[Sparks]

I made the original post because I thought it was an interesting thing that happened in a B&M. I was curious if anyone - such as a casino employee, chip runner, etc. -- might actually know something about the accounting procedures for chip runners on the floor of a casino. I certainly was not looking for approval, or validation, or whatever, about my decision to keep the money. But, in light of the enthusiastic, albeit childish, admonitions against me, I might as well comment on my thought process when I realized I was over-changed a hundred dollars. I considered the following, all in the span of about 20 seconds:

First, I was in a casino, a business which flat out takes advantage of certain people's weakness for gambling. Without a doubt, countless lives have been ruined, or at least severely affected by the casino's business model, which combined with addictive gambling personalities, costs many people hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, monthly. In almost any other venue I can think of (bank, retail, etc.) I would not have kept the money. I wasn’t in church, I wasn’t at the grocery store, and I wasn’t at the ball park. I was in a casino.

Second, there is a certain sense of “getting the best of it” when in a casino. It’s a dog-eat-dog, survival of the fittest environment. I don’t take angle shots when playing cards, and if some old guy is exposing his cards to me, I’ll tell him. But in general, I want to get the best of it when I’m in a casino.

Third, the casino is a friggin’ cash cow. The financial numbers of most casinos, and certainly the one I was in, are basically staggering. As I mentioned, it’s close to a quarter million dollars top line, every day, 365 days a year. Of course the question is, does the hundred come out of the casino’s pocket, or the chip runner’s. It’s an important question, yet to be thoroughly covered. And I suspect that any lawyer worth his salt could crush a casino which tried to fire an employee for an error like this. Now, if it’s the third time it’s happened in a month, then the guy should be fired, as he is incompetent.

Fourth, I don’t happen to like the chip runner that over-changed me. He’s smug, unfriendly, and rude. The other runners that I see most often are friendly and affable.

Lastly, it was not an irrevocable thing. I could, and who knows, still may, return the money. If I were to hear some half-way cogent argument as to why I should, it might actually make a difference. And I mean that. So far, I haven’t seen a thing, although UAT made a decent effort. Saying I “stole” the money is meaningless hyperbole.

I must confess though that I must have been feeling a little guilty, because before I left, many hours later, I greased the floorman $100, as I had a big night. He’s a totally cool guy, and it’s been a while since I toked him. That, felt great.

Sparks