Sharing Links
Recent Articles
- Lingerie Bowl IX at the Orleans Arena Sunday
- Mayweather to fight Cotto, not Pacquiao, May 5th
- MGM Lion Habitat closes for good
- Aces of Comedy opens Friday at The Mirage
- Vegas oddsmakers sweating bullets, rooting for the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI
- Time to get in shape - Vegas pool season announced at Mandalay Bay
- President Obama will visit Las Vegas next week
- Vegas adds another Restaurant Week
- UNLV basketball once again a big draw in Vegas
- CES opens tomorrow, but anticipation builds today
Nevada Casinos warned about the use of card-counting iPhones
The Nevada Gaming Control Board has recently issued a statement warning the state casinos about the existence of card counting software that can be installed and used on touch screen devices such as iPhones and iPods. The use of this new software, which presumably aids players to keep an accurate card count, was detected by a Californian Casino after its security agents noticed that several blackjack players were allegedly using their touch screen phones to cheat the house.
According to the Nevada control board member Randy Sayre, even when card counting is not considered an illegal activity in the state of in Nevada, using a device to perform this activity is considered a criminal act under the state’s laws. Players using the iPhone card-counting software can be held in custody by the casino operators and consequently arrested and processed by state gaming agents.
The program, which can be installed through the iTunes software, uses four different tactics to count and keep a record of the cards dealt. The program can also be used in the "stealth mode," which means that players can still use the software even when the phone's screen is off. This way, players can use the software without being detected as long as they remember how to insert the info.
Sayre commented that the Nevada Gaming Control Board has not received any reports from the Las Vegas casinos. However, Sayre made clear that even when each casino has the right to decide its internal policies regarding the use of cellular phones and other electronic devices, the Nevada Gaming Control Board consider the iPhone program an electronic method for cheating.
Last year, the Nevada gaming regulators lifted the ban on cellular phones inside race and sports books. After the launch of the iPhone in 2007, Harrah's Entertainment, owner of the WSOP, decided to restrict their use at the World Series of Poker. Cellular phones are banned at the tournament; although, other devices such as iPods and MP3 players still allowed at the poker tables.
According to the Nevada control board member Randy Sayre, even when card counting is not considered an illegal activity in the state of in Nevada, using a device to perform this activity is considered a criminal act under the state’s laws. Players using the iPhone card-counting software can be held in custody by the casino operators and consequently arrested and processed by state gaming agents.
The program, which can be installed through the iTunes software, uses four different tactics to count and keep a record of the cards dealt. The program can also be used in the "stealth mode," which means that players can still use the software even when the phone's screen is off. This way, players can use the software without being detected as long as they remember how to insert the info.
Sayre commented that the Nevada Gaming Control Board has not received any reports from the Las Vegas casinos. However, Sayre made clear that even when each casino has the right to decide its internal policies regarding the use of cellular phones and other electronic devices, the Nevada Gaming Control Board consider the iPhone program an electronic method for cheating.
Last year, the Nevada gaming regulators lifted the ban on cellular phones inside race and sports books. After the launch of the iPhone in 2007, Harrah's Entertainment, owner of the WSOP, decided to restrict their use at the World Series of Poker. Cellular phones are banned at the tournament; although, other devices such as iPods and MP3 players still allowed at the poker tables.