Ohio Charges 6 Casino Players for Cheating

The Associated Press reports that five people, who stand accused of cheating at the new Cincinnati casino could get a prison term of up to 2 years if proved guilty.

Further, the AP report quoted Ohio officials as saying that casino cheats steal not only from the house, but also from the cities, counties, and schools of Ohio because the casinos pay 33 percent of their gross revenues as taxes to the state. The state actually feels that casino cheats who break blackjack rules are also cheating school children.

Reportedly, the cheating case was taken so seriously that a press conference was called, during which a prosecutor used the term “idiotic” while referring to the defendants.

Ohio has four new casinos in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toldeo, and Columbus, each designed to help boost the state’s economy, but the state feels that the casinos are also contributing to a sharp rise in prison population.

The Associated Press report says that prosecutors accused the defendants of removing or adding chips to their bets when the game’s outcome became obvious. While cheating is definitely wrong, many people feel that the state has over-reacted. The maximum penalties for casino cheating in Ohio are a fine of $50k and a 2-year prison term.

This blog entry was posted on Monday, July 8th, 2013 at 8:20 pm and is filed under Blackjack News.