Slot machines exceeding 1,200 at a Minnesota tribal casino continue to experience downtime post-cyberattack.
Cyberattack Hits Minnesota's Jackpot Junction Casino
In a disturbing turn of events, the Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel in Minnesota has become the latest gaming property to fall victim to a crippling cyberattack. The mayhem kicked off last Thursday, and it wasn't until the property's operator realized the devastating reality – a cyber-breach had occurred.
Early indications pointed towards non-functional phones on the property and guest reservations locked tight, making modifications impossible online. The wider Lower Sioux Indian Community, which manages the casino, was also affected by the attack.
Monday night saw Council President Robert Larsen spill the beans on social media about hackers breaking into certain systems within the community. Now, cybersecurity experts are roped in to mend the situation.
RansomHub, a team known for orchestrating similar attacks in the recent past, has taken credit for this dastardly deed.
Despite the chaos, the casino's restaurants, table games, and bar are still humming along. Notably, the 1,200+ slot machines, phone lines, and bingo games are currently out of commission.
The ripple effect of this attack is being felt across the community of roughly 145 families. Local educational bodies and healthcare centers find themselves unable to receive calls, necessitating alternative means of communication.
Although the specific identity of the third-party cybersecurity experts assisting in recovery from the March 2025 ransomware attack is still under wraps, it's likely they're working on a standard strategy consisting of system restoration, forensic analysis, ransomware mitigation, and communication management to ensure transparency via official channels. Restoration efforts from the casino's community council president confirms their collaboration with these specialists. As of early April 2025, it appears the recovery process is still underway.
- The cyberattack at Jackpot Junction Casino, a tribal-owned establishment, has disrupted phone lines and locked down reservations, affecting the overall casino-and-gambling culture.
- Robert Larsen, Council President of the larger Lower Sioux Indian Community, revealed that hackers infiltrated certain systems within their community, linked to the casino.
- The symptoms of this cyberattack extend beyond the casino, impacting local educational bodies and healthcare centers due to the unavailability of phone services.
- Despite the cybersecurity breach, casino-games like table games and bar services continue to operate, while 1,200+ slot machines, phone lines, and bingo games remain non-functional.
- In an attempt to mitigate the situation, the casino has enlisted the help of cybersecurity professionals, working diligently on a standard strategy that includes system restoration, forensic analysis, ransomware mitigation, and communication management to ensure transparency.
