BOOK REVIEW
Casino Redux Anthony Cabot (2025) I f you assumed that criminal involvement in
Understanding why criminals are drawn to gambling is only the first part of tackling the problem. Having unearthed the exploits of the Triads and the Junket operators, Casino Redux turns the spotlight on to operators and regulators. When criminality is so blatant, it can be hard to figure our why these groups wouldn’t do more to stamp it out. Why have they so often been willfully blind or even facilitated the felonies? The answer lies in the conflict of interests
the casino business was just a natural part of sharing the nighttime economy or an extension of the thrill-seeking life of a mobster, Casino Redux nails that myth within a few pages. Starting with Las Vegas in the 1950s and running through almost to the present day, IMGL co-founder and former President Tony Cabot details why the two worlds are drawn inexorably to each other. Through exhaustive research and hundreds of references, he charts the reasons why organized crime is attracted to gambling (and it has almost nothing to do with entertainment or glamour) and why it can be so hard to loosen its grip. His account of the early days of mob rule in Sin City sounds positively quaint when set against the billions of dollars or dirty Triad money that have been laundered through casinos in Macau, Sydney and Vancouver. Money accrued from drugs, trafficking and prostitution are turned into casino chips The proceeds of misery legitimized in the casino cage leaves its own stain on those it touches. Criminal capture of the high roller segment of the world’s casino industry comes at a price which is sometimes paid in blood. Whilst the characters involved can appear exotic, their activities are a world away from Hollywood’s romantic image. Unchecked they wreak havoc on the organizations they infest. Casino Redux highlights two characteristics that are at the center of large-scale corruption in casino gambling: links to China and poorly executed regulation. The book does not claim that these factors are present in all jurisdictions but as markets are cleaned up and closed to those that would deny criminal involvement, Triad gangs are highly motivated to seek alternative, less well policed territories.
that the profit-focused casino or the tax and jobs- focused regulator have to juggle. Organizations become addicted to the cash and it is a hard habit to kick. When levels of criminality reach such highs that it becomes impossible to ignore, it can be very hard to tackle. Triad gangs have proved extremely resourceful and only the relentless squeeze on operating room will make a dent in their activities. It is hard work, but it can be done and Casino Redux is essentially a redemptive tale. Las Vegas’s example shows that a laser focus on the ways and means of criminals does reap rewards. Asking the questions as to ownership structures, source of funds and operations of junket operators will eventually reduce and then eradicate the flow of dirty money. Asking questions, being prepared to face uncomfortable answers and take action whatever the cost takes particularly dogged and determined individuals. As the book concludes, we are left in no doubt that these uncompromising characters are the ones standing in the way of an existential threat to the industry both land-based and online. Casino Redux tells a dramatic tale with scholarly authority. The end of the story is yet to happen: the result is up to us. Casino Redux will be publishd soon and available at ww.casinoredux.com
PHIL SAVAGE Head of Publications and European Affairs, IMGL For information contact: phil@IMGL.org
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IMGL MAGAZINE | JUNE 2025
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