IN HER 16 years as a casino supervising inspector, Ms Penelope Jane Hennessey has probably seen every possible way to cheat on the gaming floor.

Cheating can be as simple as stealing chips. It can also be as sophisticated as using technology to predict where a roulette ball will come to rest.

Ms Hennessey, who works for the Casino Liquor & Gaming Authority in Australia's New South Wales, oversees the training of the police force's casino investigations unit and the Casino Liquor & Gaming Authority.

She was among the specialists who spoke at a training symposium this week for over 200 officers from the Casino Regulatory Authority and Criminal Investigation Department here.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, she said: 'As regulators, we have to be a step ahead of anybody in the casino.'

Cheating attempts can happen as frequently as once a week, she said, adding: 'Whenever there is money involved, people will find a way to cheat.'

Cheating commonly happens in the card game of baccarat. With just three options to bet on, it is easy to flick a bet from one option to the other when the dealer is distracted, she explained.

She has also seen people sneaking in late bets when the dealer is not looking. 'But don't forget, there are people looking up above,' she said in a reference to the bank of surveillance cameras every modern casino has.

Once cheating or crime is spotted, the patron is immediately approached. In Sydney's Star City casino, inspectors hand out on-the-spot fines to cheats, or take them to court if the sum involved exceeds A$1,000 (S$1,164).

The patron may also be handed an exclusion order, which bars him from the premises for life.

But despite these checks and penalties, fraud can still occur, said Ms Hennessey.

Read the full report in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.