MGM Resorts International has fallen victim to a cyberattack, according to an official statement from the Las Vegas-based casino giant. Brian Ahern, MGM’s executive director of communications, revealed that the company had suffered an unspecified attack, and employees were unable to access their company email due to the incident.
MGM Resorts Cybersecurity Attack
MGM Resorts recently identified a cybersecurity issue affecting some of the company’s systems. After detecting the problem, an investigation was swiftly launched, with assistance from leading external cybersecurity experts,” the company stated.
“We also informed law enforcement and took immediate action to safeguard our systems and data, including shutting down certain systems. Our investigation is ongoing, and we are diligently working to determine the nature and scope of the matter,” the release added.
It remains unclear whether the cybersecurity incident involves a ransom demand or if the attackers are in communication with MGM officials.
MGM, Nevada’s largest employer, operates the most casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
What We Know
As the cybersecurity issue was only recently detected, specific details of the attack remain unknown. However, social media users began posting about technical glitches in the company’s operations early this morning.
Several MGM Rewards customers shared screenshots of notices indicating that their mobile apps were offline. One such notice read, “MGM Rewards is undergoing maintenance, and digital keys are currently unavailable. Please see the Front Desk for assistance.”
Social media users reported issues throughout MGM’s Las Vegas casinos, with the cyber event allegedly affecting credit card machines, ATMs, and ticket-in-ticket-out machines.
The cybersecurity event has impacted at least all of MGM’s Las Vegas operations. The company’s landing page informs customers that its online reservation systems are currently unavailable. The outage also affects MGM’s regional casinos, including MGM National Harbor, Borgata in Atlantic City, MGM Grand Detroit, MGM Springfield in Massachusetts, Beau Rivage in Mississippi, Empire City Casino in NYC, and MGM Northfield Park in Ohio.
China Operations
MGM is one of the six commercial casino operators in Macau, the only place under China’s control where casinos are allowed. As of early afternoon on Monday, it appears that the cybersecurity event in the US hasn’t affected MGM’s Macau casinos.
MGM, through its subsidiary MGM China Holdings, owns and operates MGM Macau and MGM Cotai.
MGM Resorts’ last major cybersecurity event occurred in 2019 when personal information on 30 million guests was publicly shared on the online instant messaging platform Telegram. In early 2020, MGM confirmed that it had been the victim of a data attack by a Russia-based hacking group.
While names, telephone numbers, and birthdates were compromised in that attack, sensitive financial, credit, and debit card, and password information remained secure.
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About
MGM Resorts International, renowned for its iconic destinations like Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and Park MGM, has a rich history. Originating in 1987 as MGM Grand, Inc. and later becoming MGM Mirage in 2000 after acquiring Mirage Resorts, it has evolved significantly. While initially focusing on resorts and casinos, it transitioned to real estate development, including the groundbreaking CityCenter project. This shift coincided with the global financial crisis, leading to substantial writedowns. Kirk Kerkorian’s Tracinda Corporation, a former owner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, was a major shareholder until 2009. Following changes and a name switch to “MGM Resorts International” in 2010, the company continued its legacy in the hospitality and entertainment industry. In 2015, it split, forming MGM Growth Properties for real estate ventures, while MGM Resorts concentrated on property operations.
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