Legal News In The Gambling

Almost 70% of people in NJ participated in gambling just this last year, and 6.3% are suffering from uncontrollable gambling addictions. It’s a massive issue, considering that suchlike activities trigger parts of the brain that make it far too exciting for the participants to stop, eventually making gambling a habitual chase. What drives the addiction is usually the first successful win, which sets in a feeling of thrill and prompting a hunger for more. That in itself is a recipe for disaster, and the state of New Jersey suffers greatly, not just from addiction but also from gambling-related crimes.

It’s not just guests that attempt to cheat casinos out of money during various table games - sneaky employees also get caught up in questionable activities at times. Some manage to get away with it, while others test their limits to the point where they begin to feel invincible. Hieu Duc Lam, a former Baccarat dealer at the Sydney’s Star casino in Australia, happens to be one of them as he “reaches for the stars” and gets caught cheating his workplace out of almost $500,000. 

People often take things that don’t belong to them and don’t get caught. Perhaps you can get away with sneaking a snickers bar out of a grocery store or loot change from someone’s unlocked vehicle without ever getting noticed. And even if a security guard notices you pocket a candy bar without paying, chances are you’ll leave with a slap on your wrist. But good luck trying to steal $86K worth of items from a Pharmacy store - you will get busted, and there will be no mercy for such stupidity. 

In the past months, casinos across the US have been easing into reinstated mandates. It started with employees having to wear masks again, then turned into workers forced to undergo weekly testing if not vaccinated, and some even fired staff members who refused to comply. But this week, the well-expected announcement has been made by Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel & Casino. It has become the first casino in America to require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test upon entrance. Other operators in the US are considering vaccine mandates as the Delta variant instills widespread fear

Such burglary attempts as the one William Ferguson, 66, pulled six times in a row are seldom heard of. A serial casino burglar will serve no less than years behind the bars for stealing more than $20,000 worth of casino chips.