I-phone users cheat casios

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Las Vegas casino operators are on the lookout for blackjack cheaters using a card-counting iPhone application designed to help players win.

Nevada State gaming control officials have sent warnings to casinos about card-counting software that turns iPhone smart mobile telephones or iPod Touch MP3 players into illegal tools for beating the odds at blackjack tables.

"Once this program is installed on the phone through the iTunes website it can make counting cards easy," Nevada gaming control board member Randall Sayre wrote in a February 5 letter to casino operators.

"When the program is used in the 'Stealth Mode' the screen of the phone will remain shut off, and as long as the user knows where the keys are located the program can be run effortlessly without detection."

Players using the program simply tap a virtual button on the screen each time a card 10 or higher is turned up and tap a different button for lower-value cards.

A mini-software program continually updates a "true count," which with one peek can provide feedback regarding a player's chances of winning by getting cards with total values that are closest to 21 points without exceeding that amount.

Nevada officials said they were tipped that players in American Indian-run casinos in Northern California have been using the card-counting software on the popular Apple devices.