Casino Marker Attorney Las Vegas, NV

As any good casino marker attorney will tell you, anyone who hopes to get rich at a casino is often chasing an impossible dream. More often than not, a losing player simply stops for the day and leaves with empty pockets. For the high-stakes player, however, things can be different. In the firm belief that great fortune awaits one lucky spin away, these people might choose to continue their freewheeling ways on borrowed money.

They do this by applying to the casino for credit. If the establishment deems them financially worthy, it will issue a short-term, no-interest line of credit in the form of a casino marker. This actually consists of a check that the player writes to the casino to cover the borrowed amount. The casino, in turn, agrees to hold the check for the 15 to 30 days it has given the player to repay the money.

This windfall may seem initially attractive, but the gambler who fails to make good on the loan in a timely fashion will face a double problem: exorbitant interest fees and potential criminal charges.

Why the Gambler Does This

Many casino patrons are uncomfortable carrying large amounts of cash into a casino. These players prefer, instead, to play off a line of credit. Although the specifics will vary from one establishment to the next, this borrowed money is normally free of interest and will not come due for 15 to 30 days.

The player upon whom Lady Luck has smiled will normally repay the casino marker before leaving the facility. Trouble only rears its head when he fails to pay up before the casino’s stated deadline.

How Nevada Enforces the Unpaid Marker Law

In the state of Nevada, failure to repay a casino marker is a felony (NRS 205.130). Nevertheless, before the law agrees to get involved, the casino must have made a valid attempt to collect the money on its own. After 30 days, it has a legal right to cash the check you signed over and withdraw the amount outstanding directly from your bank account.

If the casino should succeed, all is well and good. If insufficient funds should cause that check to bounce, however, the casino must notify you by certified letter and give you an additional 10-day period to settle your unpaid marker. Any failure to respond on your part will permit the casino to call in the troops in the form of the District Attorney.

The District Attorney’s Role

In his role as intermediary, the District Attorney will immediately tack on a collection fee of between 5 and 10 percent of the amount you owe. He will then send you a certified letter informing you that he is now in charge of the case and giving you an additional 10 days to make good on the ever-increasing debt. If you fail to respond in a satisfactory manner, the state will issue a warrant for your arrest.

Penalties for Failure to Pay Casino Markers

Under Nevada law, failure to pay casino markers is a civil and a criminal offense. Potential civil and criminal penalties will vary according to the amount involved, and may depend on your criminal history. If the unpaid markers add up to no more than $249, you face misdemeanor charges that carry fines of as much as $10,000 and a possible jail sentence of up to six months.

When your unpaid markers are for more than that, however, you will find yourself facing felony charges that call for an optional fine of $5,000; a mandated repayment of the markers and administrative fees; and a term of imprisonment of one to four years in the Nevada State Prison.

Your Nevada Casino Marker Defense

If you should find yourself faced with charges concerning unpaid casino markers, Almase Law can help. We are aware that most people who find themselves in this situation had no original intent to defraud. They are guilty instead only of making the ill-advised decision to gamble with a casino’s money. We will use our extensive experience in unpaid marker cases to assist in keeping you out of prison and wiping the slate clean of any felony charges against you.

Caesar Almase has successfully negotiated for the dismissal of felony charges in casino marker cases, and for the reduction of the total amount to be paid back to the casinos. In one memorable case, Caesar was able to arrange for the release of his client from Riker’s Prison, New York while he was awaiting transport back to Nevada on the casino marker bench warrant, and then got the felony charges dismissed upon payment of a reduced amount. Don’t leave your situation up to chance. Call Almase Law today.