There is a particular type of loan that casinos give out called gambling markers. For people who are comfortable making payments on time, markers can be the right option. Depending on the casino where you get your markers, their ins and outs are different, but we’ll review them in general.
What Is a Marker in Gambling?
A marker is a short-term, interest-free line of credit that a casino offers its customers in the form of a loan. Typically, you will be expected to repay the loan fairly quickly, and most Vegas casinos will increase the time limit for repaying the loan only marginally for larger markers. It is a loan with special rules designed specifically for gambling use. However, this isn’t a loan since, from a legal perspective, you’ve already “written the check” for repayment, and the casino is simply waiting for you to cash it in.
How Do I Get a Gambling Marker?
It’s possible to apply for a marker by speaking with the people in charge at a casino. Sometimes, only the pit boss or host is responsible for applying for and receiving gambling markers. On other occasions, the entire office is dedicated to dealing with the markers.
There’s no doubt that credit is important, but employment and bank statements are far more important. When the casino approves the loan, you will receive cash, but you may also receive a casino card or chips for your payout.
What Can a Casino Gambling Marker Be Used For?
In theory, a casino marker should only be used for gambling, but some people have used casino lines of credit to make payments and purchases. It acts as a fast cash service since it has 0% interest and is easy to get.
But don’t be quick to decide on a gambling marker just yet; it can be a bad idea due to the tight repayment policies. It’s impossible to file for bankruptcy in the case of unpaid casino markers, so don’t consider it if you don’t have a repayment plan. In Las Vegas, Nevada, for instance, you will be facing criminal charges if you fail to pay a casino marker, so be cautious.
What Happens If I Don’t Pay Back My Gambling Marker?
When the 30-day deadline for paying back the casino marker passes, the casino will submit the marker to your bank account. Casinos will send you a certified letter if it’s not paid due to insufficient funds. You then have 10 days to pay the money back.
Upon expiration of the 10-day deadline, the casino will file a complaint with a district attorney. After that, the casino will no longer be involved with the case, and any subsequent dealings will be with the district attorney, not with the casino.
A certified letter from the district attorney will give you another 10 days to pay back the debt plus 10% of the mark’s value in processing fees. An arrest warrant will be issued if the 10-day deadline passes without paying your marker.
At this point, you are subject to arrest at any time. Typically, this occurs during a traffic stop or border crossing. However, a police officer can also search your home or office.
If you’re out of state, you can be extradited to Nevada to face criminal charges. if you live out of state. That process is usually long, and it’s common to spend a month in custody before being transported back to Nevada.
What Is the Penalty for Not Paying Back Casino Markers?
Nevada considers defaulting on a casino marker worth less than $1,200 a misdemeanor. This sentence includes the following:
- Prison for up to 6 months
- Fines of up to $1,000
Defaulting on a casino marker worth $1,200 or more is a category D felony. Penalties include:
- Nevada State Prison for 1–4 years;
- The restitution of the outstanding casino debt;
- Each marker of $10,000 or less will be charged an additional 5% fee;
- Markers over $10,000 will be charged an additional 10% fee;
- Fines of $5,000 at the judge’s discretion.
Each unpaid casino marker is prosecuted separately by the district attorney. Furthermore, casinos can also bring civil lawsuits against you if you fail to pay the amounts you owe.
How Do I Fight the Charges?
The problem is that Nevada law presumes that you had the intention to defraud. In other words, it doesn’t matter whether you had sufficient funds in your bank account when you took out the loan and intended to repay it.
It may still be possible for a Las Vegas casino marker lawyer to prove that you had no fraudulent intentions. The following circumstances may be helpful for your defense:
- There has been a long-standing relationship between you and the casino, so the current situation is unusual.
- You couldn’t repay the markers on time because you were seriously ill or in the hospital.
- You were intoxicated when you received markers, so you weren’t thinking clearly when you took out the loan.
- Bank records indicate you had sufficient funds at the time you took out the markers
Arguments that Vegas casino laws create a debtors’ prison or that markers are not checks are not valid, as confirmed by the Supreme Court of Nevada.
What Is the Potential Profit from a Gambling Marker?
You will likely be offered a marker of $5,000 based on your credit score, employment history, and past due payments within the last 12 months. As a reward for those with high credit scores or proof of high income, gambling markers go up to $100,000 and over.
FAQ
Can I get a gambling marker from an online casino?
Typically, you won’t find traditional markers online. It’s possible to find fully online gambling markers at some casinos, but they aren’t necessarily from online casinos; they could be online applications for physical casinos.
How hard is it to get a casino marker?
A casino marker is obtained by completing an application that allows a casino to verify the applicant’s ability to repay the debt incurred. When approved, the Vegas casino issues a requested amount, which the gambler can redeem for chips or cash.
Is there interest in casino markers?
The casino treats casino markers as zero-interest loans, expecting players to redeem them within 30 days.
What does it mean when a casino gives you a marker?
A casino marker is a line of credit provided to a player by a casino. Essentially, it is a short-term loan extended to the player for the purpose of gambling. The player is expected to pay back within a certain time frame.
How do you get a marker in casino?
Players must fill out an application and provide personal and financial information. The casino will then evaluate the player’s creditworthiness and determine the amount of the marker. Players must sign a contract agreeing to repay gambling markers within the specified time frame.