Unaided card counting is not illegal under Las Vegas, Nevada, or federal law. After all, criminalizing such behavior would be a form of thought control that would represent a grave offense against traditional American values. 

Nevertheless, you can still get into trouble for card counting – depending on your reaction to an accusation, you might still face criminal charges. 

What Is Card Counting?

There are four aces in a deck. If you have one and another player has laid down one, there can be no more than two elsewhere, assuming only one deck is in use. The same is true of 7s- – there are only four of those. If you keep track of as many cards as you can, you can improve your calculation of the odds of this or that move winning you money.

From your point of view, you are simply using logic and your own intellect to improve your odds of winning, which is probably what motivated you to play in the first place. From the casino’s point of view, any money you win this way is money that the casino might have won instead. Consequently, casinos do not like card counting.

Card Counting and House Rules

Every casino has a set of house rules that they enforce. Many casinos apply a house rule against card counting, even though there is nothing illegal about it. Since a casino is a piece of private property, it can enforce its own rules. They can also eject you from the casino for card counting. If you count cards in a casino that prohibits this practice, you can expect a not-so-friendly visit from burly casino security guards.

Use of Mechanical Means To Count Cards

There are mechanical and electronic devices available that will help you count cards. If you use one of these at a casino, you are breaking the law. Casino security guards can detain you and call the police. When the police arrive, they can arrest you.

Non-Mechanical Cheating

Other forms of cheating, such as surreptitiously adding a card to the deck, constitute criminal offenses. The casino can call the police on you for this behavior as well.

Trespassing

If the casino catches you counting cards or thinks they have, they can demand that you leave the premises. Since the casino is private property, if you refuse to leave, then your presence there constitutes criminal trespassing. The police can arrest you even if the casino’s belief that you were counting cards is false. 

Disorderly Conduct

If the casino sends security guards to escort you out of the building, you might decide to “make a scene.” This is especially likely if you had been drinking at the time of the incident. Some examples of disorderly conduct include:

  • Fighting (which could lead to more serious charges);
  • Challenging someone to fight (“You wanna step outside?”);
  • “Inciting a disturbance”; or
  • Annoying, accosting, or harassing someone in a manner that would be expected to cause a disturbance.

There are many other ways to commit disorderly conduct. While it is not a serious charge, it can result in a criminal record.

Assault and Battery

In Nevada, cocking a fist at someone (in anger, not in jest) likely constitutes assault, even if you never throw a punch. Actually punching someone constitutes battery. These charges, especially battery, can be serious, depending on the circumstances and how much damage you do.

Do You Need a Lawyer?

If you have a personal injury claim arising out of a Las Vegas casino arrest (perhaps security guards or someone else used excessive force on you, for example), you probably need a lawyer. After all, casinos have plenty of money to hire lawyers to tell their side of the story. You need a lawyer to tell your side. 

Schedule a free initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer. If your claim is strong, a personal injury lawyer will represent you on a contingency fee basis. This can help you even the playing field against the casino.

Contact the Las Vegas Personal Injury Attorneys at Battle Born Injury Lawyers Today

If you or a loved one were injured in an accident in Las Vegas and need legal assistance, contact our personal injury attorneys at Battle Born Injury Lawyers and schedule a free consultation with our legal team. We have four convenient locations in Nevada, including Las Vegas, Henderson, and Reno.

We proudly serve Clark County and its surrounding areas.

Battle Born Injury Lawyers – Downtown Las Vegas Office
400 S 4th St Suite 290,
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 357-4868

Or find us with our GeoCoordinates: 36.1658, -115.1458

Battle Born Injury Lawyers – Las Vegas Office
10789 W Twain Ave #100
Las Vegas, NV 89135
(702) 570-9000

Battle Born Injury Lawyers – Reno Office
675 W Moana Ln #206
Reno, NV 89509, USA
(775) 535-7768

Battle Born Injury Lawyers – Henderson Office
8540 S Eastern Ave #200
Henderson, NV 89123
(702) 500-0287