Casinos need not warn patrons on violations

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court ruled casinos and their employees have no duty to warn customers they may be violating the law in the clubs.

The court unanimously upheld a pretrial summary judgment against Angelina Vinci, who sued the Sands Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip after her arrest for unlawfully accepting gaming chips without signing a marker. The Venetian now stands at the site of the Sands, which was imploded.

Vinci was indicted on charges of conspiring with two Sands employees to commit a fraudulent act.

Vinci then filed a civil suit. District Judge Jack Lehman ruled the law did not impose a duty upon the Sands or its employees to warn her that accepting gaming chips without signing a marker violates a gaming law.

The Supreme Court said there was no evidence the Sands knew or should have known that some of its employees were engaged in a conspiracy. And there was no evidence the Sands failed to conduct a reasonable background check of its employees or failed to train or properly supervise these workers.

The decision said it was overruling prior Supreme Court cases that implied a casino or its employees have a duty to caution patrons that their conduct is unlawful.

"In sum, we conclude that neither the Sands nor its employees has a duty to warn patrons that they violate the law when they accept gaming chips without a marker," the decision said.

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