Gambling Scams Identified at World Game Protection Conference
Exposure of the Most Significant Casino Frauds of the Year at the World Game Security Summit
The World Game Protection Conference in Las Vegas recently unveiled the top casino scams that have plagued the industry in 2024. Spearheaded by host Willy Allison, the annual event drew surveillance professionals from all over the globe to discuss ways to combat dishonest practices threatening casino properties.
The event culminated with a ranking of the top scams, with the 'baccarat cut card' scam being crowned as the No. 1 Scam of the Year. Allison emphasized that the ranking served as a celebration of the industry's achievements in rooting out such deceit.
Alongside the cut card scam, hidden cameras on table games and counterfeit chips followed as runners-up. The top 4-8 scams, some recognizable offenders, encompassed the baccarat-shoe fix, card markers, manipulation of devices, stadium roulette collusion, and cage burglaries.
Previously, the conference also unveiled the top scams of 2023 and 2022, showcasing a troubling trend of recurring threats to the industry. The criteria for scams to be nominated for consideration involve those that demand significant financial losses and significant ingenuity and cooperation.
The pervasive baccarat cut card scam, a repeat offender, has sparked a lot of debate. Casino consultant Bill Zender highlighted that the scam first emerged in 2010, with the anniversary marking an unwelcome return of the scam. He reported cases in Zurich in the summer of 2024, South Africa in 2025, and as recently as two weeks ago in Mexico.
The modus operandi involves a baccarat player who volunteers to cut the cards, subtly colluding with the dealer. Traditionally, the player used a camera concealed under their sleeve, connected to a video storage device, to capture card sequences. In recent iterations, players have used cell phones on the table to achieve the same objective.
The scam poses a challenge to casino security teams, tasks, and customer service. Allison questioned why casinos allow big bettors to dictate procedures, which pits game protection against customer service. He pointed out that the majority of cut-card scams, about 80%, rely on the dealer's collusion. Casinos, according to Zender, could have saved half a million dollars if they had maintained proper vigilance during the cutting process.
Staying cognizant of the game's mechanisms and implementing efficient security measures are crucial to thwarting such deceitful practices. The goal is to detect and deter the insidious tactics of these casino scams to preserve gaming integrity and provide a safe and entertaining environment for patrons.
- Despite the identification of various casino-related scams at the World Game Protection Conference in Las Vegas, including the 'baccarat cut card' scam as the No. 1 Scam of the Year, the casino-gambling industry continues to grapple with recurring threats, as evidenced by the scam's troubling resurgence in 2024.
- In the face of persistent casino-culture trends like the 'baccarat cut card' scam, it is essential for casinos to understand the game's mechanisms and prioritize the implementation of robust security measures, ensuring the preservation of gaming integrity and providing a secure, entertaining experience for patrons in cities such as Las Vegas, while also adhering to the latest gambling trends.
