Peppermill Casino Facial Recognition Produced 12 False Matches in One Shift, Former Officer Alleges

A former security officer at Reno’s Peppermill Casino has alleged in a federal court declaration that the property’s facial recognition system routinely generated erroneous matches, sometimes as many as 12 with 100% confidence during a single shift.

Aaron Michael Gamino worked as a Peppermill security officer from October 2024 until July 2026, according to his August 28 declaration. He filed the August 28 declaration in support of a civil rights lawsuit brought by gambler Jason Killinger, who was arrested after the system misidentified him as a banned patron.

Routine Errors and Pressure to Act

Gamino stated the technology frequently assigned 100% similarity scores to people who clearly did not match database images. “I had that happen sometimes 12 times on a single shift,” he stated.

Security staff received little training on the system and were never instructed to treat matches as investigative leads rather than proof of identity. Gamino described constant pressure to arrest flagged individuals even when they produced valid driver’s licenses, passports, military identification, or casino loyalty cards showing different names.

“There was a constant pressure to arrest when alerts were made,” Gamino stated. He identified supervisor Louis Moreno as criticizing officers who questioned matches and pushing for arrests. The casino’s database also contained inaccurate information that was not corrected.

Killinger Arrest and Supporting Briefs

Killinger was detained on September 17, 2023, while gambling at the Peppermill after the system identified him as Michael Ellis, a previously barred customer. Despite presenting identification in his own name, he was arrested by Reno police officer Richard Jager on trespassing charges. The case was dismissed after fingerprint records confirmed his identity.

Killinger’s attorneys accuse Jager of fabricating evidence and misleading the magistrate. Jager has denied wrongdoing and stated he had never previously known the Peppermill system to make an incorrect identification. The ACLU and Innocence Project filed a joint brief supporting Killinger, arguing that facial recognition matches alone cannot establish probable cause.

Killinger seeks partial summary judgment against Jager and the City of Reno. Peppermill settled a separate case with Killinger and is not a defendant in the current federal action. According to Casino.org, the casino had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

Reporting: Casino.org News

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