Do Casinos Use Magnets and Fake Roulette
A common question among casino-goers is whether casinos ever use magnets or specially modified roulette wheels to cheat players. While this is largely the stuff of conspiracy theories, there have been rare cases of tampering. Most legitimate, government-regulated casinos do not engage in such practices—doing so would risk hefty fines and the loss of their gaming license.
How Do Magnetic Roulette Wheels Work?
The truth is there are several methods to rig a roulette wheel, but one of the simplest involves installing electromagnets beneath the pockets. A magnetized ball, aligned with its north pole outward, can then be subtly influenced to land in specific spots.
Where Are Magnetic Wheels Used?
To our knowledge, only unlicensed or illegal casinos have been caught using magnetized wheels. These devices can be purchased from certain overseas suppliers, particularly in parts of Asia. If you’re playing at an unregulated venue, it’s wise to do your research and inspect the equipment if possible.
A Real Case: Fraud at Grand Casino Luzern
In a real-life case reported by Zentralplus, four men allegedly defrauded the Grand Casino Luzern in Switzerland out of CHF 30,000 in April 2019. The scheme played out like something from a heist film.
According to the casino’s head of security, one of the men discreetly placed transparent black metal discs over specific numbers on the roulette wheel—8, 11, 17, 24, and 29. After he left, two accomplices returned an hour later to assess whether the setup had worked. The fourth man was responsible for placing bets on the manipulated numbers.
These metal discs subtly altered the wheel’s physics, increasing the likelihood that the ball would land on the targeted spots.