Video on casino floor

I have always been told absolutely no video is allowed on casino floor. Has anybody had any success with a GoPro? I would live to have some good footage of some casino action. Not necessarily of blackjack hands, poker hands, or the roll of the dice itself, although would be nice too. Just some clips of friends having fun at table games in general.

I also have a pair of sunglasses that records video as well, I believe designed for hunters to wear. It is difficult to tell they take video without looking closely. Any success stories?

Wasn't sure where to post this, seems like a good enough place. Thanks for replies in advance.

 

I certainly hope you make everyone aware that you're recording before the fact and that some unsuspecting folks don't end up on the internet without their approval.

 

Good point. I wouldn't be putting anything up on the Internet anyway. Not my intentions.

 

The issue used to be any cameras on the floor were tightly controlled but with cellphone cameras in everybody's pocket the casinos gave up. I had a Dudley Do Right at the Orleans yell at me and threaten to throw me out when I kept taking pictures of royals one night. I got three in less than two hours off the same machine ($2000 each). This was probably 2006. His boss eventually came over and made the same threat, telling me the video poker screen was copyrighted! I said really! I'm an attorney and where is the copyright symbol? They shut up. I'm not an attorney, just a good liar.

However, I do have duties in Marketing and carry Talent Release forms with me. If I record video for my company I have to get everyone in the video to sign a release agreeing to be in the video as we may use it for commercial purposes. Legally you can use a photo of anyone but not record their voice without their permission. However inside a commercial establishment that place of business can set the rules for photography.

Casinos traditionally don't want photos of gamblers because the guy and the lady next to him may not be husband and wife and publishing that photo anywhere without their permission may lead to a lawsuit against the casino. That photo may end up as evidence in the divorce proceeding. There aren't any gambling trade secrets they are trying to protect, it is the player. There may be reasons players might not want to be photographed or be on video either and remember some could take extreme exception.

I would check with Casino Security first, explain what you are planning and see what they say. Given that they will boot you out if they catch you wearing Google Glasses, I'm pretty sure I know the answer! Good luck anyway!

 

I know I've seen a few craps rolls on YouTube before, so it has been done. But, they don't like it if they find out.

 

It's officially against the rules to photograph or video gambling in casinos. Unofficially, the rules seem to have evolved (out of necessity) and it's tolerated as long as it's unobtrusive and of short duration.

Bill

 

I used to keep a list of which casinos had what restrictions but it seems that in recent years just about all of them have become more tolerant.

For example, years ago. Circus, Slots-A-Fun, and Silver City had absolutely no prohibitions at all. Green Valley Ranch and Westward Ho prohibited it, period. The only one I remember where a "No Photos" sign was posted was Bally's. I don't know if it's still there. Most of them had some kind of restrictions. "No tables, no cage, no flash" was common. Rio had some varied regulations. They encouraged you to take photos of the show in the sky, but prohibited personal photos of the people posing with the showgirls. I was also asked "what are you doing" when I was shooting at the Rio last year but it ended up being NBD.

The only time I've been able to freely shoot table games was at the final night of the Frontier. A BJ dealer willingly posed for me. Unheard of normally! That particular shoot is on line here: http://omababe.blogspot.com/2009/07/final-frontier.html

I've never done video. However, I suspect that in most places if you're discreet about it you can get away with it, but if you get in peoples' faces or start shooting the tables or the cage you will have security all over you.

 

If you go to YouTube you will find thousands upon thousands of videos from casinos. Very high number of slot wins, and slot bonus rounds.

 

I have never shot any video, but took loads of pics, mostly VP and slot wins and a few with friends in, never had any problems. As previously mentioned, with everybody having camera phones these days, would be impossible to police effectively.

 

With a go pro, I would think they would be particularly paranoid if they caught you at a table with it. Might immediately kick you out or worse.

Slots and VP, you probably won't even get noticed.

 

It seems to have loosened up a bit since cell phone cameras and video cams are in everybody's pocket.
Twenty years ago the security guards at the Mirage practically tackled my wife for shooting pictures in the casino.
I'm guessing you still have to be discreet about videos of gaming.

 

My wife figures staff/Security will tell her to stop if she's not supposed to be filming. As such, she'll snap and shoot away until someone tells her she can't. Most of the time lately, few tell her that.

Bill

 

My past few trips I have numerous videos of my slot play and bonus rounds.
NYNY was the only place to stop me.

This was done with a handheld device so it was obvious what I was doing.

I often wondered about using a GoPro strapped to my chest and playing a game of Craps or something, but not sure how they would respond.

You can't really ask as they will definitely say no.
It is probably one of those things you will have to try without asking.
Start with a casino you ready don't frequent just to check the results.

 

I've been to bars and other places where they'd either have a sign at the entrance that some camera crew was filming and if you go inside you consent to being filmed, or others where they'd ask everyone to sign a release before going in but you didn't have to sign. I assume they blur you out then? I don't know because anytime I was confronted with one of those releases I just went somewhere else.

I remember on our first trip to Vegas while in college we took a video camera and asked someone at MGM if we could record. He said yeah just not at the tables or something. So we were recording random stuff with no one stopping us and we walked by some High Roller baccarat tournament in this closed off area surrounded by workers in tuxedos. We started filming around there and they stopped us quick.

 

I have a few GoPro cameras and wanted to give my new GoPro HERO 4 Black a try on my last trip. I would love to say I got some great video but I always seemed to forget to use it. However, I attached it to my hat clip one night and walk from MGM to NY (through the casino) and then to ExCal, Luxor and MB (all through the casinos) ... I am sure it looked goofy as hell but it was pretty obvious that I was wearing a camera on my head and I didn't get stopped once. Now, I didn't really stop anywhere as I just wanted to capture the walk and planned to speed it up in editing to shorten the trip. I haven't posted it anywhere but might see what I can do if there is any interest but nothing exciting happened on the walk but if it had, I would have been ready.

 

I assume that if you're obvious about it there will be no issues. If you're caught trying to hide it, I can see the casino security staff getting upset. In theory a dishonest player wouldn't just have a device out in the open.