Five men have been arrested for cheating as part of an organised gang at the Pasino in La Grande-Motte, causing a loss of €76,000. Thanks to CCTV footage, the management discovered that they were using an iron rod inserted into the roulette wheel to manipulate the trajectory of the ball and distort the results.
Last weekend, a police operation led to the arrest of five individuals suspected of cheating as part of an organised gang at the Pasino in La Grande-Motte. Four Georgian nationals and one Ukrainian were remanded in custody. The damage estimated by the establishment amounts to 76,000 euros.
The Pasino at La Grande-Motte: a renowned establishment
The Pasino Partouche La Grande-Motte is inspired by the casinos of Las Vegas and covers more than 7,000 m² dedicated to leisure activities. It offers a wide range of games, including 218 slot machines, traditional table games and a Poker Room. In addition to the games, the establishment has two restaurants, Le Win and Le Paz, as well as a 1,200-seat auditorium, the ‘Enrico Macias’ auditorium, which regularly hosts concerts and cultural events.
Well-orchestrated cheating
CCTV footage from the casino revealed that the five men were using a cheating method involving an iron rod inserted into the roulette wheel. This technique allowed them to modify the behaviour of the ball by influencing its path or making it stop on a specific number, thereby increasing their chances of winning. By physically manipulating the roulette wheel, the cheats were able to circumvent the random nature of the game and obtain fraudulent winnings.
Laurent Libelle, the casino’s lawyer: ‘When other players came to the table, they didn’t bet or cheat. We can see from the images that they only cheat when they are alone.’
The case is taking on a wider dimension, with some suspecting a Europe-wide scam network, where fraudulent winnings would be transferred to sponsors via applications such as WeTransfer. However, the suspects and their lawyers dispute this version. Only the youngest of the Georgians has admitted the facts, claiming that his alleged accomplices were not involved, while the others point to problems of addiction to gambling or methadone, as well as financial difficulties. Despite their clean criminal records, one of them was arrested with a false passport, adding to investigators’ suspicions.
Pending their trial at the end of April, four of the five defendants remain in custody, while the defence insists that there is no link between them and rejects the idea of a criminal organisation.
Heightened security measures in French casinos
The recent events at the Pasino de La Grande-Motte are a reminder of the importance of constant vigilance to preserve the integrity of gambling. Casinos must continually adapt their security measures to deal with new methods of cheating and ensure a fair gaming experience for all customers.Faced with constant advances in cheating techniques, French casinos have implemented strict security measures. Jean-Luc Zizzo, Director of the Casino Barrière de Menton, points out that ‘without baronnage, there can be no cheating’, emphasising the importance of internal complicity in fraudulent schemes. As a result, the establishments have stepped up staff surveillance, introduced frequent rotation to prevent employees from developing habits, and set up hierarchical controls.