Field guide

DDoS Extortion / Ransomware

How it works

Criminal groups launch distributed denial-of-service attacks or deploy ransomware against online casino operators, demanding payment to restore service or decrypt data. Attackers flood casino servers with traffic during peak betting times (major sporting events, weekend evenings) or encrypt critical databases. They demand ransom in cryptocurrency. Some threaten to release stolen customer data if unpaid.

On the record

MGM Resorts suffered a $100M+ loss from a 2023 ransomware attack causing a 10-day shutdown. Caesars Entertainment paid $15M in ransom after a social engineering breach. SBTech experienced a week-long outage during a DraftKings merger in 2020, requiring a $30M remediation fund.

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.