Ahh, now I know what you're talking about. Not sure if casinos are involved in this in BC, but bingo halls definitely are - I have to do my stint every now and then. Thank heavens there's no more smoking, now there's a lot more people willing to volunteer!

If you are going to be a cashier when the punter gives you his chips move them to the side away from the opening so he/she can't touch them and sneak one back while your counting the cash.

Also if they give you a stack of chips and when your half way through counting they try to give you more do not take them make them wait until you've counted the first ones before taking any others. It's a classic trick to try to get you to mis-count the chips.

Cheers
Steve

Gaming in Alberta is based on a charitable model whereby each charity can apply for a two day casino licence. The money made at the end of each gaming day is traditionally pooled and then 'fairly' distributed by the Alberta Lottery Fund every quarter. This way it makes no difference which two days you are allotted as it's the AGLC who divvy the proceeds up. With First Nations Casinos eg Stoney Nakoda, there is a permanent charity also involved with paid 'volunteers' and the distributions are different with more money going to the Nation.

From what I've heard the volunteer staff are pretty much shadowed in everything they do, the chip runners for example have a 'professional' walking with them everywhere. It really does seem like a bizarre system, but certainly I don't hear the clubs complaining. We are just about going to finish spending every last cent of the previous casino before our next one comes up in November.

Last time I did a casino I was a chip runner, we had a security guard walk with us back to the table when we were carrying chips but other than that we were on our own.

I've also worked as a cashier and after an initial introduction was left alone with no overt supervision.

Just several covert cameras zoomed in on your every move

Yeah...I thought that went without saying.

Do they require you to 'dust your hands' after every time you handle cash?

They didn't but it's been at least three years since I worked a casino and longer than that since I was a cashier.

OK

Back from first casino and you know it wasn't too bad. In some ways it was mildly interesting. I worked the Elbow River casino.

I was a cashier, pretty much how Steve P said but we always had a worker in the cage with us at all times. Changes over $200 were over viewed by someone, either the Banker (volunteer) general manager (volunteer) or worker. Plus fo course there were the cameras.

The worst bit about it was the dark and slot machine lights with no natural lighting anywhere.

My till reconciled at the end of the shift (phew), I took 23.5K. The highest change was $4700 , the lowest $50c. I even got 2 tips (from the same guy) totalling $5 which got donated somehow back to charity.

Chip runners were escorted by security guards and generally, if you go with someone decent - chip running could be dossy and a good laugh. Take a book if you chip run- or even a game to play with the other chip runner. Chip runners sit in the volunteer's lounge waiting to be called.


The reason they expect the take to be down on last time is because since then the Greysomething casino has been started on reservation land, since this allows smoking it has taken a reasonalbe proportion of profits away. The take to charities is 50% of table profits and 15% of slots.
Gryph

I was interested to read this thread as i've just signed up to be Chip Runner when my daughter's club do the Casino in early January. I'm intrigued as to what it's going to be like, more so by what kind of people are using Casinos at 10:30 on a Saturday morning

Someone did say that it can be a lot of sitting around and to take loads of mags.

It'll be an experience, thats for sure.

I'm flummoxed as to how/why they let Joe public in to handle vast amounts of cash!

On another note, is it dressy at all? i don't know what to wear and am i likely to bump into James Bond?

I've done a couple of bingos in Calgary (for the Rowing Club - compulsory or pay a large extra membership fee), and it wasn't too bad. Security is pretty tight though and you have to sign for any tickets you take to sell, and any cash you bring back in. Last time I managed to make some money, which was a bit embarassing for me, but didn't appear to distress the staff too much!

It was about 4 hours walking up and down the tables, with no breaks, but most of the punters were not unpleasant. Not my idea of a good time though (as a punter, I mean) ... the whole atmosphere is pretty grim, even without the smoking!

I have so far managed to avoid volunteering for casino duty, but I guess we have one in February for the chorus which I am expected to help out at. I'm not of the gambling mindset at all, but we've been informed rather tartly that if we "conscientiously object" to volunteering at these things, then we should not expect to benefit from the income which it gives our group, which as others have said is not inconsiderable!

I suppose if people have money to waste and they enjoy doing it, then it's up to the individual to decided to gamble, or not. Personally, I don't mind winning money, but I am a terrible loser, which, truth be told, is why I don't gamble!

I did attend a Baptist church in the UK, where gambling was strictly forbidden. My mum was ostracised for having a "Guess the weight of the cake" event at a church coffee morning, and the local WI left our premises after being told they couldn't hold their weekly raffles there. I had to laugh actually; they said they'd been doing it for years ... it was only when they made the mistake of advertising the fact that they were told to stop! (They were not asked to leave btw, they decided that for themselves)

The "Baptist" side of me disapproves somewhat of the fact that gambling appeals to people's greed (an unpleasant sentiment at best, and unhealthy at worst), and/or entices people who really cannot afford it to gamble the hope that they will win .....

edit: On the "guess the weight..." thing, Mum argued firmly that it was a game of skill, not chance, ... but we could tell that not everybody agreed!

IMHO- immensely sad people are in there at 10:30am on a gorgeous saturday morning. It was funny I walked in and stood for a minute to get my eyes sorted and a security guard came up and said 'you must be a volunteer'. Clearly I just don't look like your average saturday morning punter.

But apparently quite few do tables for a living. I don't think the tables opened until later.

Chip running appeared to be a lot of sitting around in the volunteer room - so take a good book.

No dress code- its funny I asked that question of our supervisor before the casino. I went in jeans and comfy shoes!!

Gryph

The organisers of the school casino got quite fed up with people saying they objected to gambling and therefore would't work the casino. They felt like saying to them - well in that case withdraw your student from the professional soccer sessions, from the theatre sessions, from the smartboards etc, and you know what I kind of agree. If you disagree that much- get your club to debate whether or not to take part- but don't be passive as it just looks like you are a work-shirker! It leaves an unpleasant taste on your tongue knowing how much they struggled for volunteers and I think people hid behind any excuse. Yet all these people benefit greatly from the casino.

Gryphea

I used to think that way as well, but there are a lot of people (especially OAP's) who use the casino like a social club. They come in at 10am, go to their favourite machine, buy a cup of coffee and chat to their friends either side of them.
They play the penny machines and make $50 last all day.

It's the problem gamblers that I feel bad for, the people who gamble away the households weekly food money.