what happens when a casino in Canada asks you to leave...

#1
I normally play in Edmonton, and never had any problems. i've been counting cards for a few years on and off...

I recently started playing blackjack at a small casino in Norther Alberta (this casno is so small... no high limit area, no craps table, no Baccarat table, $5-$100 blackjack tables during weekdays, and a single $25-$500 table on weekends (upon request - most nights they don't open the the $25 table... only the $10-$200 table instead).

After spending alot of time in this small casino, and winning regulary, the Casino dealers were instructed to place the shuffle card at 1/2 the shoe (2 out of the 4 decks) as a counter measure. I continued to play at this reduced advantage and flat bet $100 at TC +2. i didn't plan on winning any more money, i just wanted to continue to play in the casino because it's the only one in town and i had too much free time. Although the advantage is greatly reduced when you are only playing 2 out of 4 decks, I still won money when i was flat betting two hads of $100 at TC +2 (my bankrool is big enough to support it). I was then approached by a security guard and was asked to see some ID. He read my ID and my name into his 2-way radio, and after 5 minutes, I was allowed to continue to play. I continued to return to this casino multiple times, and continued to win money. Just recently, when I entered the casino, the security guard stopped me at the door, and asked to see my ID. We went to the front desk. He looked in a binder full of photographs to see if there was a match. He found a picture of me, and it said underneath, “suspected card counter.” He then talked into his 2-way radio saying that there was a match. He said that I could stay and play, but I told him I had to leave anyways, but would return in 1 hour. The security guard then relayed this information into his 2-way radio, and he told me that when I come back, I would be told "what is going to happen" and that i would be given a letter. I asked why? He simply said that all the information would be given to me when I come back. I then asked if i did anything illegal? He said no. I then told him that i read what it said under my photograph, and asked if card counting is cheating? The security guard said, “no, but the casino is private property and they are allowed to ask anyone to leave if they want to.” There were two security guards present, and they where actually very friendly and nice to me. I tried to ask what is going to happen to me, and they simply said that everything would be explained to me when I come back. I thanked them for there time, and left the casino on my own free will. I did not return to the casino to find out what kind of information or special letter that they wanted to give me.

i'm assuming that the casino was going to read me the tresspass act and give me a formal letter stating that i was no longer allowed on their property?

has anyone here been asked to leave a Casino in Canada?

what is the process that a casino in Canada uses to bar a customer from comming back?

will my name and photo be shared to other casinos in the province?

any help and info would be wonderful.

thank you,
 

The Chaperone

Well-Known Member
#2
You probably shouldn't have shown ID the first time. You definitely shouldn't have shown ID the second time. And the biggest mistake of all is interrogating the security guard. That is not a conversation that you want to have and you are potentially escalating the situation by even using the words 'illegal' and 'cheating.'
 
#4
797trucker said:
I normally play in Edmonton, and never had any problems. i've been counting cards for a few years on and off...

I recently started playing blackjack at a small casino in Norther Alberta (this casno is so small... no high limit area, no craps table, no Baccarat table, $5-$100 blackjack tables during weekdays, and a single $25-$500 table on weekends (upon request - most nights they don't open the the $25 table... only the $10-$200 table instead).

After spending a lot of time in this small casino, and winning regulary, the Casino dealers were instructed to place the shuffle card at 1/2 the shoe (2 out of the 4 decks) as a counter measure. I continued to play at this reduced advantage and flat bet $100 at TC +2. i didn't plan on winning any more money, i just wanted to continue to play in the casino because it's the only one in town and i had too much free time. Although the advantage is greatly reduced when you are only playing 2 out of 4 decks, I still won money when i was flat betting two hads of $100 at TC +2 (my bankrool is big enough to support it). I was then approached by a security guard and was asked to see some ID. He read my ID and my name into his 2-way radio, and after 5 minutes, I was allowed to continue to play. I continued to return to this casino multiple times, and continued to win money. Just recently, when I entered the casino, the security guard stopped me at the door, and asked to see my ID. We went to the front desk. He looked in a binder full of photographs to see if there was a match. He found a picture of me, and it said underneath, “suspected card counter.” He then talked into his 2-way radio saying that there was a match. He said that I could stay and play, but I told him I had to leave anyways, but would return in 1 hour. The security guard then relayed this information into his 2-way radio, and he told me that when I come back, I would be told "what is going to happen" and that i would be given a letter. I asked why? He simply said that all the information would be given to me when I come back. I then asked if i did anything illegal? He said no. I then told him that i read what it said under my photograph, and asked if card counting is cheating? The security guard said, “no, but the casino is private property and they are allowed to ask anyone to leave if they want to.” There were two security guards present, and they where actually very friendly and nice to me. I tried to ask what is going to happen to me, and they simply said that everything would be explained to me when I come back. I thanked them for there time, and left the casino on my own free will. I did not return to the casino to find out what kind of information or special letter that they wanted to give me.

i'm assuming that the casino was going to read me the tresspass act and give me a formal letter stating that i was no longer allowed on their property?

has anyone here been asked to leave a Casino in Canada?

what is the process that a casino in Canada uses to bar a customer from comming back?

will my name and photo be shared to other casinos in the province?

any help and info would be wonderful.

thank you,
It really depends on how bad u piss them off - thank your lucky stars things are pretty tolerant in your neck of the woods. I would not have shown them ID in the first place, though apparently that bought you some time. It could be argues in Alberta that there is no legal precedence in Alberta, though that opens up a whole new can of worms. I was barred for 2 years, not read the trespass act, and simply cashed out. At anothe rtlocation, I was half shoed, though I have gone back, the heat is ridiculous, and the reduced EV is simply not worth my time. I have a feeling that I could be flyered banned at the very least i I return 1 to many times, as I also kept winning. Sit right for a year - time tends to heal wounds, and u still have not been officialy backed off - though I would definitely keep some distance.
 
#6
Never been flyered - I think

My locale does not generally track buy ins or cashouts, though the first store did.

The banning was at a store where I was an absolute continual winner. One day, I'm down 160 units with 8 or 9 hands left in the shoe and ended up plus 60 units. The next time I showed up, I never got to play a hand.

The half shoe routine was at a store which I was killing for 2 or 3 months. They started to track all of my buy ins and cashouts, as well as recorded the time whenever I spread to 2 hands. Had a big loss of about 320 units, made it up in 2 sessons, kept winning, and then had a session where I was in for 20 units with 200 units in front of me. This did not include my rat holing. There was some heavy heat on that one - a couple more winning sessions. First 2.5 months of year, probably up 1500 units. Was hald shoed in mid Marxh and played another 13 or 14 times, winning , give or take, 12 out of 14 sessions.

I'm lucky to get a shoe. Just not worth the heat anymore.
 
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