2007-01-12 20:32:20 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Games & Recreation ➔ Gambling
I'm a Casino Manager mate and have been in the business for 20 years and I've only ever seen 6 people that I would not let play Blackjack again. This doesn't mean that I have blacklisted them I have just stopped them playing Blackjack. This article gives you a bit of an idea as to the mind set of casino operators in the US it's one of the reasons that, having worked in 7 countries around the world the US isn't one of them.
The issue of the legality of card counting is a complicated one. Historically most of the known cases have come from Nevada and Atlantic City. Most other gaming jurisdictions are still grappling with this issue. Since I am not a lawyer, I will say up front much of the response you are about to read was gleaned from the excellent book Blackjack and the Law by I. Nelson Rose and Robert Loeb. I highly recommend it.
"Is blackjack card counting illegal"?
As long as a card counter is only using his brains to decide how to play his hand, then the act of card counting is not illegal.
"How do casinos get away with excluding card counters from playing blackjack"? "Isn't this discrimination"?
The Nevada courts have allowed casinos to exclude card counters because technically they are private property, and under the ancient common law right a property owner could kick off his property anyone for any reason, or even without a reason. Many players and lawyers believe that barring skillful players from playing blackjack is an unconstitutional form of discrimination. However, the Supreme Court prohibits discrimination only against persons who are members of "suspect classifications" based on race, creed, sex, national origin, age, or physical disability (i.e., card counters are not listed in the "suspect classifications"). Therefore, until a law is passed or blackjack players bring a challenge, casinos will continue the practice of barring card counters.
In Atlantic City casinos, the late Ken Uston (blackjack author and professional card counter), won the right in the N.J. courts for card counters to count cards there. Essentially the N.J. Supreme Court told the AC casinos that they could not bar card counters unless the N.J. Casino Control Commission issued a rule saying counters could be barred. So far they have not made this ruling, however, they have allowed the casinos to make the game of blackjack much harder for counters to beat.
"Can the casinos legally 'backroom" a card counter"?
"Backrooming" is a word that has come to denote the practice of detaining or harassing a player who is barred. Usually the casino will ask to see some form of identification and take the player's picture. Under common law and the laws of most states, it is illegal for a business establishment to detain a person, unless the customer has committed a crime and the business is holding the person while awaiting the arrival of police. Therefore, when a casino security agent asks if a player will accompany him to the office, the player has the right to refuse, unless he is being held for a crime. In Nevada, a casino has the right to question and detain any person suspected of cheating. New Jersey, however, made the point that card counting is not a crime and therefore it is not permissible for a casino to detain and question a person suspected of being a card counter. The casino also does not have the right to demand identification because it is ejecting someone for card counting. A player should not have to provide his name upon request of the casino, but it could conceivably be considered obstruction of justice to refuse to provide one's name upon the request of the police. A player also cannot be forced to pose for a photograph.
If the casino is barring you:
Don't admit that you are a card counter.
Don't wait long enough for your picture to taken.
Don't start an argument or make a loud fuss.
Don't go to a bar and have a drink.
Don't show your identification
Don't touch any casino employee.
"Can a casino have a card counter arrested for trespassing if he returns and plays blackjack in a casino in which he was previously barred from playing"?
Most states have trespassing statutes that makes it a misdemeanor for a person to remain on or return to a property after receiving notice from the owner that the person is not allowed on the premises. Most casinos in barring a card counting will tell them "not to return," however it is not usually followed by arrest and prosecution if they do return.
2007-01-14 00:29:10 · answer #1 · answered by Player 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no matter where you do it, they can throw you out if they even suspect you are counting cards. the best thing to do is not look like you are doing it. don't look like you are concentrating too hard. look like you are having a good time, joke around with the rest of the players. just remember any casino can ask anyone to leave for any reason.
2007-01-12 21:16:45 · answer #2 · answered by Aaron 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is not "illegal" to count cards ..... but as you stated, you can get thrown out. The other problem is that if you get thrown out of one casino, you can very likely be banned from others or even all casinos. Once you get blacklisted, there is no way to ever play at these places again
2007-01-13 07:27:04 · answer #3 · answered by Bill F 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no. Even the newest casinos protect very well against it because it can ruin the casino. I was playing once and not even card counting and I saw the pit boss get a phone call ( I was doing well) and he looked right at me and when they switched dealers he asked about me and the dealer then looked right at me when talking. I lost a few small hands and then tipped over my beer on the table and said I had to go.
trust me unless you can read minds it is very hard to get a big score at a casino unless it's legit.
2007-01-12 21:15:06 · answer #4 · answered by siruss_the_viruss 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
player..thanks for sharing some of your experiences.It's obvious that you know what you're talking about.I've been asked to leave a casino in Reno.I said "are'nt you supposed to offer me free dinner or a few drinks at the bar.The pit boss said..."that's only in film noir movies"...he was polite but firm.I have been, of course, "shuffled up" on several times,and this works just as good as not dealing to a counter in my book.Here in the states decent games are very hard to find.Thanks again.
2007-01-14 17:34:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋