Rhode Island Casino Crimes Defense

When Rhode Island residents voted to allow live, state-operated casino gambling at two privately-owned Twin River Casinos in the towns of Lincoln and Tiverton, the Rhode Island General Assembly also enacted strict casino gaming laws which provide for harsh penalties for anyone caught cheating at the Twin River Casinos.

The potential penalties for a felony cheating allegation, up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $100,000.00, are significantly more serious than casino gaming laws in Connecticut, Atlantic City or even Las Vegas.

If you have been arrested for a casino gambling charge, or any casino crime, at one of the Twin River Casinos in Rhode Island, you are in immediate need of an aggressive, experienced and skilled casino crimes attorney to defend the charge and your reputation.

All Rhode Island criminal defense lawyers are NOT the same, not even close, and the outcome of Twin River Casino gaming charges vary widely depending on your defense attorney’s effectiveness, or ineffectiveness.

Call Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer S. Joshua Macktaz, Esquire today at 401.861.1155 for the best defense of your Twin River Casino gaming charge or criminal charge

Given how new the Twin River Casinos are to Rhode Island, the majority of casino crime lawyers, and even prosecutors, have very little experience in handling these felony gambling charges.  My law firm has represented numerous people who have been arrested for felony theft-related crime at Twin River Casino (cheating) and I have successfully had every single felony casino gaming charge dismissed and expunged for every single one of the clients who hired my firm. You read that correctly…EVERY SINGLE CHARGE DISMISSED AND EXPUNGED.

As importantly, these cases were resolved in a timeframe significantly shorter than the average felony charge in Rhode Island, allowing my clients to get back to their lives with a clean criminal record, and without the threat of  felony Rhode Island casino gambling charges looming over them.   Check out Gaming Law to see the Rhode Island Twin River Casino Gaming Law.

Types of Rhode Island Casino Gaming Crimes

Casino gambling is broadly described under the Rhode Island casino laws and includes all table games with dice, cards or electronic equipment for wagering money.  These games include, but are not limited to, blackjack, pai gow, craps, poker and baccarat. While playing these casino games, players often employ strategies or methods which are considered cheating and illegal by Rhode Island Gaming Law.  The RI gaming laws define “cheating” very broadly, and includes any acts which alter the method of chance, the method of selection or anything else which impacts:

• The outcome of the game
• The payouts in the game (amounts or frequency)
• The value of wagering instrument or wagering value

The Rhode Island Attorney General, who prosecutes casino crimes in Rhode Island, takes these criminal cases very seriously.

Electronic Betting Devices Prohibited

The Rhode Island Gaming Law makes it very clear the use of any electronic device, cell phones included, to alter the outcome of the game, the payouts in the game, or the wagering values is considered cheating.

§ 42-61.3-2. Casino gaming crimes

(3) “Cheating device” means any physical, mechanical, electromechanical, electronic, photographic, or computerized device used in such a manner as to cheat, deceive, or defraud a casino game. This includes, but is not limited to:

(i) Plastic, tape, string, or dental floss, or any other item placed inside a coin or bill acceptor or any other opening in a video-lottery terminal in a manner to simulate coin or currency acceptance;

(ii) Forged or stolen keys used to gain access to a casino game to remove its contents; and

(iii) Game cards or dice that have been tampered with, marked, or loaded.

(11) Use or possess, or attempt to use or possess, at a gaming facility, without the written consent of the director of the division of state lottery, any electronic, electrical, or mechanical device designed, constructed, or programmed to assist the user or another person with the intent to:

(i) Predict the outcome of a casino game;

(ii) Keep track of the cards played;

(iii) Analyze and/or predict the probability of an occurrence relating to the casino game;

Counterfeit Gaming Currency Prohibited

§ 42-61.3-2. Casino gaming crimes

(6) Use, sell, or possess, or attempt to use, sell, or possess, counterfeit: coins, slugs, tokens, gaming chips, debit instruments, player rewards cards, or any counterfeit wagering instruments and/or devices resembling tokens, gaming chips, debit or other wagering instruments approved by the division of state lottery for use in a casino game in a gaming facility. Any person convicted of violating this section shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than ten (10) years or a fine of not more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), or both;

Capping and Pinching Prohibited

Capping (the act of adding to a bet once the outcome is known) or Pinching (the act of removing a bet once the outcome is known) are the most common forms of illegal gambling seen at Twin River Casinos.  The Rhode Island gaming statute identifies capping and pinching as follows:

§ 42-61.3-2. Casino gaming crimes

7)(i) Place, increase, decrease, cancel, or remove a wager or determine the course of play of a table game, or attempt to place, increase, decrease, cancel, or remove a wager or determine the course of play of a table game, with knowledge of the outcome of the table game where such knowledge is not available to all players; or

(ii) Aid, or attempt to aid, anyone in acquiring such knowledge for the purpose of placing, increasing, decreasing, cancelling, or removing a wager or determining the course of play of the table game. Any person convicted of violating this section shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than ten (10) years or a fine of not more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), or both;

Twin River Casino Employee Assisted Cheating

It is not only the gamblers at Twin River Casino who have found themselves arrested for criminal charges relating to cheating while gambling, but casino employees as well.  Rhode Island gaming statutes provide harsh penalties for any casino employee involved in a scheme to cheat the casino under false pretenses:

§ 42-61.3-2. Casino gaming crimes

9) For any employee of a gaming facility or anyone acting on behalf of or at the direction of an employee of a gaming facility, to knowingly fail to collect, or attempt to fail to collect, a losing wager or pay, or attempt to pay, an amount greater on any wager than required under the rules of a casino game. Any person convicted of violating this section shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than ten (10) years or a fine of not more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), or both.  This charge will also likely include a conspiracy charge for the player with whom the casino employee cheated.

If you are a casino employee who has been charged with a crime at Twin River you need an experienced and aggressive Rhode Island criminal, defense attorney to protect your rights and defend the charges.  Call my office today for a free consultation.

As you can see, an arrest for a Rhode Island felony casino gambling charge can be complicated and lead to harsh penalties.  Hiring the most experienced and skilled RI criminal defense lawyer will give you the best chance at clearing your criminal record and your reputation.  No one wants to be known as a “cheat”.  I have represented numerous clients charged with illegal betting at the Twin River Casinos and I have had every single charge dismissed and expunged.  Do not leave your fate in the hands of a less-experienced criminal defense attorney.

Other Crimes at the Twin River Casinos

Felony theft and illegal gambling charges are not the only crimes for which Lincoln Police, Tiverton Police and the Rhode Island State Police make arrests at RI’s gaming facilities.  The combination of good times, alcohol and the loss of money can lead to other misdemeanor or felony criminal charges at the Twin River Casinos.  These charges can include:

• DUI:  Many casino patrons take advantage of the free alcohol and find themselves being pulled over and arrested for drunk driving and/or breathalyzer refusal.  Check out Rhode Island DUI for more information about Rhode Island DUI cases.
• Domestic Violence: Unfortunately, the combination of alcohol use and the loss of money has led to conflicts between spouses and partners resulting in domestic assault and battery charges at the Twin River Casinos.  Check out Rhode Island Domestic Violence for more information on Domestic Violence cases.
• Disorderly Conduct:  Rhode Island’s catch-all criminal charge, disorderly conduct arrests occur at the Twin River Casinos when patrons have lost money or argue with other patrons and staff.  Check out Rhode Island Disorderly Conduct for more information on Rhode Island Disorderly Conduct cases.
• Assault and Battery: Again, the combination of alcohol and losing money has also resulted in numerous assault and battery arrests at the Twin River Casinos.  These charges can occur between patrons, or between patrons and staff.  Check out Rhode Island Assault for more information about Assault cases.

Here are a couple other helpful links:

• Twin River Casino:  https://www.twinriver.com/
• Gamblers Anonymous:  http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/

Why Hire Rhode Island Casino Crimes Attorney S. Joshua Macktaz, Esq. To Defend Your Casino Criminal Charges:

• Former Rhode Island State Prosecutor
• Judges, Lawyers and Police Officers refer family and friends
• 30 years of experience in Rhode Island criminal law
• Every single Twin River Casino gaming criminal case I have handled has been dismissed and expunged.
• 300+ Five Star online reviews across all platforms
• Aggressive, experienced and personal representation of all clients charged with illegal gambling
• Strong and long-standing relationships with all Rhode Island Judges and prosecutors
• My goal in every case is DISMISSAL and then EXPUNGEMENT of all criminal charges against you
• I will be the Rhode Island casino crimes lawyer reviewing and overseeing your case and I will be the criminal attorney standing next to you in court.  Unlike so many other Rhode Island criminal defense firms, I do NOT send associates to court to do my job.  I am in criminal court every day of the week, and I strongly believe each client deserves this personal service.
• I copy every client on every single document coming into the office, or leaving the office, regarding their criminal case.  I think it is critical for every client to be well-informed and fully engaged in the process.  Defending your Rhode Island Twin River criminal case is truly a team effort.
• All calls and emails will be returned by me, not an associate, within a few hours of receiving the email or call.
• I provide a free and comprehensive initial consultation in all new cases.
• I am available 24/7/365