08/2013 - BEWARE! Sosua Bay Casino

[Dafishguy]

Hi guys,

Two board members who shall remain nameless unless they want to tell their story here were taken for $3,000 US at this incredibly crooked casino two nights ago. This casino allows a progressive Keno game to take place in the casino. If you are not aware of this game, it is a total rip-off with absolutely no way to win. It looks kind of like a roulette wheel with 8 little red balls and a shark spinning and counting the balls very poorly for you I might add. This shyster is smooth as silk and knows exactly what he is doing.

The idea is that you need 100 points to collect the jackpot which can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Like they could ever pay that out if someone somehow were to win which as I said, is impossible). They rope you in with a free play token to get you started then as you play, both the pot and your bet double as you try to get to 100 points. Please stay the hell away from this game and Sosua Bay casino. Any casino that allows this type of thing to go on in my books is dishonest so they will never see even one of my pesos.

I personally know the retired American Council here on the north coast. He once told me of a horror story he had to deal with because of this game. Apparently,an American lost $48,000 DOLLARS playing this game. The casino threatened him with bodily harm if he did not pay. They took his passport. The council arranged to get him emergency travel documents so he could take the next plane out of the country. Unfortunately, our friends had to pay the casino.

PLEASE stay away from this scam and Sosua Bay casino. Sosua does have another casino which is at least as fair as a Dominican casino can be.

I am posting this here to advise others about this scam.

Take care and be safe.

Rick

[Shogun Warrior]

If you have a gambling addiction...............................the Dominican Republic is the wrong country to visit. Period

[Ram]

I remember a night way back at Playa Chiquita. I started this Keno thing one night with another member. The dealer was an English speaking guy that was full of vim a vigor....really made you feel like you could win. The trick is, you do win....at the beginning, they make you feel like you are on one lucky heater. We recognized the sign early on and jumped out without losing anything. I could see how a guy, either with a few drink in him or with some peer pressure could get caught up in it. Beware as Rick says....Beware.

Added: I wonder if this is the same guy we dealt? It was about 8 or 9 years ago......

[thunderstar]

Has anyone tried "pressing pause" and not letting him add up the numbers and taking the balls away before YOU have added it up?

I remember playing my free token and reaslized very quickly the scam, but always wanted another go to see if I could scam them right back.

[ezsmile]

Hi guys,

Two board members who shall remain nameless unless they want to tell their story here were taken for $3,000 US at this incredibly crooked casino two nights ago. This casino allows a progressive Keno game to take place in the casino. If you are not aware of this game, it is a total rip-off with absolutely no way to win. It looks kind of like a roulette wheel with 8 little red balls and a shark spinning and counting the balls very poorly for you I might add. This shyster is smooth as silk and knows exactly what he is doing.

The idea is that you need 100 points to collect the jackpot which can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Like they could ever pay that out if someone somehow were to win which as I said, is impossible). They rope you in with a free play token to get you started then as you play, both the pot and your bet double as you try to get to 100 points. Please stay the hell away from this game and Sosua Bay casino. Any casino that allows this type of thing to go on in my books is dishonest so they will never see even one of my pesos.

I personally know the retired American Council here on the north coast. He once told me of a horror story he had to deal with because of this game. Apparently,an American lost $48,000 DOLLARS playing this game. The casino threatened him with bodily harm if he did not pay. They took his passport. The council arranged to get him emergency travel documents so he could take the next plane out of the country. Unfortunately, our friends had to pay the casino.

PLEASE stay away from this scam and Sosua Bay casino. Sosua does have another casino which is at least as fair as a Dominican casino can be.

I am posting this here to advise others about this scam.

Take care and be safe.

Rick

thanks for bringing this up Rick. I am surprised (but not really) that this guy is still in business, he has been reported about on at least 1 other message board. The progressive Keno type games in the Dominican Republic are also listed as a warning on the US governmens travel page (or they used to be).

I know not many people read that (I don't either) but hey, maybe it would be a good idea as part of a fact sheet about Sosua you could give to guests.

My sympathies to the two BM's, it sucks to get taken!

[sopranostingray]

This game/scam is talked about all over the internet, it's not just in Sosua. There is a long thread about it on DR1.

When I first moved here over 3 years ago, I entered Sosua Bay Casino and they gave me a free play at this game. I paid another fourty bucks or so and saw where this was headed. So I stopped and walked away and that was that. I went and played blackjacks.

How do people such as these 2 board members let themselves get caught up in this? Were they drinking heavily? or did they want to show others that they were high rollers? I don't understand. We are all adults and whether the game is a scam or not, we should have the intelligence to stop. When you walk into a casino you are against the odds, period. If you win, count yourself lucky....and yes it is much worse in any caribbean casino.

So do you blame the casino for this? partly I would say because they know the game is a scam and they let it continue. So all carnivals games in the world should be banned as well, cause we all know we can't knock down those milk cans with 3 balls. People are too quick to blame others for their actions and not accept responsibility. In this case, the two gentleman had the opportunity to walkaway I believe.

[mrblackluv]

This has been reported on before. There was a guy not too long ago who lost 15k.
I find it difficult to sympathize with anyone who falls for this.
I thought everybody knew...gambling in the Caribbean should be looked at as pure entertainment..look at the flashing lights, balls, cards..waste your $100 and go on with your night.


But nooo these guys are actually trying/hoping to win?!?!..I mean really!?!?
This is the same thing to me as 3 card monty on a street corner in NYC....
You should know better...and if you don't..."you gon learn today". :)

[givengo440]

I played a poker tourney there and I also played in Santo Domingo... Every hand all in O_O I was like WTF! Dudes be smart if you gonna blow your money away blow it away inside some nice chica smh... If these guys are still interested I do have sand in the Desert to sell :rofl:...

[voltage69]

i started playing that game once with the free 5 dollar coupon they were handing out on PC.. i very quickly saw that the guy was adding up the numbers too fast and taking the balls away before you could even see where the balls landed. the holes that the balls fall in have numbers all around them so you dont even know what numbers to look at. i lost my five dollar free coupon and called it quits.

[hugrad95a]

This has been reported on before. There was a guy not too long ago who lost 15k.
I find it difficult to sympathize with anyone who falls for this.
I thought everybody knew...gambling in the Caribbean should be looked at as pure entertainment..look at the flashing lights, balls, cards..waste your $100 and go on with your night.


But nooo these guys are actually trying/hoping to win?!?!..I mean really!?!?
This is the same thing to me as 3 card monty on a street corner in NYC....
You should know better...and if you don't..."you gon learn today". :)

I almost ran a scam on the three card monty dude in the UK. It can be done with lookouts lol.

[dquick]

Don't get this. Why would anybody risk a significant amount in a DR casino?? Why would anybody think a DR casino will be honest.


Next thing you know, some dumb ass will marry a Puta and think she will be loyal.

[leaseno]

Thanks for the post. With more stories like this from Sosua Bay Casino, definitely understand why it does not have a very good reputation. The casino is often a wasteland in the daytime. Gambling is not a great tourist attraction for Sosua.

[Shogun Warrior]

Don't get this. Why would anybody risk a significant amount in a DR casino?? Why would anybody think a DR casino will be honest.


Next thing you know, some dumb ass will marry a Puta and think she will be loyal.
Everyone insert dick sucking photos now!@!!!!!!!:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: This mutherfucker done let the truth slip out. She was slinging ass in less than 72HRS???!!! Damn was the ink even dry??!!!

[BrooklynBeas]

If i am bored, had some dinner and there is nothing poppin off till later on in the night, I stop by to play a few hands of blakjack... I dont want the freebee game they're trying to get everyone to play, so i ignore the free spin or roll bullshit... Im quikly in and out of there when I stay for blackjack... If im up 50 bucks, I cash out and keep it movin

[whynotme]

Everyone insert dick sucking photos now!@!!!!!!!:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: This mutherfucker done let the truth slip out. She was slinging ass in less than 72HRS???!!! Damn was the ink even dry??!!!


hell that's nothing xmas 05 I picked up a freshly married chica at rockies showing off her wedding pics from the day before:rofl:
as things were slow that holiday season I kept her 3 days and she showed me cabaret and the expensive places to eat shrimp:o:rofl:
http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16063&d=1304249488
http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16071&d=1304249488
http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16073&d=1304249488
http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16070&d=1304249488

[The Sage]

Like a friend of mine shared with me about her new hubby, "I don't love him. I don't even like him, but I have to do what's right for my daughter".



hell that's nothing xmas 05 I picked up a freshly married chica at rockies showing off her wedding pics from the day before:rofl:
as things were slow that holiday season I kept her 3 days and she showed me cabaret and the expensive places to eat shrimp:o:rofl:
Click to see pic (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16063&d=1304249488)
Click to see pic (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16071&d=1304249488)
Click to see pic (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16073&d=1304249488)
Click to see pic (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16070&d=1304249488)

[JD426]

Don't get this. Why would anybody risk a significant amount in a DR casino?? Why would anybody think a DR casino will be honest.


Next thing you know, some dumb ass will marry a Puta and think she will be loyal.


You need to stop Trash Talking on other board members.... They are "special" and she says she loves him & wants to be a Hausefrau..
so Stop being such a Hater, and let Dudes Play the game they way they wanna play it..

[hugrad95a]

Like a friend of mine shared with me about her new hubby, "I don't love him. I don't even like him, but I have to do what's right for my daughter".

Damn they already learning from these US women

[deezl]

Like a friend of mine shared with me about her new hubby, "I don't love him. I don't even like him, but I have to do what's right for my daughter".


Damn they already learning from these US women

U.S. women... and just about every female (of every species) on the planet. It's a biological imperative. Same reason that makes men wanna fuck every nice piece of ass that we see. Perpetuation of the species and all that.

[BigLongBeach]

All these casinos attached to hotels/resorts are owned/management by big gaming company's. All the games are rigged to give the house a edge no matter how small the edge because they believe in volume. These company's live by this motto "you can shear a sheep many times but you can only skin them once"

There is so much money to be made that that don't need to steal.

NOW this sounds like a like the work of greedy management and employees. They should be reported to the casino management. They aren't going to get their money back but at least that management can be aware that casino is ruining their name.

If you think BLB is just thinking like a gringo, yeah sure but the 2 casinos i frequent has done a few interesting things. Last time i was at hotel jaguar several pit bosses are gringos. not expats, they were company men, i can tell by the way they greeted me and how they spoke to me. As the Lina, they have caught and kicked out cheats, shouting out the cheapers on facebook and twitter. Sounds stupid right, think about it, the casino manager tweets/facebook "BLB was cheating at hotel Lina" next time i am at the casino Hispaniola one of the players remembers that message, and shouts me out and management hears me. Why would i say that because thats what i would if i run into those cheaters again. I will go to the manager and say I am leaving because they allow cheaters and i would make heard

Now i have no idea how keno works, i have seen the Dominicans at Hotel Lina holding their keno tickets. Keno has the worse odds but it isn't rigged intently. I dont know how you can go from free to 3k, to 14, 40k in debt without asking. We need more info about the scam

[Ram]

hell that's nothing xmas 05 I picked up a freshly married chica at rockies showing off her wedding pics from the day before:rofl:
as things were slow that holiday season I kept her 3 days and she showed me cabaret and the expensive places to eat shrimp:o:rofl:
Click to see pic (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16063&d=1304249488)
Click to see pic (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16071&d=1304249488)
Click to see pic (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16073&d=1304249488)
Click to see pic (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16070&d=1304249488)

Yenni is still married to that Italian guy, lives in Italy and has 2 daughters. She still looks the same, we chat on and off on FB. God she loved shrimp....

[The Sage]

Had a Chinese friend who was here without papers and desperately wanted to stay. She was willing to give someone who would marry her, three monogamous years in exchange for her green card. At the end of year three she would decide if she was going to stay. Girl was a very attractive brick house of the Hong Kong variety. She lucked out and obtained her papers on her own, but baby was willing to do it anyway she could.


U.S. women... and just about every female (of every species) on the planet. It's a biological imperative. Same reason that makes men wanna fuck every nice piece of ass that we see. Perpetuation of the species and all that.

[whynotme]

Yenni is still married to that Italian guy, lives in Italy and has 2 daughters. She still looks the same, we chat on and off on FB. God she loved shrimp....

good for her:corky: I never ate shrimp until I went out with her:corky::rofl:

[blazaveli]

All jokes aside I can respect an honest man even if he's done stupid shit. Specially one who shows humility and can laugh about it later at his own expense.

Now who is this dumb ass you referring to anyway Dquick? :rofl::rofl:


Don't get this. Why would anybody risk a significant amount in a DR casino?? Why would anybody think a DR casino will be honest.


Next thing you know, some dumb ass will marry a Puta and think she will be loyal.

[JD426]

All these casinos attached to hotels/resorts are owned/management by big gaming company's. All the games are rigged to give the house a edge no matter how small the edge because they believe in volume. These company's live by this motto "you can shear a sheep many times but you can only skin them once"

There is so much money to be made that that don't need to steal.

NOW this sounds like a like the work of greedy management and employees. They should be reported to the casino management. They aren't going to get their money back but at least that management can be aware that casino is ruining their name.

If you think BLB is just thinking like a gringo, yeah sure but the 2 casinos i frequent has done a few interesting things. Last time i was at hotel jaguar several pit bosses are gringos. not expats, they were company men, i can tell by the way they greeted me and how they spoke to me. As the Lina, they have caught and kicked out cheats, shouting out the cheapers on facebook and twitter. Sounds stupid right, think about it, the casino manager tweets/facebook "BLB was cheating at hotel Lina" next time i am at the casino Hispaniola one of the players remembers that message, and shouts me out and management hears me. Why would i say that because thats what i would if i run into those cheaters again. I will go to the manager and say I am leaving because they allow cheaters and i would make heard

Now i have no idea how keno works, i have seen the Dominicans at Hotel Lina holding their keno tickets. Keno has the worse odds but it isn't rigged intently. I dont know how you can go from free to 3k, to 14, 40k in debt without asking. We need more info about the scam



I read some of your prev posts , so I know you are a Card Player.. Poker in particular, and you know your Game quite well...

This game is Caribean KENO, or Super Keno .. its a total SCAM and its been reported at least 10 years back to like Punta Cana Resorts , and that its impossible to WIN..and even if you DO win, it would take more money than the Prize to win it.
Im surprised you never heard of it though

.. As you say though, the upper Managers might not be aware its going on, as this Keno manager may even be RENTING the space in the casino ? & the casino gets a percentage of the Cut... so Im thinking they ARE aware.. and can just claim ignorance. since its not their employees running it.

As was said before, DR1 has a good thread on it, since 2004 and one guy was aware of it since 1999. and on Tripadvisor a guy reported it in 2003 in Punta Cana.
So I doubt its going away or they would have already done so already..
I am surprised though that an AI like RIU in Punta Cana would get involved with such a Scam game... Just one of those things we cant change in the DR.

[Westy]

I tried to upload the Instrument Approach plate for landing at MDPP - or, as we know it, POP. The "approach plate" is a diagram of the procedure that the airline pilots follow to land at MDPP without looking out the window till the last moment! I'm not kidding, folks, I have the Instrument Flight Rules license for flying through clouds and sloppy weather when you can't see out the window until you're just a couple hundred feet above the runway.

Speaking as an Instrument-Rated Pilot, I will say most unequivocally, positively, and dogmatically that arriving alive on an airliner is plenty enough gambling - Dicing With Death, as the old RAF pilots used to say it in WWII - for ME! Landing safely through the T-storms at POP is gamble enough for this old pilot.

Been there, done that (though not professionally), got grey hairs enough! I don't need no fuckin' Keno, no fuckin' casino, not when I used to throw the dice with the Old Man With The Scythe.

[JD426]

Hey Westy ,
Whats our Vector, Victor ?

[Westy]

Judgy-poo -

"This was the wrong day for me to give up heroin."

[Kevy]

A guy at work had this happen to him on another island, I forget which one. He was winning big and then he owed 3K dollars.
He makes a big deal out of it and gets a meeting with the minister of tourism for the Island, who is also the hotel manager it turns out:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: and has to pay to get out of there. Scam all over the place.

[BigLongBeach]

I have seen keno in USa casino but keep away from most table games, and i know normal Keno is a rip off.

I read some of your prev posts , so I know you are a Card Player.. Poker in particular, and you know your Game quite well...

This game is Caribean KENO, or Super Keno .. its a total SCAM and its been reported at least 10 years back to like Punta Cana Resorts , and that its impossible to WIN..and even if you DO win, it would take more money than the Prize to win it.
Im surprised you never heard of it though



All i have to say is WTF... i googled the scam and i read the 1st paragraph and I didnt have to read another word. I dont know what to say without being a complete asshole. MODs open make a sticky about the scam. WTF



.. As you say though, the upper Managers might not be aware its going on, as this Keno manager may even be RENTING the space in the casino ? & the casino gets a percentage of the Cut... so Im thinking they ARE aware.. and can just claim ignorance. since its not their employees running it.

As was said before, DR1 has a good thread on it, since 2004 and one guy was aware of it since 1999. and on Tripadvisor a guy reported it in 2003 in Punta Cana.
So I doubt its going away or they would have already done so already..
I am surprised though that an AI like RIU in Punta Cana would get involved with such a Scam game... Just one of those things we cant change in the DR.

[minkyboodle]

This is hard to post in public but I was one of the two. I didn't come down here to gamble, I don't gamble
in the U.S., and I know better and was not too drunk. Honestly, I wish I could explain it I spent about 24
hours hitting myself in the head about it. Its my first trip to Sosua and this was on my second night but that is ABSOLUTELY
NO EXCUSE. I'm not posting for sympathy (though it is certainly appreciated) and those that post how I
acted like a dumb-ass, I concur wholeheartedly. I will just say about that, I can't feel any stupider and worse
about it so if you really wanna point and laugh that is your business.
The main reason I'm posting admitting to this highly embarrassing dumb-ass move is that Rick has posted this and I want to
say that Rick helped and, surprise surprise, went well and above the call of duty on this. It sucks, it sucked,
it will suck every time I hear the word casino for years. But I am not letting it ruin my vacation. It took about
24 hours but the self anger has been tamped down and last night I had an unbelievable night thanks to Rick, Jessie James
and several vets and I will update my trip report later on.
Avoid this game, not that most don't already, but it never hurts to say. I don't read D.R.1 forums and tried to do my
research here and never came across it in a thread. That's not to say I shouldn't have known anyway, I kind of did,
I don't know what the fuck happened guys. In fact, I need to stop thinking about, its ruining my morning high from
the fiesta fun last night so I'm gonna leave it at that.
Scott

[MisterPink]

In fact, I need to stop thinking about, its ruining my morning high from
the fiesta fun last night so I'm gonna leave it at that.
Scott

It's only $3K man, it coulda been $20K, now that woulda been real dumb!
I would report the card stolen, and dispute the charges AFTER YOU LEAVE, and never return!!!

Just enjoy yourself and forget about it.
Tell The Rickster Chalky sends his regards!

chalky

[jd_mine]

hell that's nothing xmas 05 I picked up a freshly married chica at rockies showing off her wedding pics from the day before


LOL, I remember Jenny! She showed me the wedding pics as well. And the diamond wedding ring.
Lost contact after she went to Italy, her husband intercepted some emails and was not amused :-)

[sopranostingray]

Minkyboodle / Scott, mucho respecto! It takes a man to step up to the plate and admit he got fucked over. Kudos and welcome to Sosua.

[MrHappy]

This game is Caribean KENO, or Super Keno .. its a total SCAM and its been reported at least 10 years back to like Punta Cana Resorts , and that its impossible to WIN..and even if you DO win, it would take more money than the Prize to win it.
Im surprised you never heard of it though

.. As you say though, the upper Managers might not be aware its going on, as this Keno manager may even be RENTING the space in the casino ? & the casino gets a percentage of the Cut... so Im thinking they ARE aware.. and can just claim ignorance. since its not their employees running it.



The Caribbean Keno games are run by operators that rent from the Casino operators who rent space from the hotels.

To be honest, Casino operators strongly believe in the mantra of "a fool and his money are soon parted" and place the blame solely on the money loser who is dumb enough to think they can make a killing so easily.

It's not fair to say "the casino" threatened them, because it wasn't, it was the Keno operator. I know a couple of them, (they're bikers, surprise!) and to be honest, I wouldn't fuck with them for a second.

And yes, they do go after non-payers. As far as they're concerned, they legally won your money. For a couple of grand, you can forget about them chasing you, but for the big ones, they're ruthless.

[mrblackluv]

Minkyboodle / Scott, mucho respecto! It takes a man to step up to the plate and admit he got fucked over. Kudos and welcome to Sosua.

Ditto!..much respect to minky/Scott for stepping up and outing yourself.

While I did say sympathy was difficult, empathy is not.
I would not laugh about it..cuz it does indeed suck.
I learned my lesson on that very same street corner in NYC as a young 20 year old.
Got me for $350...

Keep ya head up and enjoy the rest of your vacation.

[camaro1257]

Minkyboodle / Scott, mucho respecto! It takes a man to step up to the plate and admit he got fucked over. Kudos and welcome to Sosua.

...de acuerdo!

[officemgr]

I only gamble on flacas that say they can take dick.

[hugrad95a]

Ditto!..much respect to minky/Scott for stepping up and outing yourself.

While I did say sympathy was difficult, empathy is not.
I would not laugh about it..cuz it does indeed suck.
I learned my lesson on that very same street corner in NYC as a young 20 year old.
Got me for $350...

Keep ya head up and enjoy the rest of your vacation.

I got got once for 40 dollars in high school 3 card montey. I learned that day.

[hugrad95a]

http://www.dr1.com/forums/travel-questions/32749-beware-super-keno-scam.html

[Dr World]

I got got once for 40 dollars in high school 3 card montey. I learned that day.

LOl I have the same experience in high school, I really thought I was going to win..

[deldarunna]

I got hit by the same scam to the tune of 800 in 2003 in Juan Dolio. To live is to learn never again

[Dafishguy]

Just a quick update guys. Sosua Bay Casino has changed their name to Coral Reef Casino. Appreantly, word is getting around about them and it is hurting business... Surprise, surprise. Like I said before, these mofo's will never see a peso from me.

Take care and be safe,

Rick