Casino fraudster arrested in France for poker fraud with camera and mini headphones
After a player consistently won five-figure amounts in poker, the operator of a casino near Paris became suspicious. The installation of a surveillance system allowed the cheater and his accomplice to be identified and arrested. It is now being investigated whether the method has been used elsewhere.
Police arrest two men
The French radio station franceinfo reported, citing the police, that two men of Eastern European origin were arrested in the early hours of Monday, July 29 [article in French]. They are accused of cheating at poker.
The incident took place at the casino in Enghien-les-Bains, near Paris. The operator had set up surveillance to keep an eye on the unusually successful poker player.
Smartphone and mini-earpiece enable cheating
To cheat the casino, the two men relied on high-tech equipment. One was the active player and placed his smartphone inconspicuously on the table. However, the normal camera was a decoy, so the smartphone filmed in a different direction and recorded the dealer's cards.
The accomplice outside the casino evaluated this information and whispered strategic advice to his partner via a mini-earpiece, which was so small and inconspicuous that the police had to remove it using a magnet.
On an average evening, the duo could have made tens of thousands of euros this way. However, their persistent success ultimately led to their downfall, as they had been under observation for some time.
Casino cheaters find new ways
Every year, there are new reports of casino cheaters outsmarting operators in spectacular ways. Often, modern technology is used, which seems almost like science fiction, such as contact lenses with built-in cameras.
About a year ago, security experts managed to hack the card shuffling machine Deckmate 2. This shows that there are always new ways for cheaters to gain access.
To prevent copycats, the methods of cheaters are often not described in detail by casinos and security authorities. However, casino operators work together to understand the tricks of cheaters and protect other gambling establishments.
Was a gang put out of business?
The police suspect that the cheating duo may have been active throughout Europe, based on the discovery of various casino access cards in their searched hotel room. Membership in a gang is also possible. The men now face fines or imprisonment.
Commissioner Stéphane Piallat called on casinos to take measures to prevent this type of cheating from happening again. The police have identified the cheating system, so casinos can protect themselves from further cheating by adequate surveillance.
It remains to be seen whether the suspected gang will continue to use this method or develop other strategies to cheat operators. It is likely that we will continue to hear about new types of cheating cases in the future.
The news of the arrest has sparked discussions in the gaming community, with some outlets questioning if this could be a sign of a larger cheating ring being dismantled.
The seized equipment and casino access cards suggest that this may not be an isolated incident, and further investigations are underway to uncover any potential links to other cases of poker cheating.
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