A video appeared on Youtube over the weekend that appears to show an online blackjack dealer fudging the shoe to swap cards with a player, resulting in a losing hand. The Live Dealer feed from Global Gaming Labs (GGL) of Costa Rica is provided to several online casinos. “Blackjack Professional, Michael Morgenstern” was playing at the U.S. facing BetOnline when he recorded the incident.

A portion of the video, without sound, as provided by Morgenstern can be seen above. In it, the dealer seems to reach for the shoe, flick his finger a couple of times, nudge the immediate card up with his finger, snag the second card and give it to the player – then deal the immediate card to himself.

The action, if it is as it appears, caused the player to get a 6 card and the dealer to take an 8 card, resulting in a loss to the player.

From respected forum members on 2+2 to Youtube comment trolls, the internet tubes are still rumbling over the incident with a heavy weighting of opinion toward the dealer/casino cheating. “Knowledgeable professionals” are capitalizing on the chilling effect of the video to proffer such things as RFID chips tell the casino which card is where, to secret video recording devices allow an accomplice to tell the dealer in an earpiece which card is next, to all cards being scanned with a known order in the shoe so the dealer would somehow know to give out a 6 and take an 8 himself.

Others have wondered aloud why a casino would risk cheating in full view of the player when the house has the edge and eventually wins anyway. Others have asked for more video footage showing such incidents, which requests so far have mostly been met with silence or derision.

So far the casino hasn’t issued a public statement on the incident and neither has GGL.

Whether we can believe our eyes in regard to Morgenstern’s video, whether we think it is malfeasance, ineptitude, a simple bumble or something more sinister, it has certainly reinvigorated the debate over online casino fairness, which debate would seem to include Live dealer casinos now more than ever. And while 90% of the Youtube commenters say they will never play again, they were probably not playing anyway.

If you have mathematical, video, or other proof of online or land based casino cheating please contact news@worldcasinodirectory.com and we will follow up the story.