Can “card counting” get you trespassed from a Vegas casino?

Playlist: Counting Cards in Nevada -- "Is it illegal?"

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If a casino patron in Nevada is suspected of being a card counter, the management can order them to leave the casino. If the patron refuses or comes back, they can then be cited or arrested for violating Nevada trespass law (NRS 207.200). Some notorious card counters have been banned from most of Nevada’s casinos.

1. How does Nevada law define “trespassing”?

Nevada trespass law makes it a crime to go on or stay on another’s property without their consent.¹

In Nevada, trespass arrests often occur in casinos when rowdy customers are asked to leave and they refuse, or when they leave but then come back to retrieve their belongings in their hotel room.

Security guards who detain patrons for trespass elect whether to

call an officer to arrest them, or
have them summoned to court without them having to go to jail first.

2. What are the penalties for trespassing under NRS 207.200?

Violating Nevada trespass law is a misdemeanor, carrying up to six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.²

However, it’s rare for judges to order jail time unless the person is a repeat offender. And if it’s a person’s first offense, the prosecutor is usually willing to dismiss the case in exchange for a fine. (Read our related article, “How can I be arrested for trespass in Nevada?‘)

Legal References:

1. NRS 207.200.
2. See same.

About the Author

Neil Shouse

A former Los Angeles prosecutor, attorney Neil Shouse graduated with honors from UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School (and completed additional graduate studies at MIT). He has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, Dr Phil, The Today Show and Court TV. Mr Shouse has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Criminal and Top 100 Civil Attorneys.

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