Former poker room dealer accused of stealing from pool at JACK Cleveland Casino

On By Littum

CLEVELAND, Ohio – A former poker dealer at JACK Cleveland Casino is accused of stealing from the pool while on the job.

Jason Saliba, 51, of North Olmsted has been indicted on 14 counts of violating casino gaming laws, a fifth-degree felony. He is also charged with theft.

He was arraigned in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court last week and given a personal bond. Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to Saliba’s attorney for comment. JACK Entertainment declined to discuss the matter.

Saliba was working as a dealer in the casino’s poker room when a patron accused him of stealing, according to records from the Ohio Casino Control Commission, the state agency that regulates casinos and investigates gambling crimes.

On Sept. 6, a patron told a casino manager that Saliba stole from the pool, or pile of chips, that players bet during a hand.

After receiving that tip, casino staff reviewed the video and found five instances of Saliba stealing from the table, according to the commission’s report. Saliba was fired the next day.

Saliba is now accused of stealing 14 separate times in a one-month period, according to the indictment. The misdemeanor charge suggests he stole less than $1,000.

Saliba is the second man charged with stealing from a casino’s table games in recent months. Ellis Quinn, a Tennessee man who has been convicted of cheating at several casinos, is accused of cheating at craps at the casino on July 31. He was indicted last month.

Ohio’s casino commission is tasked with investigating many gambling-related crimes, whether it’s cheating at casinos or illegal gambling.

According to the agency’s annual report, there were 24 cases of cheating at casinos from July 2023 to June 2024. That includes 12 at JACK Cleveland Casino.

Those convicted of stealing from the casino are banned from Ohio venues and added to the commission’s involuntary exclusion list. Six former employees are on the list and are accused of stealing while employed.

Sean McDonnell is a reporter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. You can reach him at [email protected].