Companies alleged Benward cheated them out of thousands of dollars. An accomplice would back up the story, and flustered dealers would allow the bet to be played.īenward tried the scheme over and over, traveling from state to state and casino to casino.

The list of people banned from Nevada casinos grew to 36 Thursday after the Nevada Gaming Commission unanimously voted to add a Mississippi resident who describes himself as a magician and illusionist.Ĭommissioners voted to include Shaun Joseph Benward to Nevada’s List of Excluded Persons, the so-called “black book” listing of people who are banned from entering the state’s major casinos.īenward was convicted of cheating at roulette in several states, was kicked out of 17 Nevada casinos and nominated for inclusion to the list by the Nevada Gaming Control Board in September.īenward was notified of potentially being added to the list, but he did not attend Thursday’s commission meeting.Īccording to Senior Deputy Attorney General Michael Somps, who summarized accusations for the commission, Benward would take a position away from the roulette wheel, gain the confidence of the dealer through conversation, then move closer to the wheel to try to place a bet late in a game and convince the dealers that they had placed his chips on the wrong number.

Sean Joseph Benward (Courtesy Nevada Gaming Control Board)

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