Part III: Slot Machine Cheating · Physical Cheating Methods

SCAM #32: Fraudulent Voucher Printing (Jumper Wire Method)

How it works

A sophisticated inside job discovered in 2007. A slot technician used a jumper wire to remove a slot machine from the casino floor for “maintenance.” The jumper wire connected the machine back to the server and to another slot machine in the tech shop. The technician would print legitimate-seeming tickets for relatively small amounts (to avoid raising suspicion) and have a co-conspirator cash them. The tickets were technically valid in the system because they came from a legitimate machine number connected to the network. The estimated loss exceeded $1 million.

Where it appears

Casinos with networked TITO systems and slot tech shops.

On the record

This case is specifically cited by the Nevada Gaming Control Board as the reason for Minimum Internal Control Standards (MICS) requiring procedures to detect fraudulent voucher issuance. The Board explicitly recommends walking the floor to check for out-of-service machines and verifying no vouchers were issued during those periods.

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.