A real-time, AI-driven approach to stop fraud and protect reinvestment
Casinos face increasingly complex fraud schemes that can result in substantial financial losses and reputational damage. Gaming Analytics (GA) provides a powerful, A.I.-driven solution that enables properties to detect and prevent fraud in real time. By integrating real-time monitoring, pattern recognition, and intelligent alerting, GA empowers operators to safeguard reinvestment dollars and maintain a trusted guest experience.
This report explores how Grand Sierra Resort (GSR) has successfully deployed GA to combat card manipulation, free-play abuse, advantage play, and other issues.
The Rising Threat of Casino Fraud
Modern casinos face an evolving set of fraud tactics often undetected by traditional Casino Management Systems (CMS). These include:
Card manipulation: Players using or swapping multiple cards to skew recorded losses
Free play abuse: Systematic exploitation of marketing offers and promo credits
Advantage play: Targeting game mechanics like “persistent state” games to gain an edge
Multi-accounting: Players using multiple accounts to maximize rewards
“You look at the game holistically—retail and carded play together—and everything seems fine. But when you dig into the rated side, that’s where you find bad actors exploiting the system.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
Gaming Analytics’ Fraud Detection Framework
GA’s approach to fraud detection is grounded in speed, precision, and operator flexibility. Core components include:
1. Real-Time Monitoring & Alerts
GA provides immediate alerts when flagged player cards are active on the floor, giving security teams time to act before the fraud continues.
“Traditional systems don’t offer this kind of real-time alerting. When the cards were being used, we needed to move instantly. GA gave us that ability.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
2. Group-Based Player Monitoring
GA enables custom tracking groups, such as flagged cards, suspicious behavior clusters, or high-risk players. Casinos can monitor:
Aggregated ratings over time
Floor presence
Gameplay activity
Win/loss behavior
“We identified about 30 suspicious cards, created a GA monitoring group, and could instantly track their activity and performance each day.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
3. Integrated Visual Mapping
GA offers a live floor map showing where each flagged player is located. Security teams can act quickly with precise location data.
“Using GA’s technology, you highlight the player, drop it into the map, and boom — it shows you exactly where the fraudsters are.” Our security team was blown away.
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
4. Push Notifications for Always-On Monitoring
Mobile alerts ensure that operators and surveillance teams stay informed whether they’re on-site or remote.
“Even from home, I get alerts the second someone in the flagged group plays. That’s powerful.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
Case Study: Detecting a Card-Pulling Scheme
At GSR, surveillance uncovered a scheme involving multiple player cards — up to 20 per individual. Players exploited a loophole in certain games (e.g., video craps) by pulling their player card during a win so only their losses were recorded. This inflated their perceived losses, triggering excessive marketing offers.
GA rapidly developed a custom alert system to track the flagged cards in real time. Within 24 hours, the fraud ring was monitored, and one individual was confronted on property.
“He (the fraudster) knew we had him. When we asked what card he was using, he ran! We deactivated the group’s cards and froze the offers. That’s thousands in savings thanks to GA’s technology.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
The Grand Sierra Resort Executive estimated players could pocket $900–$1,000 per card in pure profit per redemption cycle — adding up to tens of thousands in exposure per scheme.
Advantage Play Detection
GA also identifies subtle advantage play behaviors by analyzing:
Win frequency by player and game type
Unusual bet pattern
Targeting of persistent state games
Player migration between vulnerable games
“Win frequency by game type is crucial. Are they winning too often on poker? Electronic tables? True persistence games? GA helps us find those patterns fast.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
Implementation Best Practices
Successful fraud detection with GA involves:
Surveillance Integration – Ensure teams are trained to use GA’s tools
Group Configuration – Set up player groups aligned with known risk profiles
Custom Alerts – Tailor alert thresholds to avoid false positives
Security Protocols – Define rapid-response actions tied to GA insights
“I imagine a 60-inch monitor in surveillance with GA running 24/7. Just load in any card group, and you’ve got instant visibility.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
Financial & Operational Impact
Casinos using GA report:
Prevention of thousands in monthly free play fraud
Reduced loss from advantage play schemes
Faster and more effective security interventions
Better allocation of reinvestment to legitimate players
Beyond these metrics, the partnership reimagines how AOTW tackles business challenges and builds meaningful guest relationships.
“These guys aren’t here for fun — they’re working the system. GA lets us protect the guests who are really here to enjoy the property.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
Enhancing Guest Experience
“Players driving in from hours away deserve a clean floor and a fair environment. GA helps us deliver that.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
A safer, more trustworthy experience leads to stronger loyalty and higher-quality business.
Beyond Financial Protection: Creating a Better Gaming Environment
“If you have these grifters — people running a scam the entire time they’re at your property—they’re probably just not who you want there.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
This perspective highlights an often-overlooked benefit of fraud detection: creating a more positive gaming environment. Players visiting for entertainment and legitimate play have a better experience when not surrounded by individuals exploiting the system.
“It creates a better experience—and that creates incrementality. Many of our players travel three to four hours from the Bay Area. We want them to enjoy every part of their visit. That’s what builds repeat business. We want a clean floor.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
Beyond Business Intelligence
Gaming Analytics has proven to be more than a business intelligence platform. It’s a real-time fraud detection and prevention engine that helps casinos stay ahead of evolving threats. With instant alerts, visual tracking, and deep behavioral insights, GA empowers teams to respond decisively and protect what matters.
“If you want to know when a card is being used, who’s using it, and where they are—GA gives you that in one screen.”
Grand Sierra Resort Executive
Closing Thoughts
“Casinos need more than reports — they need visibility and action in real time.”
Kiran Brahmandam, CEO, Gaming Analytics
What Grand Sierra Resort has done with our fraud detection capabilities is a clear example of how data and operations can align. This use case shows how Gaming Analytics helps protect reinvestment and revenue while enabling teams across marketing, player development, and surveillance to act on what matters most — when it matters most.
About Grand Sierra Resort (GSR)
Grand Sierra Resort (GSR) is a premier destination in Reno, Nevada, combining entertainment, hospitality, and gaming under one roof. Since opening in 1978 (originally as the MGM Grand Reno), the property has evolved into a modern entertainment hub with 2,000 rooms, a 100,000 sq ft casino floor, and amenities that rival major Las Vegas resorts.
GSR offers:
A dynamic casino experience with hundreds of slot machines, table games, and a race & sportsbook.
A rich lineup of dining options, including renowned venues like Charlie Palmer Steak, Chickie’s & Pete’s (voted #1 Sports Bar in North America by ESPN), and multiple casual restaurants.
Entertainment and recreation offerings include the Grand Theatre (2,500+ seats), LEX Nightclub, a full-service spa, and family attractions like Fun Quest, bowling, aqua golf, and an ice rink.
Flexible event space, including convention facilities and meeting rooms across GSR and Sahara Las Vegas.
Since 2011, The Meruelo Group has owned the resort, which has undergone more than $300 million in renovations, enhancing guest rooms, the casino floor, dining venues, and entertainment venues. A major $1 billion expansion is underway, featuring a new 10,000-seat arena, an 800-room hotel tower, workforce housing, and additional amenities, marking the largest private development in Reno’s history.
GSR has consistently earned accolades for its guest experience, cleanliness, hospitality, and diverse offerings, solidifying its reputation as Northern Nevada’s “Best Overall Gaming Resort” and a premier entertainment destination.
Gaming Analytics is the industry’s leading A.I. platform purpose-built for casino operators. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in San Rafael, California, the company was created to make complex casino data accessible, actionable, and intuitive — empowering operators to move from reactive decisions to predictive, real-time intelligence.
Built with the philosophy that data should be “as easy to access as Google,” Gaming Analytics transforms fragmented casino systems into a single, unified platform that empowers teams across marketing, player development, operations, finance, and surveillance.
What Makes Gaming Analytics Different?
Real-Time Insights for Every Role
Player Development: Instant mobile alerts when high-value or un-hosted players arrive on property
Marketing: Target offers and optimize reinvestment with net-revenue-based segmentation
Surveillance & Security: Receive mobile push notifications for flagged players and monitor fraud rings in real time
Operations & Slot Teams: Forecast slot revenue with up to 98% accuracy, identify underperformers, and track hourly floor trends
One Unified Source of Truth
Net vs. gross revenue clarity for accurate comping
Full player 360 view: offers, ratings, expense history, win/loss, segmentation
Shared dashboards across Marketing and Player Development
A.I. You Can Trust
A.I.-driven player segmentation
Free play abuse detection
Predictive modeling for visitation, coin-in, and spend
Automated alerts for irregular play, rating inflation, or card-pulling schemes
Mobile-First. Manager-Friendly.
Push alerts, on-floor monitoring, and performance summaries in your pocket
Real-time tracking of host goals and team performance
Graph-based tools for coaching, huddles, and team development
Secure, Scalable & Cloud-First
GA runs on a secure, cloud-native architecture — allowing for fast implementation, remote accessibility, and seamless upgrades without the constraints of legacy infrastructure.
Trusted by Industry Leaders
Gaming Analytics powers performance at top properties like Grand Sierra Resort and Sahara Las Vegas, with expanding adoption across Tribal and commercial operators. The platform supports over 50 departments across marketing, PD, surveillance, contact centers, and player clubs.
Partnering with Thought Leaders
Gaming Analytics is a founding industry member of the UNLV IGI AiR Hub, helping define the standards for responsible, high-impact A.I. in gaming.
“Casinos don’t have a data problem—they have a decision problem. Our A.I. bridges that gap so teams can move faster, act smarter, and unlock new value.”
