Pro Gamblers Sue Vegas Casino

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Pro Gamblers Sue Vegas Casino

By NICK DIVITO
March 12, 2010
CourthouseNews.com

LAS VEGAS (CN) - Two professional gamblers who win by legally counting cards say they were handcuffed at the Eastside Cannery Casino & Hotel for refusing to give their identities, details from which would have been included in a database that tracks so-called "advantage players" and is shared among casinos. Sean Habibian and Joseph Chou call themselves advantage players, or gamblers who use legal ways to gain mathematical advantage while gambling, such as counting cards.

Habibian was playing blackjack at the Eastside Cannery Casino & Hotel last December, and Chou accompanied him, according to the complaint in Clark County Court.

The casino's security recognized them from a prior visit, when the two won a "substantial amount of money" playing blackjack, the lawsuit states.
They say security personnel asked for their IDs so the information could be added to a database of advantage players that's shared among Nevada casinos.

The men say they refused to identify themselves, and tried to leave.
That's when they were handcuffed, taken to a security office and held for at least an hour, the lawsuit states.

They seek at least $10,000 for assault, battery and false imprisonment.
They are represented by Robert Nersesian with Nersesian & Sankiewicz.