Turning Stone casinos go cash-only after cybersecurity incident

Turning Stone Resort Casino and two other associated tribal gaming properties in upstate New York are restricting transactions to cash after a cybersecurity incident disrupted systems across their operations. Turning Stone Resort Casino and associated properties were operating on a cash-only basis after reporting a “cybersecurity incident” Monday.

Parent company Turning Stone Enterprises, the commercial arm of the Oneida Nation, said it had shut down selected internal systems as a precaution following the incident, which affected its network and communications. The move will prevent customers from using credit cards at its properties on Tuesday (Nov. 3), while ATMs, sports betting, and bingo operations will be unavailable.

The incident affected Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, Point Place Casino in Bridgeport, and YBR Casino & Sports Book in Chittenango. Other Turning Stone Enterprises businesses, including The Lake House at Sylvan Beach and Maple Leaf Markets and SavOn convenience stores, are also operating on a cash-only basis.

The company said the shutdowns were designed to protect guests’ personal information while cybersecurity specialists investigated the incident. Turning Stone has not identified the cause or said whether a third party was responsible. According to Utica television station WKTV, Turning Stone said it had found no evidence that confidential information had been accessed. The investigation remains ongoing.

The incident has also knocked out TS Rewards, the loyalty program through which patrons earn and redeem points on gambling, hotel stays, dining, and other purchases. In a statement posted to Facebook and reported by Syracuse station WSYR, the company said its team was “working at full speed with cybersecurity experts to return to full working order,” without offering a timeline. It said it would publish evening updates on service availability until the disruption was resolved.