Three men were recently exposed for engaging in a high-tech cheating operation at JokerStars Social Club in Houston.
PokerNews reported on Monday that the men allegedly exchanged a deck of cards at the property with an RFID-enabled deck and used a card reader during play. Club personnel later confronted the men after noticing their efforts on the security footage.
Texas doesn’t have a legal online poker market or legal casinos. Thus, these social clubs are one of the only options for poker players in the Lone Star State.
The suspects – named Carlito, Marcelo, and Ivan – allegedly worked together at the table to cheat opponents. Club staff later confronted them, but Marcelo and Ivan fled the property.
Security footage showed Carlito swapping out the deck and changing the cards. According to club owner Jerry Yen and general manager Jason Marshall, Carlito initially denied the allegations, but later confessed. Management also found a card reader in his backpack.
Carlito was a former employee and ambassador for the club. Consequently, JokerStars ownership apologized for the incident on social media.
“We at JokerStars do not tolerate any behavior of the sort,” Yen noted on Facebook. “All money lost from this incident was returned and given back to the players affected. We are deeply saddened by Carlito’s actions as he is a former employee that represented the Jokerstars name. This is a huge disappointment not just to us but the entire poker community. We are here to provide the best gaming experience possible for our members and we are diligent everyday to keep our games fair.”
The club will now use custom-made cards to prevent similar cheating efforts in the future.
One Suspect Apologizes For Actions
The club didn’t reveal the last names of the three suspects. Furthermore, it’s unclear if the club contacted law enforcement regarding the issue. Carlito, who received a lifetime ban at the club, offered some insight on his involvement in direct messages revealed by PokerNews.
According to the messages, Carlito said he was “dragged into the system.”
“I admitted that I made the wrong decision,” he wrote. “I apologize to Jerry and everyone else.”
The player and former club employee said the scope of the cheating was limited and took only about $400 from players. However, JokerStars confiscated $2,700 from him. Carlito acknowledged what he did was wrong and said he “will never do it again.”
Continued Bad Press For JokerStars
JokerStars has been in the news a lot recently. None of it was for a good reason.
Last week, the club was home to a fight involving former NFL running back Adrian Peterson. TMZ obtained a video showing the former Minnesota Viking exchanging punches with another player in the poker game. The club didn’t contact law enforcement after that incident either, according to TMZ.
High-tech cheating has been a concern in the industry since the arrest of two men in France last year who are alleged to have used cell phones and miniature earpieces to cheat at poker and blackjack games across Europe.
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