Commission adds slot cheat to Black Book

By Richard N. Velotta (contact)

Fri, Aug 28, 2009 (3 a.m.)

A convicted slot cheat has been added to Nevada’s Black Book of people excluded from casinos in the state.

Michael McNeive, who was convicted of trying to cheat a slot machine at a Rite Aid drugstore in 2003, became the 36th person in the Black Book.

McNeive, who also has been convicted of conspiracy to possess a cheating device, conspiracy to commit theft and conspiracy to commit burglary, is a co-defendant in another slot cheating case expected to be heard in Clark County next month. He is banned from Colorado casinos and is an associate of William Klahr Cushing who’s already in Nevada’s Black Book.

The Nevada Gaming Commission unanimously approved including McNeive at its Aug. 20 meeting in Carson City. McNeive did not attend the hearing nor have a representative.

Deputy Attorney General John Michela said McNeive used a light optic device in his cheating scheme and was able to trick the slot’s bill acceptor into giving a player 100 $1 credits when inserting a $1 bill.

People in the Black Book who enter a casino or any casino that knowingly allows an excluded person to enter face gross misdemeanor charges. The list was created in 1960 to battle organized crime in Nevada casinos. People can only be removed from the list if they die or if the commission determines that they shouldn’t have been listed.

In other business, the commission approved a settlement with the owner of a Searchlight casino who failed to properly supervise the operation of slot machines.

The commission was told Verlie Doing, general manager of the Searchlight Nugget, had numerous administrative and audit oversights when the property was reviewed by Gaming Control Board agents.

The complaint outlined numerous procedural errors in monitoring the slot machines. The settlement orders Doing to pay a $3,000 fine and hire a bookkeeper or accountant with gaming experience and a compliance officer to oversee the operation and select a key employee to maintain a relationship with the Control Board.

The commission also approved a flurry of licenses at casino sports books in Southern Nevada.

The commission unanimously approved licenses for Gaughan South to operate sports books at the Palms, Rampart and two Cannery casino; for Brandywine Bookmaking, operating under the Lucky’s brand, to run a book at Laughlin’s Pioneer; and Cantor Gaming to operate the book at the Venetian.

Gaughan South, controlled by South Point casino operator Michael Gaughan, already operates sports books at the South Point, downtown Las Vegas’ El Cortez and Mesquite’s Casablanca and Virgin River.