Black Book nomination submitted for fugitive slot-machine cheater

Friday, Aug. 6, 1999 | 11:36 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A professional slot machine cheater, said to be "on the lam" from federal authorities, was nominated Thursday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board to be included in the Black Book, a list of those barred from casinos.

Board Chairman Steve DuCharme said Thursday that Michael Balsamo, who has 12 aliases, "poses a threat both to the reputation and the economic interests of the state and the industry."

Deputy Attorney General Keith Kizer told the board Balsamo has been convicted five times in Nevada, including four times in Clark County, and one time in Atlantic City, of cheating or possessing slot cheating devices.

Balsamo was recently indicted in Las Vegas on charges of being involved with nine others in rigging slot machines to pay out millions of dollars in casinos across the country.

Kizer said Balsamo "is still on the lam." He said Balsamo and his attorney made some sort of a deal to surrender. But it was a "ruse" on Balsamo's part to give him more time to get farther away, Kizer said.

"He's still out there and can walk into any casino," Kizer said.

Gaming officials will try to personally serve the notice on Balsamo that he has been nominated for the Black Book. If they locate him, he will have 30 days to answer the allegations and to request a hearing to challenge his inclusion on the list.

Kizer said personal service does not appear likely at this point. So the notice of Balsamo's nomination will be published in newspapers for seven days. He (Balsamo) will then have 60 days in which to ask for a hearing.

Kizer expects the matter to come before the state Gaming Commission in November at its Las Vegas meeting.

Balsamo qualifies under the law for inclusion on the list because he has a prior felony conviction; he's a person of notorious or unsavory reputation and there is an order in another state that excludes him from gaming casinos.

Balsamo has been in the Black Book in New Jersey since 1984.