How to Protect Yourself From Criminals Targeting You in the Casino

Casinos are a great way to escape the daily grind. Guests can play their favorite casino games and enjoy fabulous amenities that entertain and soothe the soul.

Unfortunately, not every person that strides into a casino is doing so with the best of intentions. While you may be looking to score a few wins and leave with house money, crooks lay in wait for a shot at a sure thing.

Every year, thousands of people are ripped off in and around casinos. That’s not an indictment on casino. But wherever you have large groups of people and tons of money, you’re going to find criminals.

Please Note:

The casinos take incredible measures to protect their investment, but that may not necessarily benefit you. So, you must always account for your personal security when in or around a casino.

Here are nine tricks you can use to guard against crooks in the casino.

1. Pay Attention to Your Surroundings

Being aware of your surroundings will go miles to thwarting the attacks of any thieves lurking nearby. Casinos are inherently distracting; that’s part of the experience. However, it’s as vital to your security as your bankroll that you remain focused on the tasks at hand.

Keeping safe in any scenario starts with you.

Don’t get so focused on any single activity that you allow yourself to become an easy target. Thieves are looking for a smooth grab and the ability to quickly get away; the last thing they want is a confrontation.

Even if you’ve got no idea how to spot a criminal or protect yourself, merely being aware will be enough of a deterrent for many crooks to steer clear. It pains me when I walk around and see most people have their noses buried in their phones while the passing world goes on around them.

It’s easy to want to stay connected but save checking social media until you’re back in your room. Pay attention to your surroundings to keep thieves moving on to easier targets.

2. Don’t Brag About Big Wins

Winning vast sums of money in the casino can definitely catch the attention of unsavory characters. It’s a challenge for some players to keep a lid on their good fortune.

Players become so accustomed to losing that they want to shout the good news from the rooftops.

That will merely add to the number of eyes on you, and not all will be admirable.

In rare cases:

You may win a sizable jackpot that has the casino throwing you into the spotlight. There isn’t much you can do to avoid that, but you should always take your winnings via wire transfer when available.

Keep your wins to yourself, and it’ll be less likely that you get targeted by criminals in the casino.

3. Keep Your Wallet in Your Front Pocket

Pickpockets are a genuine concern when inside or around thriving casino areas. Crooks need victims, and casinos provide a target-rich environment to apply their craft.

You can stop the robbers dead in their tracks by eliminating their opportunity. Placing your valuables in front of you can eliminate a lot of the thieves’ opportunities.

It sounds terrible, but a lot of protecting yourself comes down to looking like a more problematic mark than the next guy.

Criminals aren’t interested in making things any harder than it needs to be.

Place your wallet in your front pocket or drape your purse in front of you while in the casino. It’s much more challenging for thieves to steal right to your face.

Please Note:

Having your wallet in your back pocket or purse draped behind you makes it much more straightforward. Avoid allowing the bad guys to strike by keeping your valuables within your vision.

4. Don’t Get Bamboozled by the Booze

Alcohol rarely leads to anything good in a casino. Sure, it’s nice to unwind with a drink or two while you play your favorite game.

However:

The line can quickly be crossed, and bad decisions often follow. When you pour booze on top of all the distractions in the casino, you increase your chances of becoming a victim.

Many of the crimes that take place in casinos are alcohol-related. That’s probably not much of a surprise for many of you.

What might surprise you is how quickly you can become a mark based on your behavior at the tables. If you stumble away from the tables after having a few too many alcoholic drinks, you’re going to look like a sheep to the wolves lurking on the sidelines.

Keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum. Have a few drinks to celebrate when you get back to the room, leave the criminals no space to attack.

5. Leave the High-End Jewelry at Home

When it comes to looking like a target, few things will alert the crooks to your presence, like flaunting your expensive jewelry.

Obviously:

There will be a particular element that wants to relieve you of your prized possessions. Wearing your best earrings or most expensive watch will also give the appearance that you have money. I’m sure the crooks would instead get one significant score than several smaller takes.

Don’t think the costume jewelry will save you here. Thieves in the casino are more likely to go for your wallet than your fake Rolex.

So, to a thief:

All they see is a Rolex and assume you’ve got a fat wallet. You can look like a high roller all you want, but you need to keep your guard up while gambling.

I don’t support you dressing to the nines and feeling your best; I merely want you to maintain an enhanced sense of awareness when you do.

6. Stay Vigilant Everywhere on the Property

The casinos really do a phenomenal job of watching every square inch of a casino and keeping guests safe. However, make no mistakes that their primary objective is to protect their investment.

Yes, casinos go to great lengths to thwart any criminal activity on their property. The casino will do everything in its power to support you should you be the victim of a robbery.

Still, when a casino crook vanishes with your wallet, there’s little hope of it ever being returned. That is why it’s critical that you remain vigilant in and around tourist hubs like casinos.

Please Note:

The same goes for the police; these brave men and women wake up every day to serve and protect. But unless a police officer happens to see the crime taking place, they have no way of preventing the crime.

You must be on guard for suspicious behavior anytime you’re not resting comfortably in your room. This includes the parking lot, the bathrooms, tourist attractions, and anywhere else you might find yourself on a casino vacation.

7. Trust Your Intuition

I always tell my sister to trust her “Spidey Senses,” if something doesn’t feel right, get out of there. Most people have a natural intuition about people; whether they listen to it or not is hit or miss.

Personally:

I’d much rather believe that everyone has the welfare and best interest of my family at heart. But the reality is that many don’t, which has caused me to become callous towards strangers. It’s a “prove otherwise first” approach.

For as long as humans have inhabited the earth, we’ve turned our bodies to be wary of danger. Each of us has this sixth sense ingrained into our DNA.

Listen to it, and you can get a sense of peoples’ intentions.

Ignore the tiny voice in your head, and you could wind up being the victim of a casino scammer.

8. Don’t Look Like Prey

The DNA that prevents many of us from becoming prey is the DNA that promotes others to chase prey.

Nurture over nature, I suppose, but in the case of casino crooks on the prowl, they want to find the sheep.

I’m not suggesting you try to look the part of a wolf; that would be exhausting.

What does a casino crook even look like?

Thieves know a person that shouldn’t be tried by looking at them, though. Instead of staring at their phones, these people are aware of their surroundings and will look you dead in the eye.

Stop looking like another score to the thieves, and you’ll likely never have any issues.

9. Travel With a Team

Wolves travel in packs for a reason; there’s strength in numbers. It’s a good reason to do the same.

The whole reason the crooks are in the casino areas is because of the sheer volume of potential targets. It’s like sharks following a school of fish, one or two may get picked off, and the school continues moving on.

Surround yourself with friends aware of the dangers in and around the casino for a trouble-free casino experience.

Conclusion

The nine tricks you can use to guard against crooks in the casino may come off as being paranoid. Yet, being hyper-vigilant does not amount to paranoia.

You can also use these tips anytime you’re on vacation or away from your normal comfort zone.

In many cases, merely being aware of your surroundings will be enough to dissuade would-be criminals or avoid the potential risk altogether by playing at online casinos.