Former Employee Sues Boyd Gaming for Data Breach

A recent data breach at Boyd Gaming has led to legal action from a former employee, with the hope of securing class-action status. The lawsuit alleges that the casino company failed to prevent the cyberattack, resulting in the exposure of sensitive personal data of customers and employees. Despite offering identity theft protection and credit monitoring to those affected, Boyd Gaming’s share price has been negatively impacted since the breach.

The lawsuit was filed by a former employee, Scott Levy, in the US District Court of Nevada. Levy seeks to expand the lawsuit to a class action to represent others affected by the breach. The compromised data includes names, Social Security numbers, and other personal information of both customers and employees. Boyd Gaming, based in Las Vegas, also operates online casino services and employs over 16,000 people, although it is uncertain how many were directly impacted by the breach.

Details about the breach have been slowly emerging, with Boyd Gaming recently confirming that the cyberattack occurred on September 5. The company became aware of the breach the following day, and suspicious activity continued until September 7. The SEC filing released by Boyd Gaming on September 23 failed to specify whether a ransom was paid to rectify the situation, raising concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the incident.

Following the breach, Boyd Gaming has enlisted the help of independent cybersecurity experts to investigate the extent of the attack. The lawsuit claims that the cybersecurity measures in place were inadequate, leading to the theft of employee data and a breach of highly sensitive information. Casinos like Boyd Gaming are prime targets for cybercriminals due to the substantial financial transactions and customer data they handle.

While Boyd Gaming’s operations remained unaffected by the breach, it is evident that the data theft was targeted rather than a ransomware attack. This contrasts with MGM Resorts, which experienced a crippling ransomware attack in 2023. MGM’s response to Boyd Gaming’s incident demonstrates how the gambling industry is interconnected in facing cybersecurity threats. The lawsuit filed by the former employee sheds light on the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to prevent data breaches in the future.