Scandal

Nevada Black Book: The Casino Industry's Most Wanted List

In the high-stakes world of Nevada gaming, there exists an official document that strikes fear into the hearts of cheaters, mobsters, and anyone who threatens the integrity of the casino industry. The Nevada Gaming Commission's List of Excluded Persons—universally known as the "Black Book"—represents the ultimate punishment: a lifetime ban from every licensed casino in the state. Getting your name in this small, notorious book means you can never again set foot on a Nevada casino floor, under penalty of criminal prosecution.

Since its creation in 1960, the Black Book has contained fewer than 60 names—a testament to how seriously Nevada takes this designation. According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, inclusion requires a formal hearing process and is reserved for individuals who pose the most serious threats to Nevada's $15 billion gaming industry. The stories of those who made this list read like a who's who of organized crime and casino fraud.

The Origins: Fighting Organized Crime

The Black Book emerged from Nevada's desperate need to distance its gaming industry from its mob-tainted past. In the early days of Las Vegas, organized crime figures openly operated casinos and skimmed millions in profits. The 1950 Kefauver Committee hearings exposed the depth of mob involvement, threatening Nevada's entire gaming economy.

In 1960, the Nevada Gaming Control Board created the List of Excluded Persons as a weapon against mob infiltration. The original eleven entries were all organized crime figures, including several members of the Chicago Outfit who had been photographed together at the infamous 1957 Apalachin Meeting—a secret summit of mob bosses that was accidentally discovered by law enforcement.

Did You Know? The Black Book gets its name from the small black binder originally used to hold photos and information about excluded persons. Casinos were required to keep copies and train their staff to recognize every face inside.

The First Eleven

The inaugural Black Book entries in 1960 included some of the most notorious names in organized crime:

Sam Giancana – Chicago Outfit boss who controlled several Las Vegas casinos
Marshall Caifano – Chicago mob enforcer who oversaw Las Vegas operations
John Louis Battaglia – Los Angeles mobster with gaming interests
Louis Tom Dragna – LA crime family underboss
Michael Coppola – New York Genovese family captain

These men weren't just gamblers or cheaters—they were the architects of casino corruption. Their exclusion sent a clear message: Nevada would no longer tolerate organized crime control of its casinos. Research from the UNLV International Gaming Institute documents how this list became a cornerstone of Nevada's regulatory framework that other jurisdictions would eventually copy.

Evolution: From Mobsters to Cheaters

As law enforcement successfully dismantled mob control of casinos through the 1970s and 1980s, the Black Book's focus shifted. New entries increasingly came from a different category: sophisticated casino cheaters whose methods threatened gaming integrity.

Tommy Glenn Carmichael: The Slot Machine Wizard

Perhaps no cheater better represents this evolution than Tommy Glenn Carmichael, added to the Black Book in 1999. Carmichael spent three decades developing devices to cheat slot machines, staying one step ahead of casino countermeasures.

His innovations included the "monkey paw"—a bent piece of spring steel that could trigger coin payouts—and the "light wand," which used a miniature light bulb to blind the optical sensors that counted coins. By the time he was caught, Carmichael had stolen an estimated millions of dollars from casinos across the country.

Carmichael's story intersects with the broader history of casino cheating devices. Unlike the mobsters who preceded him on the list, Carmichael was an engineer-turned-criminal whose technical ingenuity made him a unique threat. His eventual capture came through undercover operations and the relentless pursuit of Nevada gaming investigators.

"The Black Book is Nevada's nuclear option. It's not just about punishment—it's about sending a message that certain behavior will result in permanent exile from the industry." — Gaming law expert, quoted in the Las Vegas Review-Journal

Richard Marcus: The Past-Posting King

Richard Marcus earned his Black Book entry through a technique called "past-posting"—adding chips to winning bets after the outcome was determined. His signature move, the "Savannah," involved placing a high-value chip hidden beneath lower-denomination chips on roulette. If the bet won, he'd reveal the hidden chip; if it lost, he'd discretely swap it out before collection.

Marcus operated for over two decades before being caught, allegedly winning over $5 million. His case highlighted how dealer errors and lapses could be exploited by determined cheaters with the patience to wait for the right moment.

1960

Nevada creates the List of Excluded Persons with 11 original entries, all organized crime figures.

1976

Frank Rosenthal, the inspiration for Robert De Niro's character in "Casino," is added to the Black Book.

1988

The federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act establishes tribal gaming, creating new exclusion list frameworks.

1999

Tommy Glenn Carmichael, legendary slot machine cheater, receives his Black Book entry.

2015

Archie Karas, famous for "The Run," is added after a card marking conviction.

Present

The Black Book contains approximately 35 active entries, with new additions requiring formal hearings.

Famous Black Book Entries

Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal

If you've seen Martin Scorsese's film "Casino," you know Frank Rosenthal—he was the real-life basis for Robert De Niro's character Sam "Ace" Rothstein. Rosenthal ran the Stardust, Fremont, Hacienda, and Marina casinos for the Chicago Outfit, skimming millions to send back to mob bosses in the Midwest.

Despite never receiving a gaming license (he was denied four times), Rosenthal effectively controlled these casinos through various titles that skirted licensing requirements. His 1976 Black Book entry came after extensive investigation revealed the scope of mob control. Rosenthal survived a 1982 car bombing and eventually moved to Florida, where he died in 2008.

The FBI's investigation of Rosenthal and his associates, documented in the "Strawman" cases, eventually brought down the mob's Las Vegas empire and led to multiple convictions.

Archie Karas: From Legend to Exile

The story of Archie Karas is one of the most dramatic in gambling history. Between 1992 and 1995, he turned $50 into $40 million in what became known as "The Run"—the greatest gambling streak ever recorded. But his 2015 Black Book entry came from a very different chapter of his life.

In 2013, Karas was arrested at a San Diego casino for marking cards with invisible ink at blackjack tables. The arrest and subsequent conviction represented a fall from grace for the gambling legend. His addition to the Black Book meant that the man who had once been welcomed as a high-stakes player was now permanently banned from the scene of his greatest triumphs.

Karas's case illustrates an uncomfortable truth: the line between celebrated high roller and criminal can sometimes blur when financial pressures mount.

Anthony Carleo: The Bellagio Bandit

In December 2010, a man on a motorcycle robbed the Bellagio casino of $1.5 million in chips. The brazen heist made national headlines, but what made it truly remarkable was the perpetrator's identity: Anthony Carleo, son of a Las Vegas municipal judge.

Carleo's undoing came from hubris. Instead of quietly cashing out his stolen chips, he attempted to sell them through poker players and undercover officers. His Black Book entry came alongside a prison sentence, adding his name to the list of casino criminals whose greed exceeded their judgment. The case connects to the broader history of casino heists that have challenged security over the decades.

The Hearing Process

Unlike private casino exclusion lists, getting into the Nevada Black Book requires a formal legal process with significant due process protections. The Nevada Gaming Control Board must first investigate and recommend inclusion, followed by a public hearing before the Nevada Gaming Commission.

At these hearings, the proposed excludee has the right to:

Receive advance notice of the charges
Be represented by an attorney
Present evidence and witnesses
Cross-examine the state's witnesses
Appeal the decision to Nevada courts

The criteria for inclusion focus on whether the individual's presence in a casino would harm the gaming industry's reputation or pose a threat to fair gaming. According to Nevada law, inclusion doesn't require a criminal conviction—the standard is the individual's overall threat to gaming integrity.

Did You Know? Several Black Book entries have successfully challenged their inclusion in court. The most famous case involved Sam Giancana, who argued the list violated his constitutional rights. The courts ultimately upheld the Black Book's legality while establishing procedural safeguards.

Consequences of Black Book Inclusion

Being placed in the Black Book carries severe legal consequences. Simply entering a Nevada casino becomes a criminal offense—a gross misdemeanor for the first offense, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Subsequent offenses are felonies.

For casinos, knowingly allowing a Black Book member onto their premises can result in massive fines or even license revocation. This creates powerful incentives for casinos to maintain vigilance through their surveillance systems and facial recognition technology.

Violation	Penalty
First offense entering a casino	Gross misdemeanor: up to 1 year jail, $2,000 fine
Subsequent offenses	Category D felony: 1-4 years prison
Casino knowingly admits Black Book member	Fines up to $100,000+ per incident, potential license action
Casino employee fails to report	Individual discipline, potential termination

Beyond Nevada: The Spread of Exclusion Lists

Nevada's Black Book pioneered the concept of formal gaming exclusion lists, but other jurisdictions have followed suit. New Jersey maintains its own exclusion list, as do Mississippi, Michigan, and other gaming states. Tribal casinos often maintain their own lists under the framework established by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

According to the American Gaming Association, the industry now shares information about problem gamblers and known cheaters through various databases, creating a de facto national exclusion network that extends far beyond Nevada's borders.

Self-Exclusion Programs

Distinct from the Black Book are voluntary self-exclusion programs, which allow problem gamblers to ban themselves from casinos. These programs, available in most gaming jurisdictions, recognize that gambling addiction requires protective barriers. The National Council on Problem Gambling considers self-exclusion an important tool for those seeking to control compulsive gambling behavior.

Unlike Black Book entries, self-excluded individuals voluntarily surrender their gambling privileges, often as part of recovery programs. Most states offer 1-year, 5-year, and lifetime self-exclusion options.

The Modern Black Book

Today's Black Book reflects the evolution of casino threats. While organized crime entries have become rare—a testament to successful law enforcement efforts—new categories have emerged:

Sophisticated cheaters using technology or team-based schemes
Violent criminals who have committed crimes on casino property
Former gaming employees who used inside knowledge for fraud
Repeat offenders whose pattern of behavior threatens gaming integrity

The insider threat category includes individuals like those involved in the Ron Harris slot machine scandal, where a gaming regulator used his position to rig machines. Such cases demonstrate that threats can come from within the regulatory apparatus itself.

Current Status: The Nevada Black Book contains approximately 35 active entries as of 2026. New additions require formal hearings before the Nevada Gaming Commission, and the list is published publicly on the Gaming Control Board's website. Some entries have been removed due to death or successful legal challenges.

The Legacy of Exclusion

The Black Book represents Nevada's commitment to maintaining gaming integrity, but it also raises philosophical questions about lifetime bans and second chances. Critics argue that permanent exclusion without possibility of removal is excessively punitive, while defenders maintain that the deterrent effect justifies the severity.

What's undeniable is the Black Book's effectiveness. Nevada's gaming industry has transformed from mob-controlled casinos to publicly traded corporations worth billions. The threat of permanent exclusion has helped establish boundaries that protect both the industry and its customers.

For the individuals whose names appear in that small black binder, the message is clear: some actions carry consequences that last a lifetime. In a city built on second chances and lucky breaks, the Black Book stands as a reminder that Nevada's hospitality has limits.

Whether the entry is a mob boss from the 1960s or a card marker from the 2010s, each name tells a story of ambition, crime, and ultimate exclusion from the gambling paradise they sought to exploit. The Black Book remains gaming's ultimate sanction—a permanent ticket out of the world's casino capital.