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

Jason Saliba, 51, of North Olmsted, was indicted on 14 counts of violating gambling laws, a fifth-degree felony. He is also charged with misdemeanor theft.

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

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

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

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

Saliba is now accused of stealing 14 separate times over a one-month period, according to the indictment. The misdemeanor charge suggests he stole less than $1,000.

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

The Ohio Casino Commission is tasked with investigating many gambling-related crimes, whether it’s casino cheating or illegal gambling operations.

According to the agency’s annual report, there were 24 cases of fraud at casinos from July 2023 to June 2024. These include 12 at JACK Cleveland Casino.

Those convicted of casino theft are banned from Ohio gambling establishments and added to the commission’s involuntary exclusion list. Six former employees are on the list and are accused of stealing while employed.

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