A blackjack dealer at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh was charged with multiple felonies after allegedly dealing nearly 200 fraudulent hands to help players beat the house. The former dealer was arrested by police when she showed up for work last Friday.
Pennsylvania casinos, just like anywhere else, have had its fair share of crime involving employees. However, they are usually few and far between, as the bigger incidents get notoriety. Players are often concerned about game integrity, but it’s typically the house that’s at greater risk of being the victim of a cheating scheme.
Dealers costs Rivers Casino nearly $22,000
According to CBS News, the table games dealer had been dealing fraudulent blackjack hands from Oct. 26 to Nov. 2. Rivers Casino Pittsburgh lost more than $21,000.
The dealer dealt 192 hands that were deemed fraudulent. She was allegedly caught on camera overpaying customers on bets and not collecting losing bets.
She worked 31 hours before police arrested her before her shift on Nov. 8.
The dealer is awaiting a court hearing for Nov. 20 and has been released from custody on bond.
Other crime incidents at PA casinos
Pennsylvania casinos run a tight ship, and incidents that rise to the level of criminal activity are rare. That said, this isn’t the first time a dealer has been accused of cheating their employer.
The last notable story involved four Live! Casino Philadelphia table games dealers, who helped guests win $170,000 across seven days last April.
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh had another incident earlier this year, where employees were arrested running a cheat-at-play scheme worth $10,000. Police described the crime as a “complex cheating conspiracy.”
Also in January of this year, an off-track wagering sports writer at Mohegan Pennsylvania got caught cheating the casino out of nearly $10,000 for placing unpaid sports bets.
Pennsylvania casinos have elaborate security systems in place to detect and punish cheating. Those who try and skirt the system are always caught and are left with facing the consequences of their actions.
