Memorial for Michael A. Joseph

A true casino legend passed away on December 31, 2025.

Michael A. Joseph—known to countless gaming professionals simply as Mike—gave his final class after more than forty years as one of the most respected trainers, innovators, and thought leaders in the gaming industry. To those who knew him, he was more than an expert; he was a mentor, a teacher, and a tireless advocate for professionalism in casino operations.

Known primarily as a table games protection expert, Mike trained thousands of gaming professionals across the United States and around the world. His instruction helped casinos protect their games from cheats and advantage players while simultaneously improving game integrity, efficiency, and profitability. His methods of game protection were practical, disciplined, and rooted in respect—for the game, for the staff, and for the industry as a whole.

Mike had a rare gift: the ability to make complex concepts understandable and immediately useful. He didn’t just teach procedures; he taught people how to think. Many of today’s leaders in casino surveillance, table games, and risk management trace their foundation directly back to a class, a seminar, or a conversation with Mike Joseph.

On a personal note, I first attended a Mike Joseph seminar in 1996. I was immediately astounded by his insight, his discipline, and his methods for table games protection—especially his clear vision of what the role of a true table games professional should be: what they needed to know, how they should think, and how they should prepare themselves for the responsibility of the job. After that class, I introduced myself to Mike, beginning a thirty-year friendship with him and his amazing family, as well as a professional association that profoundly shaped my career.

His guidance changed how I protected the properties I represented and transformed the way I prepared and trained my staff—always striving to help them become the very best they could be. To me, Mike was far more than an industry icon. He was a friend, a mentor, and a steady influence who helped me succeed through his wisdom, honesty, and unwavering standards.

Mike was truly a keeper of the very best casino traditions and a master of the art of casino operations. The gaming industry is better because of Michael A. Joseph. His lessons live on in every protected game, every trained professional, and every casino that operates with greater integrity because of his work.

He will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.

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