Many seasoned gamblers may be quite familiar with the casino marker system and understand the ins and outs of getting casino credit, paying it back, and having a good night at an Atlantic City casino. Newer visitors to Atlantic City or people less-experienced with casino credit systems may not understand the risks associated with taking out a marker in a casino.
If you made a mistake with your casino marker or tried to pass off false account information to get a casino marker, you may face criminal charges for fraud and theft. Our Atlantic City casino marker fraud lawyers might be able to help with your case and fight to get charges dropped and dismissed or convince casinos to handle these matters civilly rather than referring your case to the police. To schedule a free legal consultation on your case, contact the Law Offices of John J. Zarych today at (609) 616-4956.
How Casino Markers and Casino Credit Work in Atlantic City
New Jersey law has strict standards for how a wagering account or casino credit account can be established. All of these rules require truth from the applicant, meaning that any false information you give to establish a credit account can be problematic. In addition, these rules create standards requiring that the account can only be paid out to the person named on the account, meaning that any attempts to use a fake ID or claim winnings from someone else’s casino credit account could also be problematic.
The process of applying for casino credit or a “casino marker” usually involves the following steps:
- The casino guest applies for casino credit.
- The casino employee asks for their name, contact info, and bank account information.
- The casino employee verifies the account and verifies that it has the money to cover the credit. The account is then opened.
- The casino guest gambles using the money from the account.
- Winnings are paid back to the account. Any net winnings are paid out, but any remaining debts must be paid off.
- If you do not pay your debt before you leave, the casino will generally submit the request for payment to your bank like a check, settling your debt at a later date.
When You Can Face Criminal Charges for Casino Marker Fraud in New Jersey
This process is common for many gamblers, and many people will use this process instead of making a big withdrawal from their bank account or carrying around large quantities of cash. In many cases, this system works, and gamblers who break even or owe a small amount at the end of the night will settle their account. However, problems that lead to criminal charges can arise in this system.
There are many places in the system where fraud or misunderstandings can lead to charges, but charges typically occur at three major steps in this process:
- Applying with false information to get credit that the casino would not otherwise have given you can qualify as fraud.
- Trying to claim winnings from someone else’s account through fraud or forgery is illegal.
- Not paying back your credit in full can lead to criminal charges if your account does not have the funds to cover the debt or the casino cannot get payment from your bank.
It is clear that opening an account or stealing from someone else’s account is a potential fraud offense, but failing to pay back a loan may not seem like a serious criminal offense. Nonetheless, New Jersey law allows punishing this kind of offense as theft or fraud, potentially meaning jail time and high criminal fines.
Criminal Penalties for Casino Marker Fraud in NJ
Fraud and theft crimes in New Jersey are commonly punished by jail time and high criminal fines. Generally, the amount of money that you are accused of stealing through deception or fraud will affect the level of crime you are charged with. As such, low-dollar-value offenses often yield up to 6 months in jail, but more expensive crimes can lead to higher jail terms.
If you are accused of a crime for failing to pay back a casino marker or for trying to steal from a casino through the casino credit system, you will usually still be required to pay back the loan. Since casino credit is often a quick and easy process and gives you an interest-free loan, casinos need to ensure repayment. Criminal charges for casino marker fraud will not erase the debt, and the casino may still take civil action against you to enforce repayment.
If you face jail time and criminal fines, it may be harder to pay back your casino marker, which hurts the casino. Our attorneys may be able to negotiate with police, prosecutors, and the casino and work out an agreement that involves paying back the debts in exchange for dropping the charges, especially if the charges were based on a mistake or misunderstanding.
Call Our Law Offices for a Free Legal Consultation on Charges for Casino Credit Marker Fraud
If you or a loved one is facing allegations of fraud or theft because of problems with a casino marker or nonpayment of casino credit in Atlantic City, contact the Law Offices of John J. Zarych today. Our Atlantic City casino marker fraud lawyers represent defendants and work to have their charges dropped and dismissed. To schedule your free legal consultation, call our lawyers today at (609) 616-4956.