Casino Related Crimes
The last few weeks have seen some interesting casino-related crimes – from a major technology issue to human trafficking and more. Here’s a look at a few cases from Arizona and Pennsylvania casinos.
Arizona Casino Faces Cyber Attack
Another casino faced a cyber attack this week. This time Arizona’s Casino del Sol was the latest victim. The property is owned by the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and the attack left many of the casino’s operations affected. That included phone systems, bingo operations, the rewards clubs, casino credit, promotional kiosks, hotel reservations, and more.
Management was working with police and the FBI to find the source of the attacks and to get operations back to normal.
“We continue to diligently work on restoring all systems in our network to provide you with the best Casino Del Sol experience possible,” casino officials said in a statement.
Gamblers Banned in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, three people have been banned from all casinos in the Keystone State after leaving young children in their cars while gambling.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced that an unidentified man was banned after leaving a 9-year-old briefly in a vehicle outside the Presque Isle Downs and Casino while he bet at the sportsbook. In another case, a woman was barred from state casinos for leaving three children, ages 4, 7 and 12, in a car for more than an hour while she played on slot machines.
A third woman was banned for leaving a 12-year-old in a car while playing slots at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. The three people were added to the state’s involuntary exclusion list meaning they can’t legally enter any of the state’s casinos for irresponsible gambling.
Quick-Thinking Casino Employees Help Stop Sex Trafficking Incident
In Missouri, police learned on Feb. 23 that two women were allegedly attempting to traffic a 16-year-old girl for sex at River City Casino. Police allege that Angel Henderson and Mack Mitchell “recruited, harbored, and transported the victim for the purposes of having sexual performances for men at the casino,” according to FOX-2.
The pair have been charged with second-degree sex trafficking of a child under 18 with bail set at $300,000. “It is anticipated the ongoing investigation will reveal further minor victims,” court document note.
Police say casino employees played a major role in breaking up the alleged crime. River City staff members go through extensive human trafficking training to spot these types of incidents. Casino management is also tasked with spotting and stopping underage gambling during casino entry or online casino registration.
“It was one of our frontline team members who brought this matter to the attention of our security team and ultimately local police,” casino officials said.
