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How common are terribly irresponsible gambling choices these days?

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by WolfpackRobNC, Sep 16, 2021.

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  1. WolfpackRobNC

    WolfpackRobNC Medium-roller??

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    I couldn't come up with the best thread title for this. I was in one of my Vegas-related Facebook groups today and noticed a old picture from the 70's of a gas station or something that proudly offered cash for your car on the spot - the implication being if you had a car and the title, you could get some cash to keep on playing.

    I realize the question is anecdotal, but I was wondering whether or not it's still prevalent that many people come to Vegas and gamble away their cars, their mortgage for the month, their grocery money, etc.

    I've maybe hit the ATM for a couple extra hundred that I shouldn't have a time or two, but I just can't fathom being that irresponsible with it. I hope problem gambling is not as prevalent as it supposedly used to be.
     
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  2. comfortablynumb

    comfortablynumb Dogs have owners, cats have staff

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    Not sure, but I know my boss is in Gamblers Anonymous and had to stop going to Las Vegas, if that tells you anything..

    Anyone prone to addiction could end up in trouble in Las Vegas. Personally I have no issue taking a certain amount of money and quitting when it's gone, but I had an ex-girlfriend who couldn't stop going back to the ATM for more cash.
     
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  3. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    It still happens, but you're not going to hear about it unless you are seeking it out. There is a reason Vegas pawn shops are 24/7.
     
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  4. thegov2k2

    thegov2k2 VIP Whale

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    I have to imagine that this sort of thing keeps the lights on at the pawn shops in town.
     
  5. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    And at the same time, it's pretty rare, more or less, at the tables. I've personally and repeatedly seen people thrown out for clearly going beyond their boundaries. I can't speak to Jerry's Nugget, but the Strip casinos like MGM and CZR do not want that money. A few hundred more than you should do is a problem with Amazon.com, too, but the properties do not want you gambling away your mortgage under any circumstances. Beyond the regulatory concerns, most senior leadership just flat-out thinks it's not the right thing to do.
     
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  6. Mr Bulldops

    Mr Bulldops VIP Whale

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    Gambling addiction is still very prevalent. Terrance Wantanabe is a prime example. He inherited a small fortune and an extremely successful company (Oriental Trading) from his father. He lost everything and when it was all gone, he kept going and Harrah's/Caesars sued him for unpaid markers. I know many accounting professionals that have uncovered employee theft during audits - massive amounts of theft that had gone undetected for years - and many of those employees were feeding a gambling habit.
     
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  7. jgates8

    jgates8 VIP Whale

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    One of my co-workers at my previous second job gambled until she lost her house. Periodically the two large cities an hour away have people arrested for embezzlement from work/organization. With the proximity of our local casino, I expect at least a few of those are related to gambling.
     
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  8. Audible Nectar

    Audible Nectar High-Roller

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    I was a casino dealer for seven years. The stuff I saw would turn your stomach, it was enough to be a major cause of me leaving the business after those seven years with absolutely no desire to return. It was not in a Las Vegas casino (midwest), where I could (but don't out of courtesy) name off like my favorite rock bands the number of previously highly reputable businesses go under from it. Saw the most respectable and reputable people you can imagine in your mind wetting (and otherwise) themselves at tables because they were "on a run" and didn't want to break the shoe or luck. Just really degenerate stuff. Dealing with that, in addition to horrible management soured me on ever getting back into the business again, and permanently cured me of ever having a gambling addiction. I was really good at it, too, but when the "enough" meter hit the red, I planned my exit from the business and never looked back.

    I go to Vegas and "let everyone else pay for this stuff" :) After working in the business I understand why the lobbies and forces who fought against it so hard did so, as the bad side is really ugly.
     
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  9. BigDubbs

    BigDubbs Tourist

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    I think what this thread is missing is reports of the majority of cases: people who say absolutely nothing when plopping their cash on the table and who don't necessarily want to make friends and exchange vignettes. I'm one of them even if I gamble within my means. I bet it would surprise us how many people have some deep problems who shouldn't be at the tables or at the machines. I know of no casino who will deny hard cash on a table if there is no reason to believe anything shady is going on.
     
  10. JaDubya

    JaDubya High Roller? Nah...just a Roller

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    It wasn’t that long ago that casinos used to offer paycheck cashing promotions “as a service”. Think about that one.

    Here’s a 2004 article on the subject. I always wondered why it disappeared 1) ethics or 2) the transition away from paper paychecks. Dunno but my cynical mind says #2.

    https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2004/nov/08/paycheck-cashing-at-casinos-questioned/

    You’re probably thinking 2004, that’s 17 frickin’ years ago. Hmmm…one casino advertises that they still do it.

    https://www.palacestation.com/play/paycheck-cashing/
     
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  11. thegov2k2

    thegov2k2 VIP Whale

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    It would shock me if the El Cortez didn't still have some sort of promo going on.
     
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  12. JaDubya

    JaDubya High Roller? Nah...just a Roller

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    Yes. You’re correct. You can find a few other paycheck cashing casinos (ones that are popular with VMBers) by googling “paycheck cashing incentive vegas.”

    I didn’t want to derail this thread, I just don’t believe that casinos are as benevolent as someone mentioned above. JMHO.
     
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  13. poidawg

    poidawg Low-Roller

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    Heard a podcast interview with casino host Steve Cyr who said a third of his players should not be playing at that level they’re going to go broke (he’s just riding the wave), another third have so much money it doesn’t matter, the final third somewhere in between. He also said the irresponsible players are definitely the most fun!
     
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  14. boxsocial

    boxsocial Low-Roller

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    a relative of mine got addicted to poker and table games during the early 00s poker boom. after pressing the luck too much and spending bill/rent money chasing money to get even, he quickly ended up in high five-figure debt and tried to commit suicide because he couldn't see getting out of it. luckily that didn't work out and he put himself on a voluntary exclusion list in the state for five years. I don't think he's been in a casino since.
     
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  15. Renaldow

    Renaldow VIP Whale

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    When I lived there I knew a lot of people who used casino cages as banks for check cashing. A lot of local businesses pay weekly on Friday afternoon A lot of people I worked with would take their check to their favorite local casino, cash their check, get their drink coupons, play video poker for a few hours. Then on Saturday they'd go back to a different local and play video poker for about 8 hours. On Sunday they either went to church or did all the errands they needed to for the week. So the weekly payroll was preferred because you'd have money every Friday. I worked for the US government and, my wife was upper management at a national bank and we both had coworkers doing some variation of this, so I have to think it's fairly common at all levels of income.

    I moved away in 2008, and it was still prevalent then. If anything's stopped, I'd guess it was due to more paychecks becoming direct deposit, and people either moving to a real bank or a Debit Card service like Chime.

    Re: Casinos not wanting that money: Is it US and green? Then they want it. But if you're on that path, you're likely not going to a casino and there's no need for you to go to a casino. About 99% of the bars and restaurants with a bar, in Vegas have video poker machines. You can get kicked out of every casino in Vegas and still have nearly unlimited of places to play. Hell, you can go to Von's or Rite-Aid and play, or at least you used to.
     
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  16. thegov2k2

    thegov2k2 VIP Whale

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    I know there are large companies that will no longer issue a paper check. I work for a very large company that only pays by direct deposit or on a company-issued debit card.
     
  17. mdee

    mdee VIP Whale

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    My first trip to Las Vegas was in the late 1980's. The 2 mistakes that I made was;
    A. Taking a girlfriend from hell. - B. Under estimating how much money to take.
    I would win a jackpot and she would come running around the corner and steal
    my bucket of coins never to be seen again until she needed more money.

    I remember walking down the strip to a check cashing place. ATM's were a rarity back then.
    They charged me 30%. Yep cost me $300.00 to cash a $1,000.00 check.

    I didn't go back to Las Vegas for 18 years!
     
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  18. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    Gambling addiction is like any addiction - HORRIBLE to watch. Those who have never been exposed to a relative or close friend who has an addiction doesn't know half of what it's like.

    My ex-wife is a recovering alcoholic. She knew what alcohol was doing to her, but "couldn't" stop drinking. 3 times I took her to the ER with a .3 BAC. Gambling addicts will not stop until they've exhausted all resources and even then, they may resort to things like theft and embezzlement to fund their habit.

    Said my .02

    Oh, and .01 more. She's been sober for about 10 years now, but I still have to "hide" my alcohol when she visits. (As a courtesy to her . . . )
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2021
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  19. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Stats exist for those with gambling "problems," but with any addiction we tend to look to the train wreck scenarios whereas the disease is such that it can play out at what might be considered inconsequential levels of activity -- "social" drinkers, nickel-slot ploppies -- as it is not the amount as it is the addiction and the impact on that person's ability to function normally.

    If casinos gave a shit about customer well-being they wouldn't be set up as they are with every "convenience" at hand to go off the rails -- even if one is NOT an addict.
     
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  20. joespoolhall

    joespoolhall VIP Whale

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    Going back a ways, I saw two examples of this. One was a single guy that just put himself in a hole for six months. The other was married with three kids. Before going down for a bowling tournament, wrote a bad check at work to use as BR. Of course he planned to win it back plus more. Within two hours of checking in he had lost the 3K. He had to borrow money from friends to eat the rest of the trip. The worst was back home and having to tell his wife the truth. Fortunately he worked out payments with said employer. If single he would have been charged with embezellment.
     
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