LV man nominated to Black Book

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Monday, Aug. 2, 1999 | 11:18 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A Las Vegas man convicted of slot cheating has been nominated to the state's Black Book, the list of people barred from casinos.

The state Gaming Control Board meets Wednesday and will consider the nomination of Michael Balsamo, who has used 12 other names.

Deputy Attorney General Keith Kizer said Balsamo, 40, has been in the Black Book in New Jersey since 1984. He has one conviction in that state.

Records in Nevada show he was arrested at least four times on gaming cheating charges in the 1990s. He was convicted in September 1995 on a cheating charge and was sentenced to six years in prison. He has since been released.

Balsamo is also one of 10 people now accused by the FBI of rigging slot machines to pay out millions of dollars across the country. The ring worked out of Las Vegas before it was broken up by police last month, the government alleged.