CLEVELAND, Ohio – A former poker dealer at the JACK Cleveland Casino is accused of stealing the pot while he was on the job.

Jason Saliba, 51, of North Olmsted has been charged with 14 counts of violating casino gaming laws, a felony of the fifth degree. He is also charged with theft.

He was arraigned in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court last week and was given a personal bond. Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to Saliba’s attorney for comment. JACK Entertainment declined to discuss the matter.

Saliba was working as a dealer in the casino’s poker room when a patron accused him of theft, according to records from the Ohio Casino Control Commission, the state agency that regulates casinos and investigates gambling crimes.

On September 6, a patron told a casino manager that Saliba was stealing from the pot, or the stack of chips that players bet during a hand.

After receiving that tip, casino staff reviewed the video and found five instances of Saliba stealing from the table, according to the commission’s report. Saliba was fired the next day.

According to the indictment, Saliba is now accused of stealing 14 times in a one-month period. The indictment shows he stole less than $1,000.

Saliba is the second man charged with stealing a casino table game in recent months. Ellis Quinn, a Tennessee man convicted of cheating at multiple casinos, is charged with cheating at craps at the casino on July 31. He was indicted last month.

The Ohio Casino Commission is tasked with investigating many gambling-related crimes, whether they involve casino cheating or illegal gambling activities.

According to the agency’s annual report, there were 24 cases of casino cheating between July 2023 and June 2024. That includes 12 at the JACK Cleveland Casino.

Those convicted of casino theft will be barred from Ohio gambling establishments and added to the commission’s involuntary exclusion list. Six former employees are listed and charged with theft while on duty.

Sean McDonnell is a reporter for cleveland.com and The Common Dealer. You can reach him at [email protected].