I thought the first two questions, at least, were pefectly acceptable and understandable.

I am also in the camp that sees the punishment as harsh but unfortunately understandable.

Coming from someone who is banned from half of the casinos on the strip and places you are not even aware yet. Your name is most likely in a software program to detect cheats worldwide. You could be arrested just for walking into one of the casinos on trespassing.

I said I agree that you did not intend to cheat. I believe your story. It doesn't matter what I think. Punishment is not for you. It is for everyone to understand not to screw around with cards, dice, chips, machines or money in a regulated casino environment. Painful. It is their world, not yours. Respect that and you may have a small chance out. I would let the issue die for a few years. I think calling and emailing them will only bring more attention to your crime --- and I say that because that is how they view what you did unfortunately.

Best

A couple things I haven't seen mentioned yet:
1) I've seen dealers there allow all kinds of crazy ****, usually when it's a high roller, often with a floor right there seeing it happen. Sometimes the floor stops it, often they don't. The dealer just wants to keep the game moving and to not get yelled at for upsetting a VIP by forcing them to follow a rule.

2) The ban was not a slap on the wrist you upset another player go sleep it off ban, it was a cheating ban. The cameras are definitely high res enough to see you swapping cards but probably not good enough to assure that you didn't mark or peek at them first. Once security sees this they have no choice but to drop the hammer. Who knows what else you did that they didn't catch?

Getting the ban lifted is not about being sorry or proving that you did not profit in the two hands they know about. It's about convincing them 100% that you were just goofing off in a way that you couldn't profit from and that it's beneficial for them to take the risk in letting you back. They might not see much of a benefit if you only play poker a few days a year and don't dump anything in the pits.

All of the casino and gaming authorities in this thread should list some of their credentials.

How many years have you worked in casino security? Gaming in general? Have you ever had any kind of interaction with security besides asking for directions?

Are you interested in learning more?

http://www.securitymagazine.com/topi...tality-casinos

There are a lot of interesting topics covered each month.

Here is one where someone hijacked the casino's own security cameras to look at cards.

http://www.securitymagazine.com/arti...win-32-million

I don't think most people understand the seriousness of a casino environment. And how much money they spend to root out cheating. Security also needs to produce results to justify their budget. OP is a perfect example of a 'win' in their book. Cameras, verbal acknowledgement, and floor statements. Security can go back to finance and say we did our job. We caught and banned a cheater.

"Or whatever" suggest that he made statements along the lines of me being lucky, being in the lucky seat, having a horseshoe up my a##, etc.

But yea, excellent detective work!

Well I read a lot of this thread, people have dumped on you enough, you know you used poor judgement, and I believe you. Thanks for posting this actually it is a good reminder for all of us who like to play poker that we need to be careful that we follow the rules. We all **** up from time to time and sometimes our **** ups are costly.

I have been trying to think of ways to get your ban lifted. Perhaps some character references might be something to think about. Maybe if they realized you are just a guy that likes to play but is otherwise engaged in some occupation or studying in school they'd be convinced that it was a one time thing and you learned from the experience. Not great advice but it's the best I have.

Yea, if nothing comes out of this thread and sharing the story but keeping someone else from getting banned or in trouble for taking the fun a little too far, I'm cool with it!

Thanks for posting and offering some advice! I've sent letters to security and poker room management this week, so I'll see if that yields anything and just go from there.

Have a good rest of the week!

Julian you've made me do it, sorry for the derail

Seems like enough posters here are on your side, maybe we start a GoFundMe drve for full face and/or head transplant? Prob could raise the $$

I'll take a 5 ball to get it rolling...

Sounds like a dumb mistake and that's all. A lifetime ban is absurd. Good luck.

Totally feel like MGM should reduce this to a 1 year ban which he has been self enforcing by staying away. I think it's clear that he understands he made a big touristy gaff and will never disrespect the rules again. They should happily continue to take his manies

OP is taking all the right steps to show he is contrite and apologetic for putting Aria in a tough spot that he had no intention of putting them in. With his letters to security and the poker room director they should reinstate him

Thx!

Preciate it, man!

You are probably not getting back in because your lifetime ban will be recorded in the player system. I would be very surprised if you are even allowed to play in any MGM owned property since they all share information. If you attempt to play while under ban you risk being trespassed and arrested.

You are lucky you caught a weak dealer the first time you switched cards. A good dealer would have immediately called the floor and you would have been ejected from the poker room.

Your actions compromised the integrity and the fairness of the game. It cannot be allowed.

I'm not sure what you read that led you to think that the OP was planning to try to circumvent the ban, or why it would be news that such a ban would be recorded by MGM. The OP is in the process of attempting to get MGM to lift the ban, but obviously if they refuse then the lifetime ban would still be in effect.

While I appreciated your lucid and nuanced original post...I'm more impressed with the patience you've shown in the face of the many ignorant untoward remarks you've endured.

Joined 4.5 years ago and this is your first post? Welcome to the crowd.

Let's stop talking about the OP and make it about anyone in "the system". You are done. Security absolutely views this anything like this as cheating. Whether one intended to cheat or not.

http://www.bj21.com/blackjack/griffin.html

And to the person who said the stupidest thing they heard was this was a jailable offense...welcome to Nevada. They make the rules. The casinos pay a large portion of the tax that supports the entire system. The casinos are the biggest customer of all.

Personally, I think this is a lifetime ban at almost any casino because they all share data.

Advice if one wants to play after a ban of this type is to get a lawyer and try to get it expunged.

Lots of speculation ITT from people who are acting like they know it all when they don't have much of a clue.

We get it, people go to jail for cheating. Now as soon as you can tell me what "jailable offense" he committed, I'll rescind my earlier comment. Note that he wasn't even ARRESTED so even by the casino's presumably wide standards- wider I'm sure than what the DA would think- he didn't do anything criminal.

I don't think he committed a jailable offense. I think the casino thinks he committed a jailable offense. They could easily have had him arrested. Who cares if he is truly guilty or not. Leave that for the DA and/or a jury.

Glad golfnutt isnt serving on said jury

He got excused from serving on the jury because his responsibilities as Hall Monitor at the local High School are much more important.

Check out post #161 in this thread!