First table games bust at Delaware casino

    A Philadelphia man was arrested for trying to cheat at blackjack.

    Tables games at Delaware Park only opened to the public at noon Friday, but that didn’t stop one person from trying to cheat the system on Thursday.  What he probably didn’t count on was that he would be the first person caught.

    thomas.2 25 year old Maurice Thomas of Philadelphia was arrested at one of the new blackjack tables installed at the Stanton racino.  He’s accused of placing a wager after the game had started.  Surveilance on site observed him doing that four times before he was arrested.

    Kimberly Chandler, spokesperson for the Delaware Dept. of Safety and Homeland Security says Thomas was released on $1,000 bond.  His arrest was made by the newly created Gaming Enforcement division.  That group is made up of members of the Delaware State Police, Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement, and Attorney General’s Office.

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    Andrew Gentilly, COO of Delaware Park told whyy.org/delaware on Monday that much of the $4million upgrade for the introduction of table games was put into security.  State of the art surveilance cameras were installed to watch activities on the floor.  Chandler would not say whether Thomas had been warned at any time before his arrest.

    When he was arrested he evicted from the park.  Chandler says if Thomas is convicted he could be placed on an exclusion list that each of Delaware’s 3 racinos have for people who have committed crimes at the casinos.

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