Meetings & Information




*****************************
****************************************************
MUST READ:
GET THE FACTS!






Friday, July 31, 2015

Is Las Vegas Sands A Victim Of Geopolitical Rivalry?


Interesting excerpt:

Is Las Vegas Sands A Victim Of Geopolitical Rivalry?


According to the Guardian, which cites a secret report commissioned by Sheldon Adelson's China unit, Sands China, back in 2010, Chinese authorities in the mainland feared U.S. gambling establishments were used by the CIA to ensnare and blackmail Chinese officials. The report, which was prepared by a private investigator amid disquiet among U.S. establishments in the former Portuguese territory, stated that several Chinese officials believed the CIA was very active in Macau, adding that U.S. intelligence infiltrated and utilized U.S.-owned gambling businesses to "support their operations."
The investigation was conducted after it was felt that Macau's authorities were turning increasingly hostile toward U.S.-owned casinos, particularly Sands China, according to the Guardian's recent article.
While LVS has ridiculed the report, calling it an "idea for a movie script," from an investor's point of view, one cannot ignore this story. Given that China today is the biggest geopolitical rival of the U.S., China's crackdown on corruption could well be a ploy to scare away government officials from gambling in Macau.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/3374855-is-las-vegas-sands-a-victim-of-geopolitical-rivalry


High rollers: Dealers describe special treatment, abuse





Casinos forced to deal with rule-breaking high rollers


07.31.2015     08:22 AM     

SportsMemo.com blog entry.
Not surprising, but for all the stringent rules casinos have, those who enter with a suitcase full of cash can typically get away with anything they want. That includes acting like a spoiled six-year old who doesn't like it when they lose.


"All men are created equal except in the casino," Glen Costales, the pit manager, said at a hearing before a tribal gaming commission in May. Transcripts of the hearing were obtained by The Associated Press. "If it's a premium player, he gets away with a lot more than the five-dollar player would get away with."

"The casinos pretend they have rules that are set in stone, like going into a bank or dealing with a police station. Are they supposed to allow late bets? Absolutely not. Do they do it all the time? All the time," said Kaufmann, a dealer who sees plenty of crude behavior himself. "The abuse, the screaming, the cheating, the sexual harassment. Throwing things around. It's worse all the time."





High rollers: Dealers describe special 

treatment, abuse

Image
JESSICA HILL / AP
In this Sept. 18, 2013, file photo, patrons play craps at a table at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. In the competition to attract and keep the biggest spenders, casinos are known to pull out the stops with comped hotel rooms, meals and rebates for a percentage of their losses. During a May 2015 hearing, dealers said they often had to endure abuse from high roller betters while extending courtesies average players do not receive.



Updated Tuesday, July 28, 2015 | 1:27 p.m.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — One high roller requests a refrigerator full of bananas that he squeezes and throws as he gambles. Another urinates against a wall. Other high-stakes players described by a pit manager at Mohegan Sun, one of the world's largest casinos, throw chairs, scream at dealers and expect rules to be bent at the tables.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^





In the increasing competition for the biggest spenders, casinos are known to pull out all the stops with comped hotel rooms, meals and rebates for a percentage of their losses. But some dealers say efforts to satisfy and retain the players — known as "whales" — go much further, with casinos tolerating abuse and extending courtesies that test the integrity of the games.


"All men are created equal except in the casino," Glen Costales, the pit manager, said at a hearing before a tribal gaming commission in May. Transcripts of the hearing were obtained by The Associated Press. "If it's


Costales was testifying in support of a pit boss, Maria DeGiacomo, who was fired this year after the casino accused her of colluding with a high roller by allowing late bets at a blackjack table. DeGiacomo and other employees say dealers frequently grant similar requests from top players.

The player, Matthew Menchetti, was a regular who lost as much as $50,000 on visits to Mohegan Sun, and a lifetime total of more than $1 million. Casino security flagged his play as suspicious in February and asked state police to arrest him and two dealers, but the detective concluded DeGiacomo and another dealer apparently took it upon themselves to keep Menchetti happy and playing, according to a police report, and no charges were filed.

His attorney, John Strafaci, said Menchetti is seeking to have his name cleared by the gaming commission since state police cleared him of wrongdoing. He said what his client was doing was normal for players of his caliber.

Mohegan Sun's president, Raymond Pineault, said its termination of the dealers involved and its ejection of the player demonstrate it does not tolerate any bending of the rules.

Shane Kaufmann, a vice president for a branch of the Transport Workers Union in Las Vegas, which represents several thousand casino dealers, said rules are frequently ignored at high-stakes tables.

"The casinos pretend they have rules that are set in stone, like going into a bank or dealing with a police station. Are they supposed to allow late bets? Absolutely not. Do they do it all the time? All the time," said Kaufmann, a dealer who sees plenty of crude behavior himself. "The abuse, the screaming, the cheating, the sexual harassment. Throwing things around. It's worse all the time."

Gaming commissions enforce the rules at casinos across the country, but the level of scrutiny can vary by jurisdiction. Dealers say state inspectors in Atlantic City, New Jersey, for one, have a reputation for toughness. In Connecticut, the state does not have any oversight of table games at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, where the tribes that own the casinos also control their own gaming commissions.

Costales, who described the banana squeezer and public urinator without revealing their names in his testimony, said such outrageous behavior is tolerated more these days because of growing competition than when he joined the business three decades ago.

Menchetti, who also was testifying in support of DeGiacomo, told the gaming commission that when he said he'd forgotten to post a bet, DeGiacomo and others generally made accommodations. He said the intention was never to steal — at most, it prolonged his stay at the table — but he expected special treatment, given his level of play, according to the transcript of the hearing.

"It's no different in my mind than me calling my host and asking him for an extra 2,500 points on my account so I can go purchase something at a Lux, Bond & Green," he said, referring to a jewelry store.

DeGiacomo said Menchetti did not do anything close to cheating and the two of them became victims of selective enforcement because certain bosses did not like either of them.

DeGiacomo, who is still fighting her dismissal, said rules shifted depending on the player and pit bosses were encouraged to keep high rollers happy. She testified during her hearing: "I have to make sure that we get our money, which we did, every time he played. There's maybe two times he won."

As part of the state police investigation, the detective interviewed several dealers who said Menchetti would hit the table, curse and yell at them. They told the detective that in cases where he or other high rollers asked to post a late bet or for other considerations, they would defer to a superior.


http://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/jul/28/high-rollers-dealers-describe-special-treatment-ab/?_ga=1.48915744.70279974.1427122288



Two people accused of cheating at casinos



  • Two people accused of cheating at casinos









    • By Staff Reports

      Posted Jul. 30, 2015 at 3:09 PM 


      LAKE CHARLES — Two Houston residents were arrested by Louisiana State Police Gaming Troopers and accused of cheating in separate incidents at two different Lake Charles area casinos, according to LSP.
      Long B. Nguyen, 44, was accused of cheating during a game of Mini-Baccarat on July 25 at a Lake Charles area casino.
      Nguyen was located in the casino and interviewed by troopers from the Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division, after which he was arrested "for cheating and swindling," the release states.
      Another incident allegedly occurred on July 27, according to police, when  Thu T. Vo, 41, was playing Mini-Baccarat at another Lake Charles area casino.
      Vo was also located by authorities within the casino, interviewed and arrested "for cheating and swindling," police said.
      Both Nguyen and Vo were booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center.
      If convicted, each faces up to five years in prison and/or up to a $2,000 fine.
      http://www.beauregarddailynews.net/article/20150730/NEWS/150739975





    Batman-inspired sheriff spends taxpayer dollars like Bruce Wayne on casinos and first-class trips




    Batman-inspired sheriff spends taxpayer dollars like Bruce Wayne on casinos and first-class trips




    Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill -WXIA screencap

    Thursday, July 30, 2015

    Man Steals Security Guard’s Car During Attack Outside Resorts World




    Police: Man Steals Security Guard’s Car During Attack Outside Queens Casino

    Wednesday, July 29, 2015

    Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act moves forward after markup session



    Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act moves forward after markup session

    Former Tech employee indicted on felony theft charges to feed lottery addiction




    Former Tech employee indicted on felony theft charges

    Douglas Sims blames actions on addiction to Texas Lottery

    Posted: July 28, 2015

    Sims
    Sims
    A former Texas Tech employee told a Lubbock police detective he stole from the university and from two other businesses to support his addiction to playing the Texas Lottery.
    A Lubbock County grand jury indicted Tuesday Douglas Sims on a three third-degree felony counts of theft between $20,000 to $100,000.
    Prosecutors accuse Sims of stealing thousands of items from three companies including Tech and pawned them at four pawn shops and at a metal scrap yard in Lubbock, according to an arrest warrant.
    Sims later told Lubbock police Det. Bradley McMahan he initially lied to him about not stealing Tech property to save his job.
    Sims is listed as an asbestos compliance manager for Tech’s engineering services, according to the Tech staff directory online.
    However, officials said Sims’ indictment only alleges items stolen from two contracting companies.
    More charges alleging theft from Tech may follow, the officials said.
    Tech spokesman Chris Cook said Sims was fired earlier this month.
    McMahan reported he went through a database pawn shops and jewelry stores update and discovered Sims received more than $56,000 from selling 1,076 items from pawn shops between January 2012 to June 27, the warrant states.
    The items pawned included surveying equipment such as a level, a survey magnet and tripods; construction equipment such as a drill, a grinder and a power inverter; and air testing equipment such as a vaporizer, a pump and a microscope.
    The items belonged to Wilkerson Properties and to X8 Environmental, for whom Sims worked on a part-time or contractual basis.
    The owners of the firms said Sims had authority to use the property but not to pawn it.
    After conducting surveillance on Sims, McMahan interviewed Sims at his office at Tech.
    The detective reported Sims knew why he was there and admitted to pawning the property to pay back loans.
    Sims initially denied stealing Tech property, but later admitted to stealing from the school.
    McMahan reported Sims confessed to his employers he stole their property and was willing to return the property and make amends.
    Sims left the detective a voicemail saying “I got pretty stupid there, and greedy.”
    Sims also provided a list of items he pawned without permission, the warrant states.
    Sims blamed his actions on his addiction to playing the Texas Lottery. He told McMahan his gambling addiction nearly cost him his marriage.
    McMahan reported Sims gave him consent to search his vehicle and the detective found golf clubs, pawn tickests and literature on addiction recovery, the warrant states.
    Sims was arrested July 14 and was released on bond July 17, according to court records.
    A third-degree felony carries a punishment of two to 10 years in prison.

    http://lubbockonline.com/crime-and-courts/courts/2015-07-28/former-tech-employee-indicted-felony-theft-charges#.Vbi2X7NVhHw


    Federal judge halts work on tribe's gambling hall






    AQUINNAH

    Federal judge halts work on tribe's gambling hall

    Town secures temporary restraining order to stop tribe project




    • By The Associated Press

      Posted Jul. 28, 2015 at 9:34 PM 

      BOSTON — A federal judge has ordered a Martha's Vineyard tribe to stop work on a gambling hall on the island.
      U.S. District Court Judge Dennis Saylor ruled Tuesday in favor of the town of Aquinnah, which sought a temporary restraining order against the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) to stop the construction.
      Earlier this month, the federally recognized tribe started converting an unfinished community center into a gambling hall, where it intended to offer electronic, bingo-style games. Tribal officials had said they hoped to open the facility by the fall.
      But the town says the tribe should wait until a lawsuit filed by the state, the town and a local community association challenging the tribe's plans is decided. Saylor hears arguments in that case Aug. 12.
      The tribe counters that the gambling hall is on sovereign, tribal land and not subject to local law.
      The 1,200-member tribe owns 485 acres in the southwestern corner of the Vineyard, in the town of Aquinnah, but only about 300 members live on the island.
      Though the community center underwent a multiyear town regulatory permitting process, the new proposed use of the building for electronic bingo has not, and must do so, according to the town. The tribe contends it announced in 2013 plans to move ahead with a Class II gaming facility on its land on the island, and that it admitted so to town officials in October 2014 as well, according to a statement sent to the Times July 14 by the Aquinnah Wampanoag Gaming Corp., an affiliate of the tribe. In the statement, the corporation wrote that the tribe has federal approvals in place that allow it to proceed and called the motion for a restraining order a “minor distraction from the merits of the respective position of the Tribe and the United States on one side, and the Commonwealth, the homeowners association and the town on the other.”
      Class II gaming includes bingo but does not include card games or slot machines.
      After the tribe ignored a cease-and-desist order sent July 6 by a town assistant building inspector and appeared to be moving forward with construction on the gambling hall, the town sought the restraining order granted by Saylor on Tuesday as part of an existing federal case brought in 2013 by the state against the tribe, the tribal council and the gaming corporation.
      Tribe members are scheduled to vote Aug. 16 on a petition brought by some tribe members to stop the conversion of the community center building to a gaming facility. A referendum vote by tribe members to ban gaming on the tribe’s island land failed by a few votes a year ago, reflecting a split among tribe members over the issue.
      “I expected it,” former tribe Chairwoman Beverly Wright said about the judge’s decision. “It was ill-timed that they started the construction before the ruling. The gaming corporation should have waited.”
      Wright said she didn't have a problem with the tribe doing gaming as economic development but didn't think it should be done “on our homeland.”
       “It’s situated right near our elders and there are children nearby,” she said.
      Tribe Chairman Tobias Vanderhoop and Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, chairwoman of the gaming corporation and former tribe chairwoman, did not respond to a message seeking comment for this story.
      — Staff writers Mary Ann Bragg and Kerri Kelleher contributed to this story.
      http://www.capecodtimes.com/article/20150728/NEWS/150729331/101015/NEWSLETTER100