Winnie Huang caught on CCTV camera making bogus bets at casino

A high-end retail worker was busted on CCTV camera trying to bluff the Star Casino out of almost $20,000 in a high-stake gaming scam.

A HIGH-END retail worker was busted on CCTV camera trying to bluff the Star Casino out of almost $20,000.

Winnie Huang was a part of the high-stakes scam that involved hiding betting chips on the card table and only alerting the dealer to the bet when the hand won.

The single mum placed a $10,000 plaque in the betting area behind the card shoe and out of the dealer’s sight while gambling at the Star Casino in Broadbeach on June 7, 2017.

When the hand loss, Huang, 28, left the chip on the table instead of surrendering it to the dealer. She played a number of hands with the plaque hidden on the table.

Only when her hand won did Huang tell the dealer.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Erin Livingstone told the Southport Magistrates Court that when Huang’s hand won she got $9500.

Including the initial bet, the court was told her deceit was $19,500.

She pleaded guilty yesterday to fraud.

Sgt Livingstone said Huang and her husband had been playing at the casino for a number of days.

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Sgt Livingstone said police tracked Huang and her husband to Melbourne and raided their home.

The Australian Federal Police found two gaming plaques worth $25,000 each and $60,000 in cash.

The court was told Huang’s husband had been committed to the Southport District Court for trial for allegedly cheating the casino out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The pair were visiting the Gold Coast from Melbourne, the court was told.

Huang’s barrister Damian Walsh said the cheating was over a 20-minute period.

“She did so at the direction of her husband,” he said.

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“He had been involved in this for some weeks and managed to defraud hundreds of thousands.”

He said the man had also been excluded from all casinos in Melbourne.

Mr Walsh said Huang’s husband was violent towards Huang and the pair had a two-year-old child.

“The husband provides no assistance upbringing the child,” he said.

Mr Walsh said Huang was also left with a $90,000 debt her husband had accrued.

The court was told Huang worked at a Burberry store in Melbourne and was slowly paying back the debt.

Magistrate Joan White sentenced her to 12 months in prison to be wholly suspended for two years.

“You obviously realised this was a dishonest thing to do,” she said.

Magistrate White said she took into account the domestic violence.

“It might be a reason but it’s certainly not an excuse,” she said.

No restitution order was made.