In the last few weeks there have been a couple news stories about some high profile celebrities not paying their gambling markers. Charles Barkley ran up $400,000 in gambling debts at the Wynn casino and did not pay. Wynn filed a lawsuit on Wednesday May 14th against Barkley and he has since paid his debt. A few days later Caesars Palace filed a criminal complaint against suspended NFL player Pacman Jones citing that he has not paid back three markers totaling $20,000. In Nevada, unpaid casino markers are treated as bad checks and are turned over to the district attorney for prosecution. Jones paid the markers the following day before a warrant for his arrest was issued.

In most casinos when you apply for casino credit you give them a bank account number that is linked to your credit account. When you sign a marker it becomes legal tender that can be cashed by the casinos. It is the same as if you wrote them a personal check but the casinos will give you a certain amount of time before the "cash your marker." If you do not have the money in your account and the check "bounces" you are committing fraud and are subject to the consequences.

Celebrities and high rollers are often extended credit on a different scale it makes collecting their marker more involved however it does not matter who you are, the casinos will go after their money