WATONGA - Lucky Star Casino was forced to close all its locations last week, including its Watonga location, after it was the victim of a ransomware attack.
The casino first announced on June 18 that it would be “temporarily closed” due to “internet disruption.” The next day, it announced a continued closure “due to internet/communication disruptions.”
Finally on Monday, Lucky Star acknowledged in a statement that it “has unfortunately joined the growing list of government agencies, businesses, and other casinos to be hit by a ransomware attack.”
Ransomware attacks occur when hackers, often working from abroad, block access to sensitive company data and demand a ransom to restore that access.
Lucky Star said it “immediately notified federal law enforcement including the FBI” about the attack. It is working with its insurance provider, cyber security experts, IT professionals and forensic cyber investigators “to resolve the situation,” the company said. Lucky Star did not say if it has, or plans to, pay the demanded ransom.
“We apologize to our customers and partners and emphasize the need to be extra vigilant, particularly regarding suspect communications,” the statement says. “Our insurance company is providing credit monitoring services for 12 months.”
Lucky Star said it hopes to resume operations in the coming days.
The news comes as critical U.S. infrastructure has recently been victimized by ransomware attacks. An attack on Colonial Pipeline led to concerns about the nationwide gasoline supply, though that ransom was later recovered by federal agents. Another attack on JBS targeted the American beef supply; JBS paid $11 million to resolve that breach.