Posted on: January 3, 2024, 11:10h. 

Last updated on: January 3, 2024, 11:10h.

A former employee at Gun Lake Casino in Michigan was sentenced to four months in prison for stealing over $84,000 in cash from the casino. Jordan Lewis Cook, 26, will also have to pay full restitution to the casino and will be placed on two years of supervised release after serving his jail time. This case has brought to light theft issues in the casino, and the impact on sports betting could be significant.

Cook was found to have been stealing money over a period of 14 months. He committed these thefts periodically between September 2021 and November 2022, taking amounts in each incident ranging from $272 to $9,040. His activities were detected by an internal audit and he was captured on surveillance video making the cash transactions. With the increasing legalization of online sports betting, stories like these could have an impact.

It was discovered that he had deposited the stolen money into his personal bank account and used part of it to purchase a used Chevrolet pickup truck. His behavior was deemed “out of character” by his attorney, while prosecutors argued that it was a breach of trust.

Despite Cook’s attorney’s claims that his behavior was unusual, Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Lane emphasized that the defendant was “in a position of trust”. The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan expressed his commitment to working with tribal leadership and law enforcement to hold criminals like Mr. Cook accountable for their actions. This not only has implications for the casino but could also extend to the sports betting industry.

Gun Lake Casino, operated by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, is a popular gambling spot with over 2,500 slot machines.