Not paying your casino marker of an amount of more than $650 is category D felony. Know more about this with this presentation from Atty. Ross Goodman! For further info, explore the blog version here: https://goo.gl/BxG6nj

1. NRS on Casino Markers
By Atty. Ross Goodman
Las Vegas Criminal Defense Lawyer

2. It should not be a surprise that Las Vegas which is dubbed as the
Entertainment Capital in the World is a hub for gambling or
gaming, a term the state of Nevada prefers.
Of course, not everyone has an unlimited supply of cash in hand
this is why casinos offer markers—or a credit that
can be used for gaming.
The casino laws in Nevada are clear what would happen
if you do not pay a casino marker and eventually go
in debt with it.
In this presentation are information as seen from the Nevada
Revised Statutes (NRS) that you need to know if you are
currently facing casino marker charges.

3. What is a marker in gambling?
Casino markers (sometimes called Las Vegas markers when in
Las Vegas) are essentially a line of credit a gamer can loan to
make gambling even more convenient. With it, people would
not have to go back and forth on ATMs just to get money.
After filing an application that involves your bank information,
a gambler will claim the markers in form of chips or an actual
cash. Casino markers are usually a no-interest loan that should
be paid within 30 days.

4. What does NRS say about casino marker
crimes?
It is a crime when a gambler won’t pay their casino marker.
This is called defaulting. Within 30 days, the balance should be
settled. If this does not happen, the casino will try to withdraw
funds from the bank account of the person. If no money can be
extracted, the casino then turns to the District Attorney’s Office
to file a complaint. The borrower then gets notified of their debt
and will be given at least 10 days to resolve their case. A
warrant of arrest shall be issued if no payment was made.
Casino marker crimes are covered in NRS 205.130. It is stated
that whoever willfully uses a check issued by a licensed gaming
establishment while fully knowing that he or she does not have
sufficient funds to pay the instrument is guilty of
misdemeanor.

5. .What are the penalties for a casino marker crime?
The levels of penalties in a casino marker violation depends on the amount of
debt:
• An unsettled credit of less than $650 is a misdemeanor and incurs penalties
of at least six months in jail and a fine of $1,000.
• When you default a casino marker for $650 or more, you will be charged of
category D felony and will have to endure penalties such as 1 to 4 years of
incarceration, fines of $10,000 for each marker, a necessary restitution to
the casino, and a tainted credit record.
• If you left the state at the time of the charges, you will be extradited back to
Nevada to face the court. For visitors from other states or from another
country, deportation back to their country should be in order.

6. What are the defenses for casino marker
charges?
It only takes a copy of the original marker for the prosecutor to
prove that you are guilty of defaulting. This alone should
encourage you to work with your defense attorney diligently to
know what defenses you can use to protect your liberty.
Nonetheless, here are some of the arguments that you could use
during trial:

7. Marker is invalid
One of the most well-known defenses for casino marker case is
that the marker being used for your prosecution is unacceptable.
You could bring up wrong information such as your name being
spelled differently, your lack of signature, and being post-dated.
Defrauding was not of intent
Sometimes due to pressure or the atmosphere of the place,
gamblers go out of control with spending their markers. You can
actually use this as a defense, stating that you have no any
intention to defraud. This can be validated by your good credit
history and a proof that you have sufficient fund when the deal
was taken place.
Plea bargains are available for casino marker charges wherein a
prosecutor will allow the defendant to pay monthly for the costs
they have taken from the casino, granted that they do not have
previous cases of similar terms and are cooperating well.

8. When visiting casinos in Nevada, make sure you are gaming
responsibly. We recommended that you do your research about
casino laws particularly Las Vegas markers and have your
criminal defense attorney in check in case an unlawful casino
marker charges are accused on you.
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