Hey folks, I figured I'd offer an ama for people unfamiliar with how casinos work in California.

I'd planned on making this account sooner (and planned for the name to be 'Different_Kind_of_Banker, but here we are) but better late than never right?

Here are some bits of info that may help get the ball rolling on questions

  • California has specific laws against Nevada style gambling (Where the house keeps the money if you lose)

  • Tribal land is exempt from those laws due to a court case over bingo halls on reservations in the 1980s (yes people were that aggressive about the small bits of money people got)

  • Casinos in California and not tribal lands are technically called card rooms. No slot machines are allowed and instead of getting the money from losses, it goes to a third party person called a banker. These third parties came up to circumvent the laws against Nevada gambling. So in the eyes of the law, card rooms aren't taking people's money. They are just hosting a place where they can gamble with each other's money and they have to pay for the space to use.

  • This workaround uses third party workers called bankers who offer up the money of the corporation to allow for gambling to take place. Players can play without a banker, but they have to use their own money.

  • I am a banker and I hate everything about the environment and feel like a gross person every time I come into work.

  • The customers are usually small business owners who want a chance to complain about losing.

With all that info, I welcome any sorts of questions you might have and hope you have a beautiful rest of your day.

  • Different_Kind_Of_Ba [he/him]
    ·
    2 years ago

    California style is just a way to skirt gambling laws. Picture a triangle with three arrows:

    1 casino

    2 player

    3 banker

    Banker is just the extra step that converts profits in a legal way. Nevada style is just a two-way process between player and casino. It's a scummy bullshit job that wouldn't exist in a decent society. But I put most of my hate on the wealthy fucks who run the place and the corporation that employs us bankers.

    I do malicious compliance where I can. I point out bad odds certain games have, encourage players to color up (take their small chips and convert them to bigger chips) so they'll be less likely to continue gambling, I openly share whatever I hear from supervisors about wages and I'll slip in union/leftist terminology when I get the chance.

    However, there are few opportunities to talk to players or coworkers and that's very much by design.

    • Leon_Grotsky [comrade/them]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Thanks for the response.

      IRT the first point, that's what it sounded like; CoMmIeFoRnIa for you there.

      IRT the second point, I'm glad to hear it. That's what kept me sane while working in retail pharmacy (the worst of both retail, and healthcare industries. :P)

      • Different_Kind_Of_Ba [he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Oh yeah, I can see how that could come off tone -wise. It's just interesting in light of recent ballot measures and the growing popularity of sports gambling. LMAO California landowners come together to complain and spend money at these depressing places. I just feel bad when the occasional broke person comes in and loses.

        Ooof the pharmacy industry feels like a constant barrage of psychic damage but in a different way. Here's to doing our jobs against the interest of capital!

        🍻