Cyber assault hits MGM Hotels and Casinos, with Caesars Entertainment also compromised
In a recent turn of events, the casino giant Caesars Entertainment has reportedly fallen victim to a cyberattack, with the hacker groups ALPHV and Scattered Spider believed to be the perpetrators. The attack, which also affected MGM Hotels & Casinos, has raised concerns across the industry.
According to reports, Caesars Entertainment paid a ransom of $15 million to the hackers, though the exact nature of the data stolen remains unclear. The FBI has expressed skepticism towards ransom demands, as the return of data is not guaranteed and such payments could potentially motivate further attacks.
In a statement, Caesars Entertainment confirmed that they have taken steps to ensure the stolen data is deleted, but they cannot guarantee this. Reuters reports that Scattered Spider claimed to have copied six terabytes of data from MGM and Caesars.
The initial ransom demand from the hackers was double the amount eventually paid by Caesars Entertainment. After negotiations, the hackers agreed to accept half the original demand.
Regarding Scattered Spider, a detailed operational profile was reported in July 2025, describing their quick breach of company networks, primarily targeting VMware vSphere administrators and virtual infrastructure environments for ransomware operations. No specific victim companies were named in the report.
For ALPHV, the search results do not contain any direct information about recent targeting or victim organizations since August 2023.
It is worth noting that there are no publicly available comprehensive lists of companies targeted specifically by ALPHV or Scattered Spider since August 2023. The known public information primarily describes Scattered Spider’s tactics and approach rather than specific victim names.
The cyberattack on Caesars Entertainment is not an isolated incident. Similar cybersecurity incidents have occurred at other companies following the MGM attack. Five of Okta's customers have been attacked by cybercriminals since August. The extent of the damage and the identities of the affected companies remain unknown.
As the investigation continues, it remains uncertain if MGM will pay a ransom to the hackers. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present threat of cyberattacks and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures.
- Online casinos in Germany, such as Caesars Entertainment, are now under increased scrutiny for their cybersecurity measures, following the recent cyberattack that also affected MGM Hotels & Casinos.
- The potential impact of these cyberattacks on casino-culture and casino-and-gambling industries is highlighted by the growing trends of such digital breaches, with gambling-trends indicating that this could be a increasing concern in the future.
- As the technology used by casinos becomes more complex, so too does the need for comprehensive cybersecurity strategies to protect casino-games and user data, lessons that the online casino industry may have to learn from the recent cyberattacks experienced by Caesars Entertainment and MGM.
