The Swinomish Casino & Lodge is investigating a cybersecurity incident that forced the business to close its casino and restaurants on April 5.
“We are working with law enforcement and leading cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident and determine the scope of the issue,” the business wrote in a Thursday, April 11, post on its website.
The FBI is aware of the incident. However, it declined to either confirm or deny the existence of an investigation in accordance with Department of Justice policy.
A leading employer in Skagit and the Anacortes area, the Swinomish Casino & Lodge said in a statement that if investigators discover personal data was stolen in the incident, the business would contact affected individuals as soon as possible.
“While our investigation continues, out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that individuals remain vigilant by checking their account statements and monitoring their free credit reports for any suspicious activity,” the business wrote.
The 98-room lodge and RV park have remained open, though the business is only honoring existing reservations at this time.
“We will resume our loyalty and rewards program when the casino reopens,” stated the business, which has 800 slot machines and a variety of table games including blackjack, craps and poker.
The Swinomish Casino & Lodge stated that it did not have an estimated time when the casino and restaurants would be reopened. It suggested patrons check its website and Facebook page for updates.
The business first notified the public of issues on April 5, stating on its Facebook page that it was temporarily closed due to “technical issues.”
It wasn’t until April 10 that Swinomish Casino & Lodge confirmed that the technical issue was tied to a cybersecurity incident.
“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or concern this issue has caused our valued guests, employees, and members of Swinomish community,” the business posted on its website.
The business stated on Facebook that lodge guests impacted by this incident will also receive a refund as appropriate.
Isaac Stone Simonelli is CDN’s enterprise/investigations reporter; reach him at isaacsimonelli@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 127.
