NGCB Puts an End to a Dice Sliding Scheme in Las Vegas

Nobody likes a cheater, especially casinos. There are different schemes that cheaters can attempt to use to better their odds at gambling venues such as counting cards, manipulating gaming devices or sliding dice. But such actions can have dire consequences for the ones caught who can be subject to criminal charges resulting in fines or even imprisonment.

A group of four people, allegedly involved in a dice sliding scheme that enabled them to net nearly $230,000 in winnings are at the aim of the gambling regulator in Nevada. On Thursday, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB), the gambling regulator in the state, revealed that its Enforcement Division, a law enforcement arm of the Board, investigated a group that allegedly participated in the cheating scheme.

Kirk Hendrick, NGCB’s chairman, explained: “Anyone who cheats Nevada’s gaming industry cheats all of Nevada’s citizens.” He outlined that any attempts or suspected cheating will be thoroughly investigated. Finally, Hendrick noted that if breaches are uncovered, cheaters will be prosecuted “to the full extent of the law.”

The recent statement released by the NGCB explains that the Board responded to a self-reported incident from The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas. The gambling venue reached out to the NGBC with a report, suspecting a dice sliding scheme that resulted in a loss of $180,000. Allegedly, a group of individuals were involved in the scheme. Through the illicit activity, the suspects were able to fraudulently obtain a total of $226,948 from The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas.

The Gambling Regulator Remains Vigilant

The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas reached out to the NGCB back in December 2021. What’s known is that the group involved in the illicit activity operated between November 23, 2021, and December 1, 2021. The dice sliding scheme involved games of craps where one individual would place a wager and then signal the accomplices. The person would then not roll the dice but slide it, an action that is illegal and considered cheating, resulting in manipulation of the outcome of the game.

Upon concluding a criminal investigation, NGCB’s Enforcement Division served a total of four individuals with arrest warrants. Those include Hau Ngo, Max Rappoport, Oscar Rodriguez and Antcharaporn Kamonlert, the Board reveals. The arrest warrants, as described by the Board are for “Cheating, Unlawful Acts Regarding Computers, and Conspiracy.”

“The Enforcement Division will continue to be aggressive in its investigations and covert operations to ensure that the gaming industry is free from criminal elements in its unending effort to safeguard the integrity of regulated gaming in Nevada.“

Kristi Torgerson, chief of the Board’s Enforcement Division

Kristi Torgerson, NGCB’s chief of the Enforcement Division, commended licensees for self-reporting suspicious activities. He explained that the Board will continue to monitor the market and engage in aggressive investigations to ensure the integrity of the gaming sector in the state.