ACSN Issue #9

Atlantic City Surveillance
News!
The Spring 2010 Issue - #9
Internet viewing:
http://www.worldgameprotection.com/archive/
www.oregonsurveillancenetwork.com
Boardwalk View of Snow Covered Garden Pier
History Making Snow Storm ~ December 19th, 2009

Section #1
Section #2
Section #3
World
Contents pg 1
Editor’s Desk by Tony Weiss
Press – Change - Rearrange pg 2
National News pg 3
“The Marketing of Surveillance”
By Tony Weiss PG. 30
BJ & Poker Download Apps
PG 33
The Cost of Slot Promo Scams
By Glenn Novakoff PG34
TCP Card Bending Scam
By Dennis Lamond, Rick Pfeifer & Tina Carletti
PG36
Money Generators ~ Who Works for Whom
By Russ Schellhas PG39
National
News
Exclusive
Articles &
Guest
Writers
Local
Scams
Using Critical Thinking to
Protect Casino Games
By Bill Zender
Poker Cheating Devices
& Methods
By Tony Weiss, ACSN
The Ivy League
Surveillance Professional
By Greg Schaaf
2010 W.P.G. Notes
By Bruce E. Band
The Oregon Surveillance
Network ~ Q&A
With Alicia Barney
Surveillance and Casino
Math
By Robert Hannum
Pg
5.
Pg.
Pg.
29
2010 Issue #9
Pg.
16
13
0
Pg
24
Pg
8.
EXCLUSIVEEXCLUSIVEEXCLUSIVEEXCLUSIVE GUESTGUESTGUESTGUEST
ARTICLESARTICLESARTICLESARTICLES
Ask The Professor – Dice Sliding Tells
By Kevin Kelly PG41
Combating the Casino Hustling Flea
By Frank Hauser PG48
Invisible Subs & Signals
By Tony Weiss PG51
2010 Surveillance SARC Guide
By Tony Weiss PG53

PRESSPRESSPRESSPRESS CHANGECHANGECHANGECHANGE RRRREARRANGEEARRANGEEARRANGEEARRANGE
Walk into any gambling establishment across the country and you’ll hear the words press,
change and rearrange coming from the dice pit. The stickperson uses unique rhythmic calls
to create excitement and generate business. This is one of only a few table games
positions where the dealer can add revenue to the bottom line by selling proposition bets.
The industry is now in a similar situation as we are forced to look at the economic business
drivers that have been ignored for so long. It seems that the “can’t miss” development
project has been put on the back burner in almost every jurisdiction. We must all take a
page from the stickperson and figure out ways to create excitement as well as all working
to protect assets. What will your unique call be?What will your unique call be?What will your unique call be?What will your unique call be?
Global surveillance operations are no longer immune to the financial crunch as we hear
whispers of layoffs, budget crunching, inventory control and training/travel expense
reductions. We are looking at areas of the casino business model that were never
considered traditional surveillance. Food and Beverage, table games analysis, casino
accounting methodology, risk management and the clubs are now juggled into the already
busy agendas of a forward thinking progressive surveillance department.
Many of the great information sites such as the World Game Protection Catwalk are on
hiatus due to the need to concentrate on new product and revenue streams. ACSN recently
reached out to Willy Allison regarding the surveillance community. He is excited about the
fantastic showing at WGP and concentrating on creating dynamic new products and
training tools. We talked about everything he has done to allow ACSN to have a global
voice. We agreed to continue to place ACSN on “The Catwalk” as we have in the past. This
is one more example of Willy’s commitment to provide information to our community.
http://www.worldgameprotection.com/archive/http://www.worldgameprotection.com/archive/http://www.worldgameprotection.com/archive/http://www.worldgameprotection.com/archive/
Atlantic City Surveillance News was created to provide information and training to all levels of
casino surveillance. We have grown due to the contributions and support of this great community.
This issue is dedicated to the memory of Harry Elwood, a true surveillance professional!
ACSN Editor’s Desk
By tony Weiss
ASCN can be contacted at: surveillance@theborgata.com

CBS News Investigation into Photocopiers Raises Questions in Buffalo
Posted by Emily Rand (CBS original)
On the heels of CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian's investigation into
documents stored on digital photocopier hard drives, CBS affiliate WIVB reports that fingers are
being pointed in Buffalo, NY.
Two of the four copiers - randomly purchased by CBS News from a used copier warehouse in
New Jersey - happened to be from the Buffalo Police Department.
The copiers were loaded with confidential documents, from police reports to lists of wanted sex
offenders.
Buffalo City Byron Mayor Brown said he would refrain from commenting on our report until the
hard drives we found in the copiers were returned, telling a WIVB reporter, "I think we're gonna
wait for the information to get back."
ACSN Question: Does your casino have a copier policy to clear out duplicated information
within the hard drive? Can you imagine if player database, executive documents or strategic
planning information was left in the copier memory upon the end of the lease?
ACSN National News: Torn from the Headlines

Infosecurity
ATM robberies prompt tech rethink in Thailand
By Robin Hicks | 12 March 2009
Thailand has revamped more than 30,000 automated teller machines (ATMs) to prevent criminal
gangs from stealing bank account information amid a spat of thefts in the South East
Asian country.
The ATM Business Community in Thailand has admitted that it is struggling
to keep pace with the new technology used by criminals to copy bank account
information from ATM cards.
The methods used to steel from ATMs include attaching fake keypads, tiny
cameras and car readers placed over the machine’s card slot to record a bank
card’s magnetic strip and PIN number.
No details of how the machines were being altered have emerged. Special stickers will be affixed
to the revamped machines to show that they are safe for use.
A man was arrested earlier this week for allegedly running a syndicate that took more than
US$127,000 by attaching skimming devices to ATM machines in the Thai province
of Chumphon.
Ex-casino executive on $5m scam charge
Melanie Pilling | October 22nd, 2008
A FORMER Jupiters Casino executive has been charged over his alleged involvement in a major food supply scam that
allegedly fleeced the casino of more than $5 million.
Police allege William Noel Partridge, 49, a former Conrad Jupiters purchasing officer, and four other men who worked as
either casino employees or independent food suppliers, defrauded the casino of $5,083,185 between June, 1993, and
August, 2001.
It is alleged the scam involved the use of false food purchase orders and supplier invoices for 'phantom product' that was
not delivered to the casino.
Court documents allege a casino storeman raised concerns with Jupiters Casino management in November, 2000, when a
pallet of meat invoiced to the casino was not delivered. Computer records also allegedly showed a 'series of similar
instances' had occurred and some employees had suspected fraud.
But it was alleged the 'whistleblowers' who had approached management were being victimised for attempting to
investigate the errors. The scam allegedly involved 1975 fraudulent invoices.

Using Critical Thinking to Better Protect our Casino GamesUsing Critical Thinking to Better Protect our Casino GamesUsing Critical Thinking to Better Protect our Casino GamesUsing Critical Thinking to Better Protect our Casino Games
An Exclusive ACSN Surveillance article by Bill Zender
The topic of critical thinking is something that is stressed in Business College. When I went back to school
and received my Masters in Business, the process of “critical thinking” as used in the business environment
was considered one of the important steps in achieving a competitive business or personal advantage. It’s
important that we learn to look at things from different angles before we render an opinion or make a crucial
decision. Some situations aren’t always the same as they first appear. This is true even in casino game
protection. Sometimes failing to look at the “big picture” will prevent us from seeing the real problem.
Sometimes we focus on the symptom of the problem and not the problem itself. And sometimes we try to force
the proverbial “round peg into a square hole”, because we are certain that our first impression of a situation
is the true problem. Let’s examine several real life situations involving gaming and game protection, and see
how the lack of critical thinking affects our ability to solve the true problem.
What are the differences between floor operations’ and surveillance’s perception of the threat of card
counting?
Operations perspective: The player is beating us for $100,000 in blackjack. He must be a card counter?
Situation: A blackjack player who is not counting, and has virtually no bet spread continues to win.
Surveillance has checked the customer’s play, confirmed there is no card counting issues, and based on the
casino procedures, can’t find any indication of marked card play, or hole-card play. They give their finding to
operations, but operations still backs off the player.
For some reason, executives in operations are fixated on card counting. Any player winning a decent sum in
blackjack is always suspected of gaining an undetermined edge through the process of card counting
regardless of their bet spread or hand decision characteristics. Years ago, as a casino floor supervisor, I was
asked to watch a higher limit blackjack game to determine if the suspected “winning” player was counting
cards. After watching several decks, I told the casino shift manager that I didn’t believe the player was
counting. To further support my opinion, I explained that the player had made a series of bad betting and
hand playing decisions that were contrary to the count of the cards. I thought explaining these betting and

play decisions would help support my opinion that the player wasn’t counting cards; however the shift
manager wasn’t satisfied. “How do you know he wasn’t trying to throw us off by making bad plays?”
exclaimed the shift manager. Even though I offered evidence that the suspected customer was not counting
cards, the shift manager still clung to the possibility he was winning because he was counting. Is the shift
manager trying to force the round peg into the square hole?
Another familiar comment from operations is, “I don’t know what he is doing, but he is doing something”. In
many cases when a blackjack player is winning an unusual amount of money, floor supervisors immediately
assume he has to be up to no good. Players can’t win at the game of blackjack “on the square”, can they?
They have no concept of result fluctuation, nor are they willing to believe that the player deserves to win
occasionally. I know of a casino where floor operations and surveillance had to come to an agreement as to a
minimum “win” threshold for mandatory video review. Floor operations had tested surveillance’s patience.
Unless surveillance was prepared to conduct continual video reviews on winning blackjack players, they had
to establish some parameters for review. Either that or double the surveillance department’s workforce.
Why do we focus on one specific detail, and have a problem looking at the entire picture?
Surveillance perspective: Based on a recent surveillance flyer, an operator thinks he recognizes a person
standing near the crap table as a suspected craps “rail thief”.
Situation: Surveillance is worried that a suspected “rail thief” is working the outside of a crap table waiting to
steal $100 checks from a player. They watch the alleged thief standing near the player, and focus on the
player’s chips in the rail. When the suspect leaves the casino, one of the operators makes a startling
discovery. Upon video review, the black check bettor was observed making illegal “late” bets on the odds and
in the field. While surveillance was focusing on a possible $100 theft, the player they were trying to protect
cheated the casino for several thousand dollars.
The previously described situation actually happened. One of the strip casinos had recorded some
surveillance tape on a suspected rail thief and had a gaming consultant look at the tape to see if he could
identify the suspect in question. After watching the tape for several minutes, he inquired whether or not
surveillance had been watching the dice player with the black chips strung out along the crap table’s rail. No
they hadn’t. “Well, maybe you should” commented the consultant. When surveillance went back to watch the
tape again, this time focusing on the craps player, they noted several incidents where the player past posted
the field and pass line odds on winning rolls. Why had they missed the obvious? Because all of us have a
tendency to channel our attention towards specific actions or details. The flyer indicted that the person in
question might be a rail thief so that was everyone’s focus. Self-help books would tell us we need to start
thinking “outside the box”, or looking at each situation from different angles regardless of what we have been
led to believe about a situation.
The importance of using the word “why” when evaluating a situation
Floor operation and surveillance perspective: A person playing poor basic strategy is nothing but a poor
player. Let’s move on to something else.
Situation: For two weeks surveillance and floor operations have been watching several players consistently
win large amounts of money on a couple of six deck shoe games. The players’ hand decisions have been quite
bizarre to say the least. Because of the wins, the play has been reviewed a number of times from both the floor
and surveillance. The consensus; observations indicate the players are poor basic strategy players.

The concept of knowing basic strategy is paramount in the gaming industry. Floor supervisors and managers
who watch blackjack have to know it. Surveillance personnel have to know it. Blackjack basic strategy is the
foundation of understanding and protecting the game of blackjack. Without knowledge of basic strategy no
one would be able to determine if a player were counting cards, shuffle tracking, gaining hole-card
information, or cheating by marking cards.
One day I received a phone call from a casino manager regarding a recent loss his casino experienced due to
a team of hole-card players. He explained that the team played several different dealers over an extended
period of time, and beat the casino out of a “large” amount of money. He further went on to explain that the
hole-card play occurred on a shoe dealt game. “My floor staff and the surveillance operators all know basic
strategy, but it took two weeks before someone on the casino floor snapped to the unusual play” he explained.
“Why didn’t anyone catch the play sooner?”
There are two reasons why this situation occurred and the casino lost money to an obvious hole-card play.
First, most of us limit our view of hole-card attacks to hand pitch games only. We know what “front loading”
is and how it occurs, but how can someone front load a shoe dealt game? Since we harbor the opinion that the
shoe game is safe from hole-carding, we rule it out as a possibility. If we see a bad hand decision in the shoe
game we don’t get suspicious. It’s because the player doesn’t know basic strategy and is a “poor” player.
Second, we teach our employees basic strategy, and test them on a regular basis, isn’t that enough? Teaching
people basic strategy and teaching them why they need to learn it doesn’t necessarily go hand in hand in our
industry. They need to know the “why”, and they also need to examine situations where bad hand strategy
plays can indicate there is a game protection problem. In this casino’s case, they armed their people with the
tools to do the job, the problem was they didn’t teach them the proper way to use them.
Thinking “outside the box”
In my game protection seminars I tell everyone that the most important tool we can use to protect the casino
games is the word “why”. Why did the blackjack player take insurance when wagering a large bet? Why did
the roulette player make a series of late bets at the top of the layout after the dealer waved off? Why did the
blackjack player stand on a hand total of “12” while the dealer displayed an up-card of “9”? Using the
“why” word, we force ourselves to look at the situation one more time. This will help steer us away from the
obvious, “dumb play” or “stupid player” toward a possible problem, “past poster” or “card counter” or
“hole-card player”.
By using “why”, we start to think outside of the box. It leads to the use of critical thinking to examine a
problem so that we don’t focus on the symptom of the problem, or worse, ignore the problem entirely. By re-
directing our thought process, whether we are in surveillance or floor operations, we will become better at
what we do, and provide the best game protection coverage that our organization deserves.
ACSN thanks Bill for taking the time to write this article. He is a friend and supporter of ACSN as well as sharing of
critical casino surveillance information. His expertise and industry knowledge are unparalleled.
Bill Zender, a former Nevada Gaming Control Agent, worked his way up through the casino industry starting as a
blackjack dealer in 1976, finally advancing to vice president/director of casino operations and owner of the Aladdin
Hotel and Casino in the 1990's. During his vast job experiences over the last twenty seven Bill has owned and operated
his own dealing school, taught a course on casino management at University of Nevada, Reno and Las Vegas and
Community College of Southern Nevada, given numerous game protection seminars to both gaming companies and
law enforcement agencies, written four books on blackjack and Asian games, served as an expert witness on gaming
in various courts, and had also played blackjack professionally in the 1980's. Presently Bill is engaged in gaming
consulting relative to game protection issues, and casino operational evaluations and assessment.

The concept for this article is the result of a very interesting proposal made by one of the
world’s richest men. Warren Buffet met this
Business for a town hall meeting on the state of the economy. As he
the Ivy League students he knowingly has lost a total of ten billion dollars
Hathaway stock for the 2009 calendar year. With that in mind, he made an amazing o
all of the attendees. His offer was to give $100,000 to anyone for 10% of their potential future
earnings. What he was saying was that he believed in the
the economy would turn for the better. Warren Buffet was willing to put his money where his
mouth was.
ACSN: How do you place a value on the potential of a surveillance associate?
Greg Schaaf: Selecting the appropriate candidate is a critical challenge and decision for all
surveillance managers. Each new surveillance associate requires extensive training and
mentoring. A proper candidate requires the desire to make casino surveillance a career
choice/path (to have associates that are punching the cloc
productive to any operation). They must possess the ability to learn
hopefully “outside the box”, and
environment. The capability of “leaving their egos at the door” is essential.
Surveillance associates are the back
should be developed to take on any challenges or opportunities that are presented to them. It is
the manager/director’s responsibility to ensure their success. Each operation is a complex
myriad of activities and events; surveillance associates are invaluable to the product
success of an operation. Each associate is a moving part which must be effective to operate at
peak levels. The goal is to avoid the status quo and take advantage of each opportunity by
exceeding expectations. Surveillance associates
evolve our operations.
ACSN Q&A
world’s richest men. Warren Buffet met this past November with the Columbia School of
Business for a town hall meeting on the state of the economy. As he sat and addressed all of
y League students he knowingly has lost a total of ten billion dollars
Hathaway stock for the 2009 calendar year. With that in mind, he made an amazing o
earnings. What he was saying was that he believed in the American business model knowing
How do you place a value on the potential of a surveillance associate?
Selecting the appropriate candidate is a critical challenge and decision for all
candidate requires the desire to make casino surveillance a career
hoice/path (to have associates that are punching the clock and checking their watch is
They must possess the ability to learn, think creatively
and be part of a high energy, sometimes stressful and creative work
environment. The capability of “leaving their egos at the door” is essential.
Surveillance associates are the back-bone of each surveillance operation. Each new associate
d to take on any challenges or opportunities that are presented to them. It is
director’s responsibility to ensure their success. Each operation is a complex
myriad of activities and events; surveillance associates are invaluable to the product
The goal is to avoid the status quo and take advantage of each opportunity by
Surveillance associates are the future of surveillance.
The Potential of an Iv
By Greg Schaaf, Surveillance Director
ACSN Q&A
November with the Columbia School of
sat and addressed all of
y League students he knowingly has lost a total of ten billion dollars in Berkshire
Hathaway stock for the 2009 calendar year. With that in mind, he made an amazing offer to
American business model knowing
How do you place a value on the potential of a surveillance associate?
Selecting the appropriate candidate is a critical challenge and decision for all
candidate requires the desire to make casino surveillance a career
watch is counter-
creatively on their own
be part of a high energy, sometimes stressful and creative work
bone of each surveillance operation. Each new associate
d to take on any challenges or opportunities that are presented to them. It is
director’s responsibility to ensure their success. Each operation is a complex
myriad of activities and events; surveillance associates are invaluable to the productivity and
The goal is to avoid the status quo and take advantage of each opportunity by
are the future of surveillance. We need them to
The Potential of an Ivy League
By Greg Schaaf, Surveillance Director
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa

ACSN: What should a director expect from a fully developed professional?
GS: A qualified surveillance professional is invaluable to any operation. This is a title that is not
easily obtained; the development process is long and challenging. As a professional, you require
experiences, training, mentoring and time to develop the proper foundation to excel in today’s
ever-changing gaming environment where the expectations and challenges have grown at an
accelerated rate; a surveillance professional must be capable of adapting to change, be a
creative thinker and possess the ability to utilize all the tools provided. With the advancement of
technology, we have the opportunity to enhance our productivity through digital recording;
interfaces, software systems and property tracking systems (such as ACSC, Table Touch, etc.)
which provides unlimited information.
A surveillance professional possesses the ability to look well beyond the monitor to develop
investigations, audits and reports (such as false ratings, comp scams, low hold percentage, and
associate thefts, etc.); they should be creative in their thought process and communicate daily
with all the “experts” from each department. They need to possess the ability to professionally
communicate with all levels of management, the regulators, the surveillance community and law
enforcement. A professional can remove the “glass ceilings” many place on themselves and
continue to develop surveillance as an incredible tool for any operation.
ACSN: Is it possible to set future expectations that are backed with tangible results to be
tracked and monitored?
GS: Absolutely, we work in an environment where productivity is critical. As the industry
evolves, so shall surveillance. As the technology improves so does the capabilities of each
surveillance operation. Enhancing professional relationships/communication with each of the
gaming related management representatives will result in additional requests and request for
involvement of problem solving in each area. As the gaming complexes are multi-faceted, the
only way a professional surveillance operation can succeed is by ownership and advanced
involvement by each associate.
It is the director’s responsibility to guage the product being produced and distributed by the
operation. Each log, report, investigation and audit should be evaluated, tracked and monitored.
Through daily evaluations, management can gauge the direction of training, coaching and
counseling needed. Through the development of high minimum operational standards and a
positive operational philosophy the foundation for success is established. With such a
foundation, the identification of tangible results and setting future expectations can easily be
developed.

ACSN: Do you have or should a surveillance director place a specific monetary goal on the
productivity of the associate?
GS: A qualified surveillance associate can/should save the company as least twice their salary.
Today’s surveillance operations have become quite diverse. In an attempt to meet the challenges
of an everchanging gaming environment, surveillance associates must develop well beyond game
protection. We all must assume responsibility for asset protection, finance, accounting, auditing,
risk management, security, external/internal threats and assisting each department on property.
Through the aggressive assistance of surveillance, the property needs to develop an “aura” that
a safe, positive and professional environment exists for all the property’s guests and associates.
Each associate must work diligently to provide the appropriate coverage and documentation to
assist in all legal matters, asset protection, regulatory compliance, the integrity of the gaming
activities and the prevention of illegal activity.
ACSN: Should monetary goals always be the standard measuring stick for an associate or
should the overall contribution to the company be factored as well?
GS: Both tangible and non-tangible monetary goals should be established for each surveillance
operation and personnel. That is how an operation evolves. Establishing tangible goals such as
gaming infractions, cage variations/recovery, internal/external theft, etc. assists in establishing
the standards of the operation. Non-tangible goals such as risk management savings, the effect
on the table game hold, customer service (both internal/external customers) & the assistance in
customer intent to return are all factors that are difficult to measure, but have a positive effect on
the entire operation. However, the overall contribution of the surveillance professional is
something that should not be ignored.
If surveillance professionals develop a positive professional work ethic; if they understand the
standards & operational philosophy of the department; if they can be creative thinkers; if they
can work as team players; if they attempt to develop their skills to their fullest capabilities; if
they develop confidence in their abilities and attempt to exceed expectations they will be
successful. Uncovering scams, limiting vulnerabilities and arresting the”bad guys” is a critical
element to the success of any surveillance operation; but times have changed, and each
operation requires much more. Surveillance has evolved into a multi-faceted operation that has
multiple moving parts. A quality surveillance professional can be highly productive and effective
without uncovering the big money error or scam.
ACSN: According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, research shows a full 37% of
employee activity is not aligned with overall business strategy. What are your thoughts
regarding sharing critical business information so the associate is fully aware of the
company goals?
GS: Understanding the business model is essential to the development of an effective
surveillance operation. Each department and associate should understand the business model to

better understand the role of the department in the property’s success. Working with executive
management; risk assessments should be constantly evaluated and operations should be
modified to minimize the existing Risks (risks such as increased litigation, internal/external theft,
criminal activity, regulatory concerns, vulnerabilities and/or gaming related issues).
Surveillance has the unique ability to be an unbiased third party with access to extensive video
and data. Looking beyond the monitor, surveillance can respond with in-depth research,
investigations and reports on any/all critical areas. Surveillance has the capability to provide
executive management with the appropriate information to assist them in making the proper
business decision.
With a deeper understanding of the business model’ an environment is created where each
associate assumes ownership of the operation. As an active participant in the attempt to achieve
the goals of the company, an enhanced work ethic takes place as each associate attempts to
exceed the expectations of management.
ACSN: Please give your thoughts regarding creative surveillance knowing much of the work
is mandated and repetitive taking up much of the worker’s valuable time?
GS: Surveillance is not a field for everyone, but if you possess a passion for this career choice,
the opportunities are unlimited. You must look at all the regulatory and jurisdictional
requirements as your minimum standards and strive to excel with your own growth and
development. If each associate develops ownership into the operation, everyone can find their
“niche” where they can excel. With a positive professional work environment where productivity
is critical and personal growth is encouraged, each day can be rewarding.
A successful operation develops a diverse group of professionals that possesses a wide variety of
expertise. Each associate can utilize their expertise to train and assist their co-workers. With
associates taking ownership in a variety of areas (such as finance, table games, risk
management, asset protection, security, slots and F&B), the productivity of the department
enhances. Through ownership and the feeling that each associate is recognized for their
contributions to the success of the department; the potential of the department is unlimited.
ACSN: Who fits the definition of an Ivey League Surveillance Professional more, the
associate that cracks a big case a few times a year or the balanced solid performer that
always can be counted on as a steady team contributor?
GS: The greatest asset to a surveillance operation or the Ivy League Surveillance Professional is
the creative thinker. If you build a solid foundation, through developing a strong grasp of the
entire gaming operation and how each department is intertwined with one another’ the
groundwork for success has been laid out. If an associate is positive, professional, creative and a
team player’ success will follow. Creating the proper work environment for each associate to
succeed develops the opportunity for each associate to “crack the big case” or develop a new
program that will benefit the operation/property.

An environment needs to be developed where associates can fail and learn without negative
repercussions. Through proper coaching and counseling sessions, professionals can assume
ownership in the operation and take projects to an advanced level.
We are all faced with the un-daunting task of maintaining the integrity and limiting the risks &
vulnerabilities of multi-million/billion dollar properties. It takes innovative experienced
professionals to attempt to stay ahead of the curve. Developing creative, high energy thinkers
and doers is essential. The best ideas in surveillance come from the front lines.
ACSN: Is it possible that the Ivy League Surveillance Professional will request constant
performance evaluations to enhance their productivity or do you have to have metric based
productivity measurements?
GS: Open communication, with the understanding egos cannot come into play’ to me is the best
method of development for Surveillance Professionals. Department and personal goals &
objectives are critical for each associate’s development as well as a quality evaluation tool.
Yearly evaluations are a great opportunity for both the professional and the director to
communicate regarding performance, development and opportunities. However, there should be
no surprises. To successfully develop as a surveillance professional communication should take
place daily. Debating and sharing ideas and theories can only enhance any final objective or
product.
Through the development of a solid department operational philosophy, constant risk
assessments and ownership in the product/operation, each professional will have a clear
understanding of the departments and their individual goals. With such a clear understanding,
the professional will require more guidance and direction than constant performance & metric
based evaluations.
With any questions, comments and/or concerns. Please feel free to contact:
Greg Schaaf
Director Of Surveillance
BORGATA HOTEL CASINO & SPA
1 Borgata Way I Atlantic City NJ 08401
p.609.317.7586 I c. 609.839.5298
gregschaaf@theborgata.com

For the past four years, I have heard from everyone who has attended how great the "WORLD
GAME PROTECTION CONFERENCE" (WGPC) is to attend. They told me that it is the
conference that every surveillance, security, and regulatory professional should attend. During
my thirty years as a regulator for the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, I have attended
my share of gaming related conferences. For the most part, they are a great place to renew
acquaintances, see new products, and see a few presentations, but usually very little is included
about games protection. Since New Jersey has had a freeze on attending conferences due to the
budget, I never had an opportunity to attend the WGPC. Now that I have retired from the state
and have started working for a software company running their casino surveillance/security
solutions department my chance to attend the conference was now open. Our company 21st
Century Systems Inc. (21CSI) looked at this conference to make new acquaintances, talk about
our products, with everyone in our target market in attendance. The program that WGPC
Founder/President Willy Allison had put together looked extremely interesting, but with my past
conference experience I was skeptical at best, still I was going with an open mind.
I arrived at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 the day before the
WGPC was scheduled to start. Sunday, I checked into the conference. The day started with tours
of the new Aria Resort and Casino's surveillance room, which, being brand new was interesting
to see the design and equipment they were using. The conference kicked off with Master Game
Protection Classes. There were four topics being presented, with three-fifty minute sessions in
each topic. The instructors were Sal Piacente, who covered table game cheating, Bill Zender,
who covered advantage play, George Joseph, who covered poker cheating, and Darrin Hoke,
who covered electronic games. I attended the three sessions presented by Sal Piacente on table
games cheating. The sessions were excellent, presentation was great and his depth of knowledge
on the subject was fascinating, however I must admit that it did worry me a little bit that Sal used
to deal in my jurisdiction!
The day ended with the welcome reception, which was a great opportunity to network and make
new acquaintances. The reception included a speed networking session, which was great as it
forced everyone to become acquainted with each other. The day ended with the 5th annual
WGPC BJ CHALLENGE, which is a contest to see which contestant can count down a deck of
cards the fastest.

The second day started with a nice breakfast
vendors, see their new products as well a
program started with Tim Gard, who provided us with a great deal of humor and explained how
humor can be one of your most useful tools as a leader dealing with the everyday challenges of
today's workplace. It was a great way to start the day.
The next presentation was by the keynote speaker. Kevin Mitnick, who is known as the wo
most famous "former" hacker. He currently is a bestselling author and IT consultant. His
presentation was on "The Art of Intrusion". His presentation was eye opening; however, it
made me not want to ever use my computer again. His presentation provid
explanations of how hacking is accomplished as well as defenses against them. The afternoon
started with a presentation from the "Ultimate Card Shark", Darwin Ortiz. He demonstrated
what crooked gamblers are doing today. His presentation was fo
Lie Guy", whose presentation how to spot a liar and how to get the truth. The second day
finished with a happy hour, which gave you another great opportunity for networking.
The third day's presentation started with the innov
entitled, "Employee Theft - What we're doing to stop the bleeding". Employee theft according
to recent survey by fraud prevention service CIFAS, the number of thefts and deceptions in the
workplace increased by 69% in t
forum was hosted by Willy Allison and Jessie Beaudin. Presentations were given by James
Taylor, Special Agent, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Jessie Beaudin, Senior Director of
Surveillance, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, NV, Darrin Hoke, Director of Surveillance,
L'Auberge Du Lac, LA, Ray Patterson, Executive Director, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation TGA,
CA, Steven Allensworth, Director of Surveillance, Muckleshoot Gaming Commission, WA,
and John Ervin, Assistant General Manager, Bordertown Casino, OK. This forum opened up
a great exchange amongst the attendees and presenters.
The conference ended with the Golden Dome Awards. These are the best scams caught on
tape. There are three categories, Best Table G
Best Theft Takedowns. At the end, the winners of the three categories are voted on by
attendees for the best takedown of the year. The videos were great and all the entries deserved
an award. I think what surprised
the best gaming conference I have attended in my 30 years in the industry. I made over a
hundred new contacts, with people that were willing to help each other with their line of work.
The conference drew about 250 attendees, with about two thirds being from Indian Gaming.
d with a nice breakfast which gave you an opportunity to visit with the
vendors, see their new products as well as meet and speak with those in attendance. The
reat way to start the day.
the keynote speaker. Kevin Mitnick, who is known as the wo
made me not want to ever use my computer again. His presentation provid
what crooked gamblers are doing today. His presentation was followed by Stan Walters, "The
The third day's presentation started with the innovation forum. This year's subject was
What we're doing to stop the bleeding". Employee theft according
workplace increased by 69% in the first half of 2009 compared with the last half of 2008. The
Rock Hotel & Casino, NV, Darrin Hoke, Director of Surveillance,
istant General Manager, Bordertown Casino, OK. This forum opened up
a great exchange amongst the attendees and presenters.
tape. There are three categories, Best Table Games Takedowns, Best Slot Takedowns, and
an award. I think what surprised me the most is how much I enjoyed this conference. It was
e drew about 250 attendees, with about two thirds being from Indian Gaming.
which gave you an opportunity to visit with the
and speak with those in attendance. The
the keynote speaker. Kevin Mitnick, who is known as the world's
made me not want to ever use my computer again. His presentation provided you with
llowed by Stan Walters, "The
ation forum. This year's subject was
What we're doing to stop the bleeding". Employee theft according
he first half of 2009 compared with the last half of 2008. The
Rock Hotel & Casino, NV, Darrin Hoke, Director of Surveillance,
istant General Manager, Bordertown Casino, OK. This forum opened up
ames Takedowns, Best Slot Takedowns, and
me the most is how much I enjoyed this conference. It was
e drew about 250 attendees, with about two thirds being from Indian Gaming.

As a vendor, this conference opened the door with new contacts and leads that I could not have
gotten anywhere else. Attending this conference made me decide that I need to be attending this
event every year. Even though I have been in this industry for a long time, my company is new to
the gaming industry. This event allowed us to explain what we do for the casino industry and
how we can help casinos save money.
Willy Allison is doing something special here that should not be missed by anyone interested in
game protection. Even in these times of tight budgets, this is an event that should not fall to the
budget knife. There is not anywhere else that you can get the information and contacts that will
allow you to keep your department in the elite group of surveillance/security professionals.

CASINO SURVEILLACE OPERATION IDEAS
A Q&A with Alicia Barney of Oregon Surveillance Network
Leonardo De Vinci
placed pen to paper and
transferred a thought
that was so ahead of its
time that it would take
centuries to become
reality. The original
drawings of De Vinci's
flying machine are
considered among the
greatest early
mechanical drawings.
The idea eventually
changed the way
transportation and
commerce is done from
all points of the globe. A
simple thought and
open mind is all you
need to transpose an
idea and make it reality.
By Tony Weiss and RakeshBy Tony Weiss and RakeshBy Tony Weiss and RakeshBy Tony Weiss and Rakesh Islania for ACSNIslania for ACSNIslania for ACSNIslania for ACSN

Atlantic City Surveillance News is also looking for the casino surveillance ideas that
have helped to change our industry. One of the best new concepts to come from the
great minds of surveillance professionals across the United States came from
Oregon. The Oregon Surveillance Network is a groundbreaking surveillance portal
where you can sign in and get the latest scams, advantage players, casino
surveillance writings and happenings. To demonstrate how impressive the site and
concept really is let’s look back at our gaming and information collecting history.
Las Vegas, known simply as the Mecca of gambling, began legalized gambling in
1931. Some of the great surveillance minds have operated in Vegas from the early
days on the strip up until today where mega casino operators have vice presidents
of surveillance setting up operations all over the world. Atlantic City comes next in
1978 followed by some 30 years of tremendous growth and financial windfall. Many
of the surveillance concepts and gambling regulations from Atlantic City would
become the standard for Native American Indian casinos and upstart new
jurisdictions. Much of the old guard surveillance community relied heavily on a
small network of intelligence gathering. Subscription-based database information
has been around for decades. The end user is given access to information as well as
monthly updates for a fee. The system started out with huge volumes of cheating
information contained within books and has now graduated to controlled internet
based sites.
In 1994 the first Native American casinos in Oregon opened. With all of the amazing
gambling history and surveillance talent, it is remarkable that Atlantic City
Surveillance News found one of the brightest new operational concepts by noting an
up and coming Northwest surveillance community understood the need for a
communication portal.
One of the best features of the Oregon Surveillance Network is there is no
subscription fee. It is a free network where any member can get up to date with the
latest BOLO’s and alerts from Department of Justice, Treasury, FBI, Secret Service
and other State agencies. The user interface is easy to navigate for even new users.

*Photo blocked for identity protection
The entries on each page are very
detailed and contain just the important
information. The network is not just
limited to this alone. It can be used to
track Blackjack, watch players for
count, skill and even suspicious play.
Also included are video clips of
different scams and thefts that
occurred at various casinos.
The Oregon Surveillance Network can
also be used as a training tool as it
contains video clips of thefts and scams that occurred in various casinos. There is a
section for Basic strategy and Speed drills to learn or brush up. There are links to
the Atlantic City Surveillance News (ACSN) as well as the Louisiana Casino
Surveillance Network news letter “The Crows Nest”.
Let’s find out how the portal became reality. The Oregon Surveillance Network
conception was the brainchild of Jeff Murphy who has a vast amount of multi-
jurisdictional surveillance experience. Jeff details the original thoughts behind OSN.

Jeff Murphy: “OSN began as a facial recognition program for a fledgling casino in
Oregon. I had been the Advantage Team Coordinator at Foxwoods and had created
a player database. Foxwoods was a beta testing site for Biometrica and since they
utilized my database to assist their product and I left all my training material for the
surveillance department, I was allowed to take my database with me to Oregon and
my first director’s gig. Jason Rogers came to work with me as a Surveillance Room
Manager and I assigned him the project to integrate my material into a useful
program designed specifically for the Mill Casino. At the same time, Griffin was
offering their services at a price we simply could not afford at our small operation,
so we thought outside the box and made our program web-based. Our hope was to
involve other casinos and jurisdictions (dealing with the same issues and hardships
we were) to the degree we wouldn’t need any other agencies selling us surveillance
information as we’d be creating our own. Our efforts were brought and shared at an
OSN meeting as the only way to continue to grow the database was to actively
continue submissions or risk the initial data being rendered useless years later.
OSN supported the efforts, the eight original Oregon Casinos became involved and
the Network took over the cost. I become the marketing guy and Jason became the
technical wizard/mastermind of the website now called the Oregon Surveillance
Network. Needless to say, we both could have made a ton of money from the
success but the initial thought was “supported by casino people in support of casino
people without cost” and it stuck. We did a lot of work but it was risky for an
organization “OSN” to support such a program as the motto toward sharing
information was “cover thy own ass and to hell with everyone else” or “I don’t want
the liability”. Dealing with an organization was not all roses though as “our idea”
went from Jason and mine to being the entire groups. Naturally there were egos
and hurt feelings and such but there have never been regrets. The whole premise of
the program from the very beginning was that it was never about individuals; it was
about everyone becoming involved. I am proud of what OSN became and all those
that continue to provide to the site and make it a success, an amazing tools and an
industry difference maker.”
Our exclusive Q&A begins with Alicia Barney, Director of Surveillance at the Seven
Feathers Hotel & Casino Resort who was gracious enough to take time to express
her passion for both the industry as well as the Oregon Surveillance Network. She is
now the administrator and keeper of the flame with regard to all of the work that is
needed to keep the portal up to date. The World Game Protection Conference
knows all about Alicia's talent as she was the first place winner of the inaugural
card counting challenge that has become one of the favorites at each year's
conference.
ACSN: Alicia, what is your current responsibility within OSN and how is the core of
the group structured?
Alicia Barney (OSN): I took over the website from Jason Rogers in May of 2008 and
have maintained it since that time out of Seven Feathers Casino Resort where I
work for the Cow Creek Gaming & Regulatory Commission. To give you a little

background, the Oregon Surveillance Network consists of directors/managers of the
nine Oregon tribes. We meet on a bi-monthly basis or as needed. The OSN reports
to the Oregon Association of Indian Gaming Commissioners which consists of the
Executive Directors/Tribal Gaming Commissioners of the nine Oregon Tribes. A
majority of the surveillance departments report directly to the tribal gaming
commissions thus the natural order that we as a group would report to the OAIGC.
It is with their support that we have continued this endeavor.
ACSN: How do you pick and choose who is allowed to gain access to the site?
OSN: Currently we allow only members that are part of surveillance, gaming
commissions and various law enforcement agencies. We also allow security
professionals as we’ve found that many surveillance and security departments fall
under the same umbrella, so to speak. On a case by case basis and by referral
only, we have allowed individuals outside of these arenas but it is rarely done and
we continue to be pretty selective in our membership due to obvious reasons.
ACSN: Knowing that every action has a reaction, how do you handle potential legal
issues regarding the content that is posted?
OSN: Up to this point we have had no issues legally regarding the website. In the
beginning Jason consulted with legal counsel regarding the site and added the
disclaimer. We have revisited the disclaimer and the legal ramifications several
times through the years but haven’t really changed much and continue to operate
with no issue. I believe that the selective membership process along with the
verbiage utilized on the site assist in lowering our risk of potential lawsuit. We’ve
emphasized that it is an information website only and that it is up to the individual
party on how the information is used. When posting information I attempt to not
utilize words such as “cheat”, “guilty”, etc. It really depends on where the
information originates from. This leads into your question regarding the information
verification process. A majority of the information coming in is regarding individuals
who are already on the website or comes from trusted individuals who have
provided legitimate information in the past. Sometimes I feel like the judge and jury
when I get information and choose to not post it to the website for whatever reason.
The reasons for not posting can be anything from there clearly just isn’t enough
information; any pictures, specific dates, times, details of incident, etc. to someone
believing that an individual is someone that it actually isn’t. While I want to get the
information out there, I tend to err on the side of caution as I want the information
going out to be as accurate and informative as possible.
ACSN: OSN site management must be very time consuming. How do you feel about
the effort versus reward aspect?
OSN: While it can be time consuming, the website has provided me the wonderful
opportunity to network throughout the industry. My boundaries have definitely
expanded to all parts of the world. Thankfully I have a wonderful staff that supports
me thus allowing me to pull some of my time from them. Two of my employees

actually assist with the site in my absence which greatly cuts down on the delay of
posting information. Along with a great staff, I have an Executive Director that
believes in the purpose and mission of the OSN website, again allowing me the
opportunity to invest some of my time into the website. One of the most positive
aspects of the website for me is when I receive an email or phone call telling me
that the information on the site has assisted them in some way. Another continued
reward for me is that the OSN has been able to provide a free informational tool,
keeping true to the original vision of the site.
ACSN: Alicia, please take a moment to talk about the global scale of OSN by
detailing some of the international membership?
OSN: We are currently at just under 600 registered members. Over 174 different
casinos are represented, 5 of which are outside of the United States, along with 11
state agencies and 1 federal agency. We are continuing to grow steadily.
ACSN: How do you feel about the portal using streamline video to show live cheating
within the membership community?
OSN: To be honest we’re looking at lots of possibilities in going forward with the
site. We are hoping to launch a reformatted version of the site very soon. Not only
will it have a new look but we’re hoping that it will provide easier navigation and
organization of the material. We’ll be implementing a search feature as well as a
forum to promote further networking and information sharing. We look forward to
continued growth with the site and welcome any suggestions that are sent to us.
ACSN: Does the future include reaching past career-minded surveillance and
welcoming table games, security, slots and finance professionals to be allowed
access to the portal?
OSN: For now we will maintain the current process and requirements of access.
This is not only the opinion of the current directors of OSN but it is the direction that
OAIGC would like us to continue. This possibility may be revisited in the future as
more interest is expressed although at this point, beyond some table games
individuals, we have not had many inquiries outside of the surveillance/regulatory
arena.
ACSN: The introduction detailed long established gaming Mecca’s such as Las
Vegas. Why wasn’t the surveillance communication portal idea realized prior to
OSN?
OSN: I won’t begin to guess as to why this hasn’t been successful in the past but Jeff
mentioned a couple things in his comments above that I would have to agree with.
In my opinion there are two key elements that have the potential to hurt an

organization: money (blessing and curse) and ego. Who gets what, who’s doing
what, how much…I think that those kinds of questions will only hinder forward
progress and success when it comes to starting or maintaining a portal like this.
ACSN: Atlantic City Surveillance News attempts to close out each Q&A by giving
our interviewee an opportunity to acknowledge or thank someone who has helped
them along the way. Is there a group or person(s) that have had an impact on the
success of the Oregon Surveillance Network?
OSN: The contributions from individuals within the industry have allowed the site to
be what it is today. These contributions vary anywhere from the actually submitting
information to be posted on the website to individuals like Willy Allison of the World
Game Protection Conference. He has been one of our biggest supporters and fans.
Information sharing has come a long way. We went from “individuals” fighting the
fight on our own to a “community” willing to band together as a global surveillance
industry. Yes, the OSN exists because some of us are willing to put our time and
effort into maintaining and organizing the information but the site really functions
because of the contributions of all.
Oregon Surveillance NetworkOregon Surveillance NetworkOregon Surveillance NetworkOregon Surveillance Network
Alicia Barney,
Director of Surveillance,
Seven Feathers Hotel & Casino Resort
ACSN thanks Alicia Barney for taking the time to answer our questions. OSN has a
well earned reputation as a global leader in the communication of casino
surveillance intelligence gathering. Data mining and resourcing timely information
are at the forefront of modern surveillance. The Oregon Surveillance Network has
shown that the portal is well worth the effort. Are your assets important? Consider a
registration request to OSN if you have not already done so.

By Robert Hannum
Professor of Statistics at the University of Denver
Exclusively for ACSN
It is well known that casino math is widely used in casino operations to assist in decision-
making, but the importance of casino math as it relates to surveillance is less well understood.
This article will outline some of the ways in which probability and statistics – the mathematics of
casino gaming – can help in the surveillance department.
An Example: The Ludwig Affair
A few years ago a roulette player – let’s call him Ludwig – won nearly €1.5 million over the
course of a several weeks at a major online casino operating in Europe. Ludwig’s remarkable run
began innocently enough – for the first roughly 1,000 coups he was placing a handful of small
bets each spin and won and lost much as one would expect. At the end of this period he was
down by about €3,000. After taking a one-week break, he returned to the game and continued
playing, again betting two to three bets per coup, but now with more erratic and larger bet sizes.
For the next roughly 630 spins, his average amount bet per coup was €550. His cumulative net
win, measured from his original start of play, fluctuated more during this period (as expected
with the increased bet sizes) and though he was ahead at several points – a few times more than
€10,000 – his overall profit remained negative most of the time and after spin number 1,636
Ludwig was down more than €10,000. On the next spin he bet €7,500 and won €10,500 to bring
his cumulative net win to positive. Up to this point he had played over 1,600 rounds, betting
approximately €370,000 in the process, and considering his overall win percentage was less than
0.04%, was essentially back at where he started. The next 1,600 rounds were different.
For the following 654 spins of the wheel, Ludwig placed an average of 14 bets totaling €13,475
on each coup. Continuing to play nearly every day, his net win gradually increased. While online
casinos do not generally have a surveillance department per se, they do monitor play.1
As his
winnings grew, Ludwig’s play warranted increasing attention and when on round 2,291 he broke
the €1 million mark in overall winnings, casino management brought in outside consultants,
including a private detective and a mathematician, to more closely scrutinize Ludwig. As the
casino continued to monitor and the consultants began their investigation, Ludwig continued to
play. The number and amount of his bets per round increased to the point where he was routinely
placing fifty or more bets on the layout with combined totals per coup in excess of €40,000. On
some spins he made more than one hundred different wagers and on several coups he put more
than €100,000 at risk. After roughly 3,200 rounds Ludwig was up nearly €1.5 million.
1
One game protection expert explained that like brick and mortar properties, online casinos need to protect the
integrity of their games as well as protect their account information and so employ a web security department that is
on the lookout for intrusions into their system. In addition, they run statistical analyses on the players in an attempt
to find anyone who is winning more than expected.

The data from these 3,200-plus rounds, including outcomes and all bets made by Ludwig, were
forwarded to the math guy, who proceeded to conduct a variety of statistical tests to determine if
the outcomes of the spins were random as well as apply some rather involved and sophisticated
mathematics to ascertain the probability of such a large win given Ludwig’s betting pattern.2
It
turned out that, though improbable – 80 to 1 odds against – Ludwig’s huge net win from this
series of bets was not the one-in-a-million event it appeared to be at first glance.3
Having
subjected his money to more than three-thousand rounds of bets at a collective 2.37% house
edge, assuming everything was on the up and up (and this is, of course, the point of all this),
Ludwig’s win just seemed unfathomable. Or at the very least suspicious, which is why casino
management and operators in this type of case should and often do appeal to mathematics and
other methods of scrutiny to shed light on the matter and assist in possible decisions that might
be made or actions that might be taken. One might call it a form of game protection. Such
monitoring and analysis often can and should be initiated in surveillance.
The results of an appropriate mathematical analysis can point to how much scrutiny is called for.
If the likelihood of such a large win is extremely small, then surveillance should be monitoring
the play very closely to try and discover whether advantage play, equipment malfunction, bias,
or cheating might be the cause. In the case of Ludwig, heightened monitoring and closer scrutiny
revealed no evidence of flaws in the game or nefarious activity. The math showed the outcomes
to be random and the probability of his huge win to be small, but not extremely so. The private
investigator found nothing untoward. Based on this evidence (one might say lack of evidence),
casino management decided to allow Ludwig to continue playing. If indeed there was nothing
amiss, one would expect that the laws of probability would eventually catch up to Ludwig…
after all, isn’t that why they are called the laws of probability? Sure enough, approximately one
week after his net win hit the €1.5 million mark, Ludwig lost it all.
A Gentle Introduction to the Casino Math of Fluctuations
The Ludwig affair (a true story) demonstrates how casino management – and surveillance as the
monitoring mechanism on the front end – might respond to an inordinately large player win.
Such a seemingly unusual outcome should prompt the question of whether this is something that
can be attributed to normal statistical fluctuations or whether it is likely the result is due to
advantage play, equipment malfunction, or outright cheating. Casino math can be used to shed
light on this question.
The theoretical or expected win from a given series of independent wagers represents the average
amount the house (looking at it from the casino’s perspective) will win over many repetitions of
the series of wagers (i.e., in the long run). For example, the theoretical house win from 1,000
2
The analysis was complicated by the fact that the roulette game at this casino, like many of the European single-
zero games, offered the partager rule, according to which the player loses only half of any even-money bet when the
“0” hits. (Partager is also offered in the Atlantic City double-zero games where it is referred to as surrender.)
Another complication was the large number and variety of bets Ludwig made on each spin of the wheel, particularly
in the latter stages of his run, bets that are not statistically independent.
3
Those interested in the mathematical fine points are referred to Robert Hannum, The Partager Rule at Roulette:
Analysis and Case of a Million-Euro Win, in OPTIMAL PLAY: MATHEMATICAL STUDIES OF GAMES AND GAMBLING
(2007), Stewart N. Ethier and William R. Eadington, eds. Reno, NV: Institute for the Study of Gambling &
Commercial Gaming, University of Nevada, Reno.

bets of $500 each on red in double-zero roulette is $26,300. This means if a very large (think
infinite) number of players each made a $500 bet on red for each of 1,000 spins, the average
player loss would be $26,300. But there would be variation in the amount lost across the players.
Some players will lose more than the expected $26,300 and others would lose less (and about 5%
would actually win). The statistical measure that describes this variation in actual outcomes
around the expected outcome is the standard deviation. The standard deviation can be used to
find confidence limits for the amount won (or lost), or to find the probability associated with a
given player win (or loss).
Just as different games (or wagers) have a different house advantage, each game (wager) has its
own base standard deviation (by base, we mean per unit for a single wager). The following table
shows the standard deviation for some of the common games/wagers.
Game/Wager
Standard
Deviation per Unit
Blackjack 1.14
Baccarat Banker 0.93
Baccarat Player 0.95
Baccarat Tie 2.64
00 Roulette Evens 1.00
00 Roulette Column/Dozens 1.39
00 Roulette Double Street 2.19
00 Roulette Corner 2.76
00 Roulette Street 3.24
00 Roulette Split 4.02
00 Roulette Straight Up 5.76
The expected value per unit – i.e., the house edge if viewing the amount won from the casino
perspective and the negative of the house edge if viewing it from the player’s perspective - and
the per unit standard deviation for a single wager can be used to derive the expected value and
standard deviation for the total win in a series of n independent wagers of $B each using the
following formulas:
‫ܸܧ‬ሺܹ݅݊ሻ ൌ $‫ܤ‬ ൈ ݊ ൈ ‫ܸܧ‬௣௘௥ ௨௡௜௧
ܵ‫ܦ‬ሺܹ݅݊ሻ ൌ $‫ܤ‬ ൈ √݊ ൈ ܵ‫ܦ‬௣௘௥ ௨௡௜௧
The ‫ܸܧ‬ሺܹ݅݊ሻ and ܵ‫ܦ‬ሺܹ݅݊ሻ can be used to derive confidence limits and/or probabilities
associated with the actual win from a large series of independent wagers. Confidence limits are
based on the volatility guidelines below.4
4
These guidelines are based on the fact that the total win for a large series of independent wagers will follow a
normal distribution (bell curve), a result known in statistics as the Central Limit Theorem.

Volatility Guidelines
The following table shows the percentage of time the actual win will be more than Z standard
deviations from the expected win for a large series of independent wagers:
Z
Probability the actual win will be more
than Z SD’s from the expected win
Probability Expressed
as 1 in X
1 31.7% 1 in 3.2
2 4.6% 1 in 22.0
3 0.3% 1 in 370.4
4 0.006% 1 in 15,787.2
5 0.00006% 1 in 1,744,277.9
Confidence limits for the total win from a series of n independent identical wagers of $B each are
obtained from:
‫ܸܧ‬ሺܹ݅݊ሻ േ ሺܼ ൈ ܵ‫ܦ‬ሺܹ݅݊ሻሻ
To illustrate, suppose a player makes 1,000 even-money wagers of $500 each in roulette (double
zero). Then the player’s expected win and standard deviation associated with the total win are:
‫ܸܧ‬ሺܹ݅݊ሻ ൌ $500 ൈ 1,000 ൈ ሺെ.0526ሻ ൌ െ$26,300
ܵ‫ܦ‬ሺܹ݅݊ሻ ൌ $500 ൈ ඥ1,000 ൈ 1.00 ൌ $15,811.39
Using these figures, 95.4% of the time the player’s total win from this series of wagers will be
between (rounding to dollars):
െ$26,300 േ ሺ2 ൈ $15,811.39ሻ ൌ െ$26,300 േ $31,623 ൌ െ$57,923 ܽ݊݀ $5,323
This says that 95.4% of the time, the total player win after 1,000 even-money roulette wagers of
$500 each will be between –$57,923 and +$5,323. Put another way, we can be 95.4% confident
that the player win will be between –$57,923 and +$5,323. Or turning it around, only 4.6% of
the time will the player win be outside this range. Obviously this type of calculation can be done
for other levels of confidence. For example, using Z = 4 for the same series of 1,000 even-money
roulette wagers of $500 each, we would get the statement that only once in 15,787 times would
this player’s win be less than –$89,546 or greater than +$36,946. So if a player is up $40,000
after making 1,000 even-money roulette wagers at $500 each, surveillance should be suspicious
– this is a result more than four standard deviations from expected and, assuming everything is
on the up and up, very unlikely (less than 1 in 15,787) – and monitor this player more closely.
Rather than compute confidence limits and seeing where the player’s win falls in relation to
these limits, one could just compute the probability of the observed win. This is done by first
computing the z-score for the actual win using the following formula:

‫ݖ‬ ൌ
‫݈ܽݑݐܿܣ‬ ܹ݅݊ െ ‫ܸܧ‬ሺܹ݅݊ሻ
ܵ‫ܦ‬ሺܹ݅݊ሻ
Using this z-score, the probability of the actual win can be obtained from a table of standard
normal probabilities (Z-table) or an appropriate software package such as MS Excel. For the
example above of the player who was up $40,000 after 1,000 even-money roulette wagers of
$500 each, the z-score is:
‫ݖ‬ ൌ
$40,000 െ ሺെ$26,300ሻ
$15,811.39
ൌ 4.193
Using the Excel NORMSDIST function,5
the probability that a player will be up by $40,000 or
more after 1,000 even-money roulette wagers of $500 each is .000014, or about 1 in 72,650. This
suggests that either this player was incredibly lucky or (more likely) something is amiss. Such an
extremely unlikely result calls for closer scrutiny.
The type of fluctuation or volatility analysis described above can be done for any large series of
wagers in any game, though the mathematics becomes more difficult when bet sizes vary, the
series includes a variety of different wagers, and/or the wagers are not independent (e.g., one
player making several different wagers on each spin of the roulette wheel6
). The basic idea is to
calculate the probability of the observed win, and if this probability is small, put more
surveillance resources into monitoring the situation. Extremely unlikely outcomes should raise
concerns about possible advantage play, equipment malfunction, or cheating.
Other Uses of Casino Math in Surveillance
Volatility analysis – testing for deviations from expected win and assessing whether a certain
large win can be considered a “normal” fluctuation – is one way that casino math can assist a
surveillance department, but there are many others. As the Director of Surveillance for one of the
major Las Vegas Strip properties explained, “We use the math to understand the games better…
so we don’t drop the ball when we see something (a move). We want to know whether we are
going to get buried.” This particular surveillance director is very conscientious about using math
to help in understanding the games. His approach is to monitor the situation more closely when it
seems warranted (oftentimes determined by the math analysis) and liaise with casino operations
as needed (as he said, “surveillance spills over to operations”). He used volatility analysis when a
Pai Gow “team” won over half a million dollars over the course of 180 hours of play and
discovered that while their win at his casino was highly unusual, they had been losing at several
other partner properties and their overall play at all properties combined was close to normal. In
another case a player had won more than $50,000 after 140 hours of play at Casino War.
Detailed math analysis revealed the player won an inordinate number of his larger wagers ($500
to $1000) but the win rate for his smaller wagers ($25) was near the expected (loss). Though
further details are confidential, this disparity in win rates between large and small bets helped in
resolving the situation as it was consistent with other irregularities and evidence in the case.
5
Specifically: = 1 – NORMSDIST(4.193).
6
This is one of the reasons the mathematics required to analyze Ludwig’s million dollar win was so difficult.

The Surveillance Director at another major Las Vegas Strip casino, who also uses casino math
regularly to help him in his job, put it this way, “It’s going to happen – advantage play,
cheating… we’re trying to understand. The math helps us in our efforts to be a step ahead of the
cheaters and advantage players.”
Other ways these top end surveillance directors have used casino math include:
Examining the effects of camouflage betting, for example, betting into a negative count.
What is the player giving up when betting $300 into a negative count?
Determining how much a card counter might gain by going from 1-10 spread to a 1-20 or
1-30 spread.
Analyzing the effect of stealing the hole card in Three Card Poker. What happens if you
don’t see it every time? How many times do you have to see it to have an advantage?
Check dice rolls for extended periods (3 hours plus) to test statistically if the outcomes
are consistent with the theoretical (chi-square testing).
Possible shuffle tracking – checking if the proportion of Tens & Aces is statistically
significantly different from the expected 38% when a player plays multiple spots with big
bets.
Using risk of ruin.
Conclusion
Casino math can be effective in helping the surveillance unit in detecting advantage play,
malfunctioning equipment, and cheating. A primary use of mathematics is volatility analysis and
determining whether a particular win that appears unusual really is or whether it is likely just a
normal statistical fluctuation. There are hosts of other ways casino math can be used to help the
surveillance process, some of which were outlined above. And, of course, the software used to
analyze betting patterns and detect card counters is based on the mathematics of blackjack.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the following people for spending time and sharing their expertise on the subject
of the use of casino math in surveillance:
• Ron Buono, Executive Director of Surveillance, MGM Grand Las Vegas
• Ted Whiting, Director of Surveillance, Aria Casino Resort Las Vegas (and for many
years in the same position at the Mirage Las Vegas)
• Bill Zender, Last Resort Consulting and former Nevada Gaming Control Agent and
Casino Operations Manager of the Aladdin Las Vegas
Robert Hannum
Bob Hannum is a Professor of Statistics at the University of Denver, a recognized expert on casino
mathematics, and author of Practical Casino Math. He can be reached at rhannum@du.edu.

Casino Marketing in Atlantic City is famous for coming up with inventive new ways to bring in new
The Mick was famous for his “joke a stroke” rounds of golf at the local links. Willie Mays was a
community ambassador and often seen signing a baseball or two for the neighborhood kids. Both
Mickey and Willie drew six figure salaries in their respective marketing
Mickey was once quoted as saying “I never did so much work in my life” when asked abou
meet and greet player development marketing responsibilities. 1983 was also the year that Major
League Baseball Commissioner Kuhn issued a lifetime ban to both Mays and Mantle for working in
the two Atlantic City casinos. As luck would have it
Commissioner Ueberroth took office
Casino surveillance has entered into an age of marketing as concepts and theories are developed to
assist the overall operation of any casino.
marketing strategy that best fits your operation. Once you have a plan in place and the support from
management, you are well on your way to increasing th
your in-house clients. Surveillance must take an approach that is a complete opposite of the
asino Marketing in Atlantic City is famous for coming up with inventive new ways to bring in new
customers. They used sports
and music entertainment in
the early days to draw high
rollers to the tables.
One of the best known
marketing concepts in the
early days of casino
gambling in Atlantic City
around 1983 was to hire
two of the greatest baseball
legends in the world. The
Claridge Casino hired
legendary Yankee Mickey
Mantle with Bally’s Park
Place Casino following suit
with “The Say Hey Kid”
Willie Mays.
he Mick was famous for his “joke a stroke” rounds of golf at the local links. Willie Mays was a
often seen signing a baseball or two for the neighborhood kids. Both
Mickey and Willie drew six figure salaries in their respective marketing/public relations
Mickey was once quoted as saying “I never did so much work in my life” when asked abou
the two Atlantic City casinos. As luck would have it the ban was lifted in 1985 when new M.L.B.
took office.
asino surveillance has entered into an age of marketing as concepts and theories are developed to
assist the overall operation of any casino. Knowing your customer is key to developing a surveillance
management, you are well on your way to increasing the internal relationships that wi
Surveillance must take an approach that is a complete opposite of the
M a r k e t i n gM a r k e t i n gM a r k e t i n gM a r k e t i n g
O fO fO fO f
S u r v e i l l a n c eS u r v e i l l a n c eS u r v e i l l a n c eS u r v e i l l a n c e
By Tony Weiss, ACSN
asino Marketing in Atlantic City is famous for coming up with inventive new ways to bring in new
he Mick was famous for his “joke a stroke” rounds of golf at the local links. Willie Mays was a
often seen signing a baseball or two for the neighborhood kids. Both
/public relations positions.
Mickey was once quoted as saying “I never did so much work in my life” when asked about all of the
the ban was lifted in 1985 when new M.L.B.
asino surveillance has entered into an age of marketing as concepts and theories are developed to
is key to developing a surveillance
e internal relationships that will best serve
Surveillance must take an approach that is a complete opposite of the
M a r k e t i n gM a r k e t i n gM a r k e t i n gM a r k e t i n g
S u r v e i l l a n c eS u r v e i l l a n c eS u r v e i l l a n c eS u r v e i l l a n c e
By Tony Weiss, ACSN

fundamental casino marketing concept that places heavy concentration on the 20% of the casino
patrons that provide 80% of the casino revenue. Surveillance must give equal customer service to all
of its internal customers.
Develop A Marketing Plan:
Understand both the company mission statement and revenue goals by meeting with executives,
directors and key managers. Ask what the expectations are for the surveillance department from their
unique perspective? Develop a plan to deliver timely and critical information by providing reviews,
live observations, audits and well formatted reports.
A unique surveillance perspective that supports the company is that the departments or customers
are part of the same company as the surveillance department. Understand that we ultimately report
independently but we are all on the same team. We have greater impact supporting each operation.
Surveillance will always arrest the bad guy and that is recognized by our internal customers. A
“what can we do for you” attitude is a fantastic beginning to your marketing plan.
Networking and Analysis:
A solid relationship with as many casino professionals as possible is a key element to providing your
direct reports and management vital information that may save the company untold amounts of
potential revenue loss. It could be as simple as a known advantage player or as complicated as
possibly leaking company information. Surveillance data mining, trend analysis, POS information
and win/loss evaluations on table games are a few concepts that help surveillance market the
potential of a proactive operation.
Customer Intent to Return:
The principle of customer intent to return is the foundation of any successful casino. Surveillance can
take each request for assistance as an opportunity to provide a resolution followed up with
suggestions to improve the situation going forward. Never stop by simply giving an answer without
asking what surveillance can do to assist the department that has contacted us for help. A
straightforward thought process that surveillance is a service of the casino is one that the internal
customers will appreciate and utilize more often. The days of a policing authoritative mentality do
not work in a modern surveillance environment.
If you see a job well done on the casino floor make sure to contact their supervisor and provide
positive feedback. There is no better marketing tool then surveillance presenting an encouraging
image by noting a situation where a customer did a great job!
Winning the battle and losing the war marketing mistakes include releasing information and/or
reports with no warning in order to make the surveillance look intelligent. The long term damage
created in this scenario affects the relationship that has been cultivated. If you are not protecting
critical information or being asked by your superiors it is always best to bring management into the
loop as soon as possible regarding observations.

Benefits of Position and Surveillance Strategies:
Surveillance can measure its marketing strategy by ga
customers. Positive results from the internal patron will follow as they become more confident with
the usage of the surveillance capabilities. The department will climb higher up the corporate ladder
as the measurable results become more apparent to the executive
change the mindset of an entire department by simply respecting their ability to run their department
and asking what surveillance can do to assist their operation.
Relationship Marketing:
Player development is often considered the casino’s biggest weapon. The people skills are utilized to
draw high end play into the property resulting in revenue profits. Surveillance can use this example
to reach out to develop our customers. Find out what area of the casino interests each of your
associates. Have them meet with the management of that area and closely work with them to widen
relationships. The customer will see the interest and enthusiasm and want to grow the partners
Advertise the Home Run:
We should end the article just as we began with a baseball analogy.
between so it is critical to the overall marketing of the operation to get the message out.
hit a home run you must market the accomplishment by building the surveillance team. Make sure
everyone involved is given full credit. Incorporate as many team members as possible into the
investigation so that multiple shifts and associates are given credit. Take the op
the capabilities of the department with all of the direct reports of the department. Use all available
communication outlets to present a message of a unified team effort and result.
department is only as good as the
programs. One of the best marketing tools for a surveillance department is a well informed
enthusiastic associate who takes a call and provides superior customer service.
opportunity to market the ability and accomplishments of the team!
Individual Marketing Plan Design
Each casino and surveillance department is run by a well organized professional team. The concept
of this article is to simply discuss the many opportunities that surveillance has to market the
department. Your department will ultimately decide how far pas
boundaries you will be willing to explore
allow it to become stale. Update and market your most successful methods by constantly asking for
feedback. Utilizing every request as an opportunity to provide solid information in order for the
contacting department to make a well informed business decision is always the best marketing
approach.
Benefits of Position and Surveillance Strategies:
Surveillance can measure its marketing strategy by gauging the comments that are received by their
asurable results become more apparent to the executive team. It is amazing how you can
and asking what surveillance can do to assist their operation.
ustomers. Find out what area of the casino interests each of your
relationships. The customer will see the interest and enthusiasm and want to grow the partners
We should end the article just as we began with a baseball analogy. The big case
between so it is critical to the overall marketing of the operation to get the message out.
you must market the accomplishment by building the surveillance team. Make sure
investigation so that multiple shifts and associates are given credit. Take the opportunity to advertise
communication outlets to present a message of a unified team effort and result.
department is only as good as the end user that works all of the expensive equipment and
One of the best marketing tools for a surveillance department is a well informed
enthusiastic associate who takes a call and provides superior customer service.
unity to market the ability and accomplishments of the team!
Design:
Your department will ultimately decide how far past the traditional surveillance
you will be willing to explore. Once you have developed a triumphant strategy, do not
est as an opportunity to provide solid information in order for the
uging the comments that are received by their
. It is amazing how you can
ustomers. Find out what area of the casino interests each of your
relationships. The customer will see the interest and enthusiasm and want to grow the partnership.
The big cases are few and far
between so it is critical to the overall marketing of the operation to get the message out. When you
you must market the accomplishment by building the surveillance team. Make sure
portunity to advertise
communication outlets to present a message of a unified team effort and result. The surveillance
end user that works all of the expensive equipment and software
One of the best marketing tools for a surveillance department is a well informed
enthusiastic associate who takes a call and provides superior customer service. Never miss an
t the traditional surveillance
Once you have developed a triumphant strategy, do not
est as an opportunity to provide solid information in order for the

BLACKJACK & POKER APPLICATIONSBLACKJACK & POKER APPLICATIONSBLACKJACK & POKER APPLICATIONSBLACKJACK & POKER APPLICATIONS

Surveillance has been busy eliminating "Free play" or "Slot Dollar" promo abuse that has been costing
the industry thousands upon thousands of dollars at many of your properties. It is rampant around
Atlantic City and probably everywhere this type of promo is offered from coast to coast. We have
had perpetrators caught with up to (150) player card accounts and PIN Numbers, including a roadmap
they use to commit the fraud from house to house. Surveillance has presented this to management in an
attempt to stop the flow of abuse to unsuspecting valuable slot player accounts.
Your step by step guide to investigate slot promo theft
Surveillance observes and/or receives information from management of suspected abuse regarding slot promos.
Step #1: Enter names and accounts of all involved into the surveillance tracking database.
Initiate a database enrollment and include photos of all involved for the entire surveillance department to share. One
enrollment listing the primary suspected abused account as well as all others involved as "aliases'. This ensures all
information and photos can be easily identified by accessing of one enrollment only. Each photo identified by date and #
in database.
Step #2: Tracker notification of account being accessed.
Locate and start filming all activity. Zoom in on kiosk to identify how many accounts are being viewed. The perpetrator may
have more player cards then first suspected. The kiosk is usually the initial place of access as the basic slot data available is
displayed here.
Follow individual to slot machine and document activity. How many downloads and how many times different player cards are
inserted? Confirm all of the E-Promo history within the data search by utilizing the various options within the system. It is
critical to print screen each step of the investigation for documentation purposes as player tracking information is sometimes
not able to be recalled after you sign out of the system. This is critical when following a paper trail to coincide coverage for
presenting an iron clad case in court.
Once confirmed, contact DGE and/or security depending on severity of your findings. Advise your slot management team and
confirm with the Card Services Supervisor that the PIN(s) has been disabled. Depending on situation it is not always a positive
to have security take possession of the player card. This can affect future notifications to CCTV via the tracking system if the
now evicted, and or arrested individual should return to the property. Additionally if the patron (victim) is unaware of their
accounts being accessed, and they are not on property, you’ll have the possibility of changing the PIN until the perpetrator(s)
are caught. This allows surveillance to capture coverage of the suspect in action while on property moving forward.
It should be noted if the perpetrator uses the card/account to download, and many times whey will then input their own card to
reap the player reward benefits. This is actually a positive for detection as the SDS report will show all the cards input,
removed, time played, and any tickets generated for the cash out. The experienced cheat will execute the fraud on an initial high
percentage payout game such as video poker or keno type games.
In this case, the monitor room and or slot department will run a recent history list. Here all card accounts input and
E Promo downloads, as well as ticket numbers for redeemed tickets, will be displayed. Run ticket voucher number
sequences in “Ticket Barcode inquiry” from the slot data system to ascertain the location of ticket redemption.

ACSN Issue #9

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