Late Saturday night at a small Casino in Burien Wa a friend of mine was arrested while cashing in his chips at the cage for allegedly "Capping" bets. I didn't see him get arrested as I was off scarfing down a comped breakfast. I was informed by security he was being arrested for capping and that they had it all on tape. He was outside cuffed in a cop car. They turned the tape over to the police and he is now awaiting the investigation. He was not taken to jail. He was released after 45 minutes or so. The police took 1400.00 in chips as evidence.
So... here is the deal. At this point we don't know what they have on tape. I was sitting next to him and remember one instance where a player to his right had split hands a couple times and had like 4 bets out. The dealer busted. The player reached for his chips before being paid and the dealer reprimanded him. The player was confused and my friend explained that you can't handle your chips before being paid because you could add money to the bet. He pulled a 5.00 chip off his stack and added it to his bet and then pulled the 5.00 chip off the bet and put it back in his stack. The dealer then paid him the correct amount and the game went on for another couple hours. During this time he had a pretty nice run as did another one of our friends. They were up close to 5,000 between the two. This was a 5.00 table at a little shithole casino. They were betting Blacks on multiple spots by the end. When we were ready to go we had about 3,000 profit left between the 3 of us. 2 of us cashed and went to eat our comped breakfast. When our friend went to cash they told him they were getting more money for the cage. They told him it would be 10 minutes or so. He came and ordered food and when he went back to get his money he never came back. There were 2 policemen waiting for him.
He swears up and down that he never did any capping. He says the only thing he remembers doing is the same story I told where he was showing a guy why he couldn't handle his chips before being paid.
Is that one "demonstration" enough evidence for the Casino to have him arrested for capping? Does this really show fraudulent intent? If it is truly only this one instance they have on tape which was over 5.00 (that he was not even mis-payed!) would the other 4 hours of tape help defend him proving there was never any fraudulent intent? I understand fraudulent intent is a necessary element to be guilty of cheating.
Anyone have any experience with this or have any advice of what he should do to defend himself? This is a Gross Misdameanor if they pursue charges.
Is this just a case of a little Casino just harrassing him for winning?
any advice would be appreciated.
So... here is the deal. At this point we don't know what they have on tape. I was sitting next to him and remember one instance where a player to his right had split hands a couple times and had like 4 bets out. The dealer busted. The player reached for his chips before being paid and the dealer reprimanded him. The player was confused and my friend explained that you can't handle your chips before being paid because you could add money to the bet. He pulled a 5.00 chip off his stack and added it to his bet and then pulled the 5.00 chip off the bet and put it back in his stack. The dealer then paid him the correct amount and the game went on for another couple hours. During this time he had a pretty nice run as did another one of our friends. They were up close to 5,000 between the two. This was a 5.00 table at a little shithole casino. They were betting Blacks on multiple spots by the end. When we were ready to go we had about 3,000 profit left between the 3 of us. 2 of us cashed and went to eat our comped breakfast. When our friend went to cash they told him they were getting more money for the cage. They told him it would be 10 minutes or so. He came and ordered food and when he went back to get his money he never came back. There were 2 policemen waiting for him.
He swears up and down that he never did any capping. He says the only thing he remembers doing is the same story I told where he was showing a guy why he couldn't handle his chips before being paid.
Is that one "demonstration" enough evidence for the Casino to have him arrested for capping? Does this really show fraudulent intent? If it is truly only this one instance they have on tape which was over 5.00 (that he was not even mis-payed!) would the other 4 hours of tape help defend him proving there was never any fraudulent intent? I understand fraudulent intent is a necessary element to be guilty of cheating.
Anyone have any experience with this or have any advice of what he should do to defend himself? This is a Gross Misdameanor if they pursue charges.
Is this just a case of a little Casino just harrassing him for winning?
any advice would be appreciated.
