Gaming Control issues 71-count complaint against Carson City casino

Investigators for the Gaming Control Board have filed a 71-count complaint charging multiple violations of record keeping, accounting rules and security procedures by operators of the Max Casino and its predecessor Carson Station.

Some of the more serious charges include slot attendants have access to the cage cashier’s card allowing them to “initiate and produce a fraudulent payout form, obtain the funds, forge the signatures on the payout form, route all parts of the payout form and misappropriate the funds.”

It also charges Rory Bedore was appointed president, treasurer and secretary of Silver State Corp., in 2006 but never applied or received a gaming license to hold any of those posts. And it charged several terminated employees still have access to the security system.

The casino’s parent company is 777 U.S. Inc. and also operates Silver State Gaming, a route operator. Carson Station formally became The Max in July after a series of upgrades and renovations to the hotel, restaurants, bars and casino.

The complaint was referred to the Gaming Commission for Action this past week. The complaint has not yet been put on the commission agenda but that body could limit, condition, restrict, suspend or revoke the gaming licenses held by 777.

“777 U.S. has notified the Nevada Gaming Control Board that it is requesting the complaint be heard by the Nevada Gaming Commission,” said Kathy Topp with Red 7 Communications in an email to the Nevada Appeal.

Other counts charge numerous and repeated violations of state gaming rules, many of them dealing with required record keeping procedures to ensure all the money coming and going from the casino and slot routes is accounted for and properly taxed. Those regulations also ensure gamblers are properly treated and fairly advised of their options and chances.

While it doesn’t specifically accuse employees or managers of unlawfully taking money, it charges that could happen because of the security violations. It says a number of “owner draws” were improperly reported and slot attendants “have the ability to initiate and produce a fraudulent payout form up to $625.”

In collecting money from the slots, the complaint charged contrary to the rules, there was no second employee to monitor the removal and placement of drop boxes into the car and there was no security over the cart carrying those boxes.

In addition, the complaint charges the cage manager “has the ability to access the sensitive gaming keys maintained in the dual lock box in the cage without the involvement of a second employee.”

It charges hold percentages for numerous machines were way above the maximum 25 percent allowed in regulation — one of them listed at 137 percent although the complaint didn’t explain how a machine could hold more money than was put into it.

And the complaint charged non-supervisory employees have the ability to add or delete points in player tracking accounts without authorization.

The complaint says gaming control has issued previous violation letters to 777 and Carson Station in June 2012 and December 2013.

“Respondents have failed to maintain compliance with the statutes, regulations and procedures on which it had been previously noticed,” the complaint states.

Because of that, the board’s Tax and License Division began an audit of Max/Carson Station and 777 as a whole one year ago.

That complaint details a list of more than 100 procedural, regulatory and security charges.