figures in Venetian contest-rigging land at Indian casino
Two of the casino executives fired by the Las Vegas Strip's Venetian resort for their involvement in the rigging of three 2002 promotional contests are still working in the casino business.
http://www.majorwager.com/forums/40271-post1.html
Golden Nugget's Poster deals, property accepts $30,000 fine
Executives of downtown's Golden Nugget casino have settled a three-count complaint filed last month by the state Gaming Control Board and would pay a $30,000 fine under a proposed settlement agreement.
http://www.majorwager.com/forums/292621-post1.html
Nevada firms win key ruling on liability
A sharply divided Nevada Supreme Court has given Nevada corporations further protections from civil lawsuits brought because of the wrongdoing of their employees.
The court ruled Friday that the Gold Coast casino in Las Vegas was not liable for $372,000 in punitive damages awarded in the case of a black man who was severely beaten by security officers and victimized by racial comments while the sergeant-in-charge looked on. The ruling was the result of a 4-3 decision, and three justices who dissented had strong objections to the ruling.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2003/jun/02/nevada-firms-win-key-ruling-on-liability/
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=nv&vol=119NevAdvOpNo24&invol=2
Man returns lost wallet only to be handcuffed by casino guard
Payne said he believes his charitable act was turned into something sinister by a power-wielding security guard.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Jun-27-Thu-2002/news/19054034.html
Tourist's case serves as cautionary tale for security guards on Strip
The verdict was swift Dec. 13, less than three hours to decide that the guard and the Luxor should pay $203,230 and Mandalay Bay, which evicted her from her room after the incident at the Luxor, should pay $100,000. Then jurors went back to discuss punitive damages.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Feb-21-Mon-2005/news/25900473.html
Romanski vs. Motor City Casino et al.
The lasting impression this case leaves is one of egregious misconduct -- gratuitous abuse of power, sanctioned by a casino, that left a 72-year-old woman the victim
of needless indignities and humiliation. In moral terms, the casino’s conduct was significantly reprehensible; it surely was reprehensible enough to warrant a substantial punitive damages award.
http://www.michbar.org/opinions/us_appeals/2005/102805/29249.pdf
Ex-Mirage official pleads guilty in privacy case
Former Mirage Resorts Inc. corporate security manager Eugene Harding has pleaded guilty to a federal charge that he conspired with a government official to illegally access an individual's personal tax records while Harding was employed at the Mirage.
http://gambleo.com/gamble_news_223.html
Judge tosses gambler's conviction
A judge threw out a conviction against an advantage gambler and professional personal trainer who was convicted earlier this year of disorderly conduct for allegedly resisting arrest while being detailed, handcuffed and roughed up at the El Cortez.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Dec-25-Thu-2003/business/22871776.html
Jury backs police in lawsuit; Advantage gambler sought damages after arrest on disorderly conduct charges
A federal jury ruled in favor of three Las Vegas police officers Tuesday in a civil case filed by a professional gambler they arrested in 2002 at the El Cortez.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Sep-15-Wed-2004/news/24772039.html
Advantage gambler cleared of charges
Tobiasson interrupted testimony by Chris Tovia, a security officer at Mandalay Bay, to view a tape of the alleged incidents provided by the resort. She then said there was "absolutely" no credible evidence to support the state's case that Dougherty had committed battery against security guards and was trespassing.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Sep-05-Fri-2003/business/22070526.html
Carey vs. Ramada Express et al
Carey sued Agent Spendlove, the State of Nevada (the "State") and the Nevada Gaming Control Board (the "Board") under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, claiming that Spendlove violated his Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights by searching Carey's shoes without probable cause and by arresting Carey for refusing to identify himself. Carey also brought claims under state law for false imprisonment and battery.
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/circs/9th/0016649p.pdf
Palms patron files suit over security incident
"The next thing I knew my sleeve was torn off as someone was pulling me to the ground," he said. "All I felt was someone grabbing the back of my head and someone else grabbing my feet. They were trying to pound my head into the pavement. I could feel someone big on my back with his knee. It came out of left field."
A Clark County District Court jury subsequently returned a verdict of approx $131,900 for Mr. Noble.
District Court case number 03-A-473605-C
http://www.lvcitylife.com/articles/2004/03/03/crime_punishment/crime.txt
Winners Not Wanted at Greektown
If you are a skilled video poker player you are not wanted at the Greektown Casino in Detroit Michigan. Apparently the Greektown’ advertising slogan, "Let the Party Begin at Greektown" should be changed to “The Party is Over if You Win at Greektown.”
http://casinogambling.about.com/library/weekly/aa120202.htm
Fall of the Roman Empire
In an overreaction of thermonuclear proportions to my recent good luck, Harrah’s has barred me from playing in the World Series of Poker, and in fact from even setting foot in any of their hotels.
http://www.brodietech.com/liontales/2007/06/fall-of-roman-empire.html
Chips no longer good as cash
If $5,000 casino chips could talk, what would this one say? It might explain its recent travels and how it has ended up in the custody of a cashier at the MGM Grand, who questioned whether it really belonged to the gambler who turned it in.
Gambling with your liberty -- Illegal detentions ignored by state
Nevada's casino industry continues to act as if it is above the law. Time and again, patrons legally playing with an advantage suffer imprisonment and even beatings at the hands of casino security personnel. It's well past time that something be done to stop these incidents.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Jul-17-Sun-2005/opinion/2370081.html
Casino Abuse of Skilled Players
The video includes frightening footage obtained from casino surveillance cameras of a law abiding, skilled player being handcuffed, forcibly backroomed and detained by casino employees.
http://bj21.com/ads/casino_abuse_video/ad.h
MGM, Other Casinos Abuse Patrons' Rights
Abuse of casino patrons' rights in Southern Nevada is actually more widespread than is commonly acknowledged.
http://thewizardofodds.blogspot.com/2005/09/do-casinos-abuse-patrons-rights.html
Great Grandmother Strip-Searched At N.Y. Casino
A great-grandmother from Mount Vernon is filing suit for allegedly being strip searched at the Yonkers Raceway casino.
http://wcbstv.com/local/yonkers.raceway.strip.2.565987.html
Federal jury awards $729,000 to victim of patron abuse by Hollywood Casino in Tunica
A federal jury returned a verdict totaling over $729,000 in a case involving the abuse of a patron by security personnel at Tunica's Hollywood Casino and a deputy of the Tunica County Sheriff's office.
The victim, who was suspected of counting cards, a lawful activity, but not suspected of any illegal activity, was wrongfully detained by Hollywood Casino employees, who instructed cashiers to refuse to cash the victim's chips unless the victim provided them with his identification.
The victim refused to do so and asked to be paid so that he could leave the casino. Instead, casino employees called the Sheriff's department. Deputy Dornae Mosby responded and demanded identification from the victim, who complied with the deputy's request but instructed the deputy not to show the identification to casino personnel. The deputy ignored this instruction, and allowed casino personnel to take possession of the victim's identification and photocopy it, despite there being no legal basis for so doing. The victim was arrested by Mosby for disorderly conduct. The charge was subsequently dismissed.
The victim sued Hollywood casino, Tunica County, and Deputy Mosby. The jury awarded him $25,000 from Deputy Mosby individually for the violation of his Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures. The jury found the casino liable for false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, conversion, and trespass to chattels. The final two items involve the wrongful taking of plaintiff's identification by casino personnel. The jury awarded $103,703 in damages to the victim from the casino, plus punitive damages of $600,550.
Case: US District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, Delta Division -- Civil Action No. 2:06CV204P-A Grosch v. Tunica County et al.