Part IV: Financial Fraud · Chip, Cash & Ticket Fraud

Chip Theft by Distraction Teams

How it works

A team of thieves works together to create diversions while one member steals chips. The distraction can take many forms: staged arguments, fake medical emergencies, simulated drunken behavior, or claiming that someone nearby has won a large jackpot (as in the Encore Boston Harbor case). While attention is drawn to the distraction, the primary thief palms chips from a dealer tray or player stack and exits quickly. Teams often use radio communication to coordinate timing and assign roles.

Where it appears

Busy table games during peak hours, dealer trays, unattended player stacks

On the record

Distraction teams are a persistent threat across all major gaming jurisdictions. The Encore Boston Harbor case (2024) represents a textbook example of single-person distraction leading to tray theft.

Published as a detection reference for surveillance, compliance and gaming-operations professionals. Thresholds and tuning are set by the property. Nothing here is instruction — the method is described so it can be recognised.