Doing my first casino this weekend (is this just an albertan thing?)

Am 'count room staff'

Has anyone done one? What should I expect?

Gryphea

Not done one, will do next year for the Speed Skating Club. From what I've heard be ready for 8 hours of extreme mind-numbing boredom that is rewarded by a truly ludicrous sum of money for the organisation that is pimping you out.

Hot news- I am no longer doing the 10pm -2:30am count room staff - which sounded slightly appealing based on the short number of hours and the fact that I thought I could chinwag through it with other volunteers- but I was seriously worried about getting shot at 2:30am

I am now doing the 11am-7pm 8hrs of cashier.

Originally I had been had hoping for 'chip-running' as thought that would get me out and about.

Where do you guys do your casinos? The new one at Stoney Nakoda?

I have heard the reservation ones can be tough as they are subject to federal not provinical legislation which means people can smoke and apparently do in vast quantities.

Last casino they made $85K for a school with 165 kids. Not bad. Apparently these dates are not so good.

Gryph

Have no idea what you are talking about, sorry!

Enjoy what ever it is???!!!

Bx

I work with casinos in BC and I haven't got a clue what you mean by doing my first casino?

I presume by Am 'count room staff' you will be working in the count room/vault putting money through bill counters?
You will be required to wear a 'no pocket' jump suit, and only your bra and knickers on underneath.

Good luck

ALberta Gaming commission forces casinos to run tons of charity events (I think pretty much all the time) and in return for volunteers provide a portion of the profits. Clubs, societies and schools get two day casino slots every so often (once every 18montsh to 2 yrs for our school). The catholic school board don't agree with it- so they haven't signed up. Its pretty much how all sporting clubs etc make their funds (albertans are the biggest spend gamblers in canada)
MAybe its just an albertan thing

Gryph

PS the last casino weekend slot we had made $85K. For some reason this is considered a less good slot or whatever and we are hoping for $70-$80K
Not an inconsiderable amount of money. Each volunteer shift brings in around $1200-$1500.
Gryph

I've been a chip runner and a sort of teller who sells chips (have forgotten the exact title).

If you're in the count room when the casino closes for the night, you have to stay until all the chips and the money balance. That sometimes takes a long time.

I've left casinos in Calgary in the wee hours, and have never felt concerned about my security.

I'm not a great fan of casinos, but volunteering at casinos sure beats volunteering at bingo halls. I volunteered at bingo to raise money for my son's hockey team. That was back in the days of smoking, and I remember the woman who sat smoking with her oxygen tank next to her. Anyway, breathing in that atmosphere was unpleasant, and I had to run around a huge room with a concrete floor all night. Much less luxurious than a carpeted casino.
x

Blimey, that would never be allowed in BC

Each and every person working in a casino needs to be security cleared by GPEB http://www.hsd.gov.bc.ca/gaming/

This is how our money is distributed: http://www.bclc.com/cm/wherethemoneygoes/home.htm

We have had some kind of security pre-check, but I do find it extraordinary that anyone pretty much is allowed in the count room, as cashier etc. I presume they haven't had many problems otherwise it wouldn't still go on!

Am quite glad now my count room shift has been swapped.

Bingo with smoke sounds fairly grim . At least the casino has a volunteers lounge! and some sort of food allowance!

It sounds like good fun

Try and get a shift as a slot attendant if you can, that's a good busy job (with plenty of good tip$) for a casino shift. Their main role is to bring players their jackpot winnings when the machines go to handpay, and then reset the machine.

Sounds boring, but it's really enjoyable bringing players their winnings.

Have fun though, sounds like a cool idea.

I don't expect they let the volunteers anywhere near tips!!!!!

I shall report back tomorrow evening. I am quite intrigued by the whole thing! Hope its not too dull as my guess is it will be the first of many!

Yes, that's true. It's actually quite a good opportunity to get to know people who are involved in the same endeavour as you (school, sports team, philanthropic group, or whatever).

But I forgot to mention that taking a book to read is a must.
x

Great tip Judy- thanks for that!