Recent casino scandals have people talking, but you’d be surprised to know that some of these incidents go back years! Some are even bigger than what we’re discussing for today. In this article, we’ll take a look at ten of the most notorious casino-related controversies and scandals. Read on to learn more about them!

2. The $5 million Slot Machine Deposit

In August 2016, it was reported that Caesars Entertainment Corporation (CES) CEO Mark Frisco had received an anonymous tip alleging fraud involving his company’s senior vice president of corporate communications and investor relations, William Forker.

The whistleblower claimed that Forker used fraudulent means to obtain funds from two separate casinos in which he worked by offering large sums of money or free play as prizes in slot machines.

He also alleged that forker would keep the winnings for himself while creating false records to conceal the theft.

The 2008 casino scandal

In May of this year, reports surfaced that two popular Las Vegas casinos were illegally taking deposits by offering large bonuses with no intention to fulfill their promises.

A lot of people began calling these practices “deposit fraud” because they feel like when you give your money to someone, you should be able to trust them to use it for what it was intended.

But unfortunately, not everyone agrees on this definition. Some experts believe that deposit fraud is much worse than what most people think. They say it crosses a line at tricking individuals into giving up their hard earned money through false promises.

This can also include things like paying very little interest in return for the loan or no interest at all!

Many people have lost significant amounts of money due to such scams so lawmakers are stepping in to do something about it.

The 2014 casino scandal

A large, well-publicized controversy occurred in early 2014 when it was revealed that two high profile professionals gambled away hundreds of thousands of dollars at casinos with money they were paid to invest.

In one case, professional poker player Erik Seidel allegedly used his position as an investment adviser for IFA Management to gamble at Las Vegas casinos using investor funds.

He is alleged to have lost more than $1 million at three different properties including Planet Bingo, Gold Coast Gaming and Red Rock Resort.

IGF investigator Jason Beck began looking into IFA after he received complaints about Seidel’s gambling from multiple investors. He discovered even more shocking information: not only had Seidel bet with their hard earned cash, but he also forged documents to make it look like he was investing professionally and responsibly.

When IG officials confronted him, Seidel reportedly told them to go fuck yourself before going through all of the paperwork involved in proving his innocence. He resigned shortly thereafter.

Another professional athlete has been accused of similar crimes. Former NFL running back Jahri Evans is accused of taking nearly $300,000 in investor funding and spending it almost entirely at Harrah’s Entertainment and Wynn Resorts.

Evans denied wrongdoing until investigators confronted him, at which time he admitted to misusing donor funds and agreed to resign.

These are just two examples of many cases of casino scandals across America.

The 2016 casino scandal

A few months back, there was an incident at the Trump Plaza Hotel & Resort in Atlantic City where two high profile celebrities were allegedly offered money to visit a specific table. They were then pressured to play poker with no clear explanation as to why it was important for them to play against each other or what would happen next.

This is just how professional gambling works and you will find instances of this happening throughout history. It’s part of the game!

But in this case, these two very famous people refused the offer because they didn’t want to feel like they were being pressurized into doing something they weren’t comfortable with.

Which makes sense since we all know that Donald Trump has a reputation when it comes to offering large sums of money to potential business partners and politicians. He also frequently criticizes others and their actions in such a way that seems almost manipulative.

It’s his style.

So while some may consider him to be flashy and rich, he’s actually pretty shrewd when it comes to getting what he wants out of others.

The $1.5 billion Malaysian casino scandal

In February 2018, it was reported that over 1.3 million people were not allowed to enter the MGM Resorts International (MGM) property in Malaysia due to nonpayment of debts.

This includes around 2,000 foreign guests as well as local Malaysians. It is estimated that up to 25% of MGM’s business comes from Chinese customers so this is quite significant for their revenue.

Furthermore, several reports stated that some individuals could not even exit the resort because they did not have enough money to do so. Some sources said that there was no clear indication as to why these patrons would run out suddenly without any warning.

It has also been alleged that many gamblers had trouble receiving refunds for their losses which sometimes lasted weeks or months. Since many people are not familiar with legal procedures in other countries, they found it difficult to get help.

Many believe that the main cause of this problem lies in how MGM handles gambling debt within its facilities. Many say that MGM does not offer adequate services to those who fall into financial hardship while spending large amounts of money at the casinos.

The 2017 sports betting scandal

In May of this year, reports surfaced that two professional basketball teams had engaged in illegal gambling activity via cryptocurrency sportsbooks. Both the Las Vegas Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans were accused of using their team’s logos as markers for bets placed at crypto bookmakers.

The accusations came to light when an amateur esports player noticed some unusual betting patterns and alerted gaming regulators. Authorities then investigated whether either team was involved in match fixing or otherwise shady gambling practices.

Both teams quickly issued statements denying wrongdoing but both faced heavy criticism. Some people claimed they should have known about the allegations given that several members of each organization held positions within the blockchain community and/or invested in cryptocurrencies. Others said it was hypocritical for teams to condemn other forms of gambling while engaging in its own.

While many still believe pro football is too powerful even with rules limiting spending, few would argue against tighter restrictions on how much individual players can spend. Unfortunately, such limits are hard to enforce because of the way large sums of money are spent during big games.

The 2018 poker room scandal

A few months back, in August of 2018, it was reported that two individuals had infiltrated an event at the Atlantis Poker Room with over $1 million in counterfeit money.

The duo pretended to be employees and were able to access all levels of employee credentials. They even made their way into the casino’s computer system and changed some employee information before escaping with thousands of dollars.

This isn’t the first time this has happened either. In fact, there have been several reports like this one across different gambling industries.

These incidents usually revolve around someone who is looking for higher paying prizes or someone looking to make extra money by counterfeiting it.

What makes these situations particularly concerning are the potential repercussions. Not only could people get fired, but legal action can also occur.

Legal actions include civil lawsuits as well as criminal charges. For example, the individual involved could face up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000.

Furthermore, casinos are obligated under state law to report any suspicious activity to local authorities. This includes instances where illegal activities take place within their property.

The 2019 sports betting scandal

A few weeks ago, reports came out that some professional athletes were paid to endorse casino products via sponsorship deals or by receiving cash for putting their name in advertisements. Some of these brands are for online gambling sites, while others promote land-based casinos.

Many people noticed something fishy about all this advertising. Why would top athletes need someone else’s help to gain exposure when they could easily do it themselves? More importantly, why would these pros agree to take money from companies that compete with them and their sponsors?

It is important to note that most pro athletes have contract clauses that forbid employees from working at businesses that offer similar services as theirs. This includes both direct competition and potential issues like endorsement revenue being siphoned off through third parties.

Another reason why this situation may seem suspicious is because many of these advertisers will send the athlete an invoice directly, instead of going through the company’t business dealings. For example, if an athlete has to buy snacks for his team during a game, the advertiser may ask him to order them through its website so that you can’t verify what goods he was actually given.

The 2020 bankruptcy of the Trump National Doral Hotel

Over the past two years, there have been several casino-related scandals and controversies surrounding President Donald Trump and his family members.

In early March this year, it was reported that Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner had fun at the billionaire property owner’s Miami resort while in Florida for an event just days earlier.

During their stay, they attended a fundraiser with Team Jeb! — then candidate Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign team.

The guests paid up to $250 per person to attend the event which also included entertainment and food.

It is illegal under federal law to accept money from someone who has interest in your company’s business. By attending the event as fundraisers for Senator Rubio’s bid for president, both Ivanka and Kushner broke the law by accepting donations from people who may benefit from business deals done by his father.

Legal action could result in fines or even prison time for each individual. It is not known if either were ever charged with a crime.