Are Casinos Worldwide Under High-Tech Slot Machine Attacks?

High-tech slot attacks

Ever since a Russian high-tech slot machine cheat scam using smart phones recently came to light in Singapore (The FBI says this same plot has hit various US and Canadian casinos), casino operators are wondering how prevalent this problem is becoming with their machines.

They have good reason to be concerned.

The first thing that makes slot machines so appealing to high-tech cheats using equipment is that they do not really have to deal with the human element on the casino floor. Although slot machines are scrutinized by surveillance cameras and are somewhat patrolled on the floor, they do not receive the same human attention that table games do. This is because table games theoretically need supervison for every deal of the cards or roll of the dice while slot machines only need attention for jackpots and some other situations like malfunctions.

With that fact in mind, it is far less likely that a casino employee on the floor will catch on to a slot cheat using a smart phone or some other high-tech gadget at a bank of slot machines than at a casino table game. And it would also take casino surveillance longer to unravel a slot scam from video evidence than it would a blackjack or baccarat scam.

That said, in conjunction with the contined improvements in high-tech equipment that can be used to cheat or gain an edge in casinos, I do expect to see an increase in the commission of high-tech attacks on casino slot machines.

How can casinos fight this?

Firstly, by stepped-up patrols of their slot-machine banks and more routine reviews of surveillance video of slot-machine action, especially where big wins and jackpot wins have taken place.

Secondly, get floor staffs and surveillance staffs more educated as to how high-tech scams work.