We posed this question to former casino executive Arnie Rothstein, who knows a thing or two about death in casinos. Here’s his answer.
Due to the various positions in casino management I’ve held over the years, I’ve seen and heard of numerous deaths that have taken place within casinos, including hotel rooms, restaurants, slot areas, and table-game pits, etc. I’ve witnessed (by means of videotape, security reports, and in person) heart attacks, suicides, seizures, even murders, plus people simply expiring (many people deemed terminal by their doctors come to Las Vegas for one last wild fling).
The truth is, dozens (if not hundreds) of deaths of patrons and employees occur in casinos every year. The most frequent causes are heart attacks, strokes, suicides, choking on food, drowning, and murder. The vast majority of casino deaths are due to pre-existing health conditions (in case you thought it was the food in the buffet).
Based on the number of deaths I know about, compared to the number that the public hears about, I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s an unwritten and unspoken rule, maintained by everyone from casino management and the media to paramedics, that no one dies in a casino. This is my opinion, but I believe it to be true. I think it stems from the early days when the Mob, trying to keep a low profile in their new candy store (Las Vegas), declared, "Nobody gets whacked in the casinos."
In addition, Las Vegas is considered the adult playground for the world and any mention of death could put a damper on the festivities. The Gaming Commission has rules about casinos advertising anything that’s not casino-friendly. That’s why you’ll never see a casino advertising things like, "Only Two Deaths in the Past Week" or "Less Than 12 Killed," on their marquees.
These days, if a person dies on the casino floor, paramedics perform CPR on the subject (even if he or she is already deceased) until they reach the hospital. There, upon arrival, they’re pronounced DOA. Casino patrons typically see patients wheeled out in a hurry on gurnies, hooked up to equipment, and they assume the victim is still alive.
If it’s a suicide or murder, the area is blocked off from the public by security guards. If it’s viewable by the public, it’s shielded with cubicle-type barricades or blackout sheets and no information is released until the investigation is completed and a coroner’s report is issued -- in other words, until it cools off and it’s not considered newsworthy.
The only death situations that ever got any real media attention were highly public shootings, such as the motorcycle gang war at Harrah’s in Laughlin. What I’ve noticed is that the local press covers such stories, but only after the Associated Press sends them out nationally.
Here are some ancillary things I know about death in casinos.
The security department won’t close out a report on a suicide or murder victim until they get confirmation from the hospital (even if the person was dead when they left the casino).
The families of suicide victims often claim that a casino employee, upon finding the body in a hotel room, took items (money, watch, ring, etc.) from the deceased and want some sort of cash settlement.
Casinos get complaints from people who were actually saved/revived by a security employee about bruises or broken ribs due to that employee performing a "life-saving" maneuver such as the Heimlich or CPR.
