MEDIA RELEASE

21 January 2013

Casino dealer receives custodial sentence and fine

The Department of Internal Affairs is satisfied its investigations have resulted in the conviction of a Hamilton casino employee for cheating.

Bo DU, 33, a dealer at SkyCity Hamilton casino for six years was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment to be served on home detention and reparation of $20,000, to be paid at a minimum rate of $50.00 per week, to be paid within two years.
She had earlier pleaded guilty to obtaining, with two casino patrons, $52,000 by deception and of accepting a gratuity while holding a Certificate of Approval under the Gambling Act.

Her two associates have been similarly charged and are being dealt with separately.

The Department was called in after the casino discovered irregularities around its rapid roulette table game. With Sky City’s assistance, gambling inspectors determined that DU had illegally obtained $52,000 by manipulating the game. They also detected that DU had received a one-off payment of $15,000 from a SkyCity Hamilton patron. This is prohibited by the Gambling Act 2003.

Internal Affairs’ Casino Compliance Manager, Rob Abbott, said the Department remains vigilant to the potential gambling offers for illicit activities.
“Du’s sentence underlines the seriousness of the offending. Members of the public should be able to expect that all Casino gambling is operated responsibly and with the highest integrity,” Rob Abbott said. “It is our job as the regulator to ensure that SkyCity has systems in place to detect and deal with any criminal behaviour on the part of their employees. In this case the casino's systems detected the offending and enabled us to bring this court action."

Du’s conviction means she will not be able to work in casinos again.
ends

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