This is something that in the past year of working at the Adelaide Casino, I’ve heard a lot. There’s a stereotype that even though casinos are Government regulated to make sure they fit in laws and are fair, that every game is rigged so people have no chance of winning. Indeed, one guy even went so far as to believe we watched and rigged his hands personally, but we’ve already talked about him before. Let’s move on.
There is also that opinion that every employee of the industry is a soul sucking demon robot who cares not for emotion, and instead wants to take all your money in a game of chance.
It’s no doubt that this sort of thought pattern is fuelled by the movies, where the casino owner is almost always a villain. They’re willing to sell out people, beat them to a pulp in the back room for small infringements, and are all round corrupt. I blame Andy Garcia.
You motherfucker.
Because of the bad reputation given to us by the film industry, and from the unregulated casinos that do apparently still exist in America, we’re labelled as evil a lot of the time. I call bullshit.
Games aren’t rigged, but the odds are in the house’s favour.
This comes as no surprise to anyone with half a brain, but there is still a fairly large number of people out there who believe the games in a casino should be 50/50 in winnings. The problem with this mentality is that it is impossible for a casino to do that. It’s a business and if they don’t have a “house edge”, they risk losing money and thus not existing.
However, with Government regulations and common sense, the house edge is never ridiculous. For example, the true odds of picking the correct number straight up in roulette is 37 to 1. So, the casino pays out at odds of 35 to 1. The game is still random and you could win, but in the end the casino has the edge, however slight it may be. The old saying comes to mind “The house always wins”. While it may not be true individual to individual, overall, the casino is obviously making money or it wouldn’t be in business.
We are soulless robots brainwashed to take your money and cheat you.
Oh man this is totally true. Why would they employ normal people to deal cards to you when they could brainwash us into stealing all your money. I mean, the side effects kind of suck, like if someone accidently uses a trigger word around me I go ballistic and start killing people, but it’s totally worth it.
But realistically; we’re getting paid the same average wage if you win or lose. We* want you to win so then everyone is happy. Unless you’re an asshole to us and everyone around you, in which case we hope you lose it all while your partner is at home banging some other guy. With her mouth.
The casino will kick you out for winning too much money.
No, the casino will kick you out for being an arrogant fuckwit who treats everyone like shit or is otherwise disturbing everyone else.
This is a big one, as so many people kick up a fuss when getting kicked out, blaming it on this. The fact is, we don’t care if you win one thousand dollars. It’s not “a lot of money”. Last night I had someone win forty three thousand on my table in baccarat, and even that isn’t considered enough to kick someone out. Why should we punish people for doing well? It makes no sense.
Casinos kick people out for a variety of reasons though, including pre-existing bans, being underage, drunk, falling asleep at tables, being there for over 24 hours, etc. Most of what the casino does falls under certain practices we have to follow lest the company cops a fine (responsible drinking, etc).
We will never kick you out for winning.
I had a fourth point but now I’ve forgotten it.
You’re copying Rubenerd. You should stop that.
No.
Yes.
I’d like to throw out there that while most of this is an honest attempt at dealing out facts, I may have a point or two incorrect. This really only applies to Adelaide Casino, as some casinos have altered rules, regulations and allowances. Who knows, Crown Casino may actually brainwash their employees. We don’t know for certain.
*I speak for the majority, but there are definitely a few dealers who are pretty indifferent, or actually enjoy when the customers lose. Be that as it may, we still won’t steal your money.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
For the most part, it seems that where ever I have visited (all the casinos on the east coast) that the dealers want you to win. Of course they're bound by their strict rules, but they are rooting for you – it's not their money :)
I don't think I've ever been in a casino, let alone gambled in one. I imagine hundreds of people in fancy suits and gorgeous evening gowns playing high stakes games to a rocking soundtrack ALL THE TIME. I'm right aren't I?
I've talked to people who've been in the industry and Adelaide Casino for years and years, and apparently thats how it used to be. The place was always busy, there were line ups and only the neatest attire was allowed. Back then high rollers were people who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars PER HAND.
Nowadays, as the recession has kicked in and people's wallets are tighter, less people have been coming in, and they are spending less. So the casino has gotten fairly relaxed. On a “Game Day” (when the cricket is on in Adelaide and such), you can get in wearing shorts and thongs.
I wish I was there for the days when it was *the* place to be.
Most are, but trust me when I say there are a few that love when the players lose. They're few, but they're there.
You mean you're NOT a soulless, evil, soul-sucking, (skirt wearing, milk humping) demon robot?
I'm not a huge fan of the Casino, but that's mostly because there's no natural light in the place (at least not the last time I was there), and the lights that were there were all very bright, flashing, and such. It's very overwhelming and throws out your perception of time.
Plus I miss the $5 (and $2 “give it a go”) blackjack tables.
People who think casinos (or all forms of gambling, for that matter) are evil make one fatal mistake – they think of it as a source of income. I think of it as a source of entertainment. It's fun to spend $10 on $1 scratchies, and spend any winnings on more scratchies, and so on until you run out of winning tickets (or win big, though that's never happened to me). All it costs you is the initial $10.
Heh, you can understand the “perception of time” thing is good for their business :P
I wouldn't mind dealing a $5 blackjack but the amount of drunks that would be on that thing would stop it being fun =/
Ah yeah, the people who gamble for work -_- They creep me out. When I'm on dayshift, it bugs me that regulars are there when I start (as early as 10:30am) and when I leave they're STILL PLAYING. To me it's ridiculous. When I used to gamble, I'd walk in with drinking money of say, $50. If I lost it, it just meant I'd drink less, and was no worse off. It was a fun experience for me, I can't ever see how you could turn gambling into a source of reliable income.
But I wasn't drunk! I was budget-conscious!
Oh yeah, people are. But on a Friday and Saturday night, drunks either get arrogant and go to a table they can't possibly afford, or go to the cheaper tables >_>
This debate is raging in Singapore right now because after decades of having it illegal, the first casinos opened there. They're gigantic, like three Westfields in size with 70 floor hotels attached. Apparently the government over there was fed up with rich business folk flying off to Macau, emptying their wallets and flying back.
I don't go to casinos for the same reason I don't use credit cards or play computer games anymore, I don't trust that I would be able to keep things under control!
As for copying me, you linked to a guy with WWW in his URL who I'm not familiar with. He needs to stop ripping off my terrible blog name!
That's quite a tale ;)
I heard Singapore locals have to pay money to go in? So as to keep it tourists only and keep people “pure”? :P
Evil Casino Owners love to watch you get more poor! :(
You say that, but Casinos like the one here have Host Responsibility personnel, who keep watch and intervene if they see or hear someone could have problems with gambling. They take them aside and talk to them. If the person wants assistance we go to lengths to ensure they get it in one of many ways, the one I hear most commonly being used is a self-imposed ban.