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Live! Casino Maryland VIP Host Pleads Guilty to Comp Scheme


Posted on: October 10, 2025, 05:40h. 

Last updated on: October 10, 2025, 05:40h.

  • A former VIP host at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland has pleaded guilty to theft
  • The host loaded free promo play on phony rewards cards and gave them to accomplices 

A former VIP host at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland in Anne Arundel County near BWI Airport has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a comp scheme that cost the resort over $20,000.

Live! Casino Hotel Maryland promo theft
Live! Casino Hotel Maryland is pictured. A former VIP host at the casino near Baltimore’s international airport has admitted to stealing promotional play through a conspiracy with three other bad actors. (Image: Shutterstock)

In May, Casino.org reported on a criminal complaint filed in Anne Arundel County District Court charging Sonejah Richards, 27, of Forestville, and Allen Hill, 26, of Washington, DC, with felony and misdemeanor theft and identity fraud.

Prosecutors alleged that Richards and Hill created at least 30 phony My Live! Rewards accounts and loaded the bogus cards with more than $20,000 in free slot play. Charging documents accused the duo of conspiring with two others, who then used the cards on slot machines at the casino.

This week, Richards conceded his involvement and pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of between $100 and $1,500. In exchange for his plea, Richards will not serve any prison time but two years of supervised probation. He’ll also need to pay the casino $9,848 in restitution by Oct. 7, 2027.

The Baltimore Sun first broke the news of Richards’ plea deal.

Scheme Cost Casino 

It’s unclear if Hill is also working with prosecutors to resolve the similar charges against him. Hill’s county court records do not show any scheduled hearings or events. The two unnamed individuals who played the free slot money have not been charged.

Casinos regularly provide their loyal patrons with complimentary slot credits. Some states, including Maryland, allow casinos to deduct promotional revenue, or free credits won back by the casino, against their gross revenue.

The Maryland State Lottery Commission and Gaming Control Agency has proposed amending its regulations that allow the six video lottery casinos to deduct up to 20% of the total promotional play they win back from players. According to the proposed statutory change, as published in the Maryland Register last December, there would be “a significant increase in gaming taxes paid” if the promotional credit tax deduction were eliminated.

The state gaming regulator is also of the opinion that casinos will continue to issue similar levels of promotional play without the tax deduction benefit.

The Commission and Agency believe that the Video Lottery Facility Licenses will continue to offer non-tax-deductible promotional play to players as a marketing and customer acquisition tool to attract and retain customers. If Video Lottery Facility Licenses maintain their current levels of promotional play or even reduce their promotional play spending without eliminating it entirely, even though they can no longer deduct it, players will still be able to enjoy promotional play offerings by the licensees,” the proposed action read.

The state gaming agency fielded input from operators and the public earlier this year. No final action has been taken. The promo reduction would also apply to online sportsbooks.

Live! Slot Taxes

The state taxes slot revenue at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland at 51%. Of the state tax money, 36% to the Education Trust Fund. About 6% goes to horse racing, 5.5% is earmarked for local impact grants in Anne Arundel County, and 1.5% goes to small, minority, and women-owned businesses. A racetrack fund and the state lottery each receive 1%.

Live! keeps the remaining 49% of its slot gross gaming revenue.



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