I’m heading to Las Vegas, today, staying at a casino on the Strip. I plan to be at the GTC Open House on Friday, so I’ll see many of you there. I won’t be taking the class, which disappoints me, but I have surgery next month to fix my right arm and hand. I practice and throw left handed, just like Alligator Rose, but I’m actually right handed. My right hand has not bent working correctly for the last 3 years, but my surgeons are confident they’ll fix the problem. If so, I’ll attend my next class as a right AND left hand thrower! We’ll see which one wins. Dom, I feel I should be able to compete twice at my next No 7’s competition,one with my left hand and a 2nd with my right.
Last November, I was playing in Vegas, and a gentleman, Jeff, moves from stick left over to my side on stick right. He leans over and asks if I knew Beau Parker, because I threw just like him. I said no, but that his name sounded familiar. Later, I looked him up, and, yes, he has a site I reviewed back 2 years ago when I started my research on craps. Not long into that search, I found GTC, after which I forgot about Beau’s group. Over the past year, different people have noticed me at the table, and have made me aware of 2 other groups that teach craps. Watching how the students from the other groups perform, however, there is no consistency among the students in the same group. What I gather is that they are taught a variety of betting methods and a variety of grips and throws, then it’s “to each his own”. It looked like a rough way to go. One group is out of Dallas, and I’ll see some of them at Bossier City with a notepad writing down the numbers thrown to decide when to make a field bet, but never throw the dice. That’s just 1 example.
Back to Jeff, we then had a late breakfast (that casino’s grill by the sports betting has wonderful steak and eggs), and we shared info about our different groups. I asked him where Beau learned to throw, but Jeff said he never asked that. Jeff is a retired high school science teacher from Brooklyn, where he still lives. He also owns an off strip Italian restaurant in Las Vegas, Casa Di Amore, to which he took me. It was crowded, full, obviously popular, had great Italian food (once a week is my limit on Italian), and great live music by a fellow that won the Frank Sinatra competition a few years ago. Of course, everybody knew Jeff, and he had to step away to deal with some kitchen issues (Jeff can be pretty demanding, but restaurants usually require that). They also have video poker. Jeff mentioned he had to get a gambling license when he bought the restaurant. He said his lawyer first told him that if he had no casino experience, he would be denied a license, and, if he had casino experience, it was illegal in New York, so he would be denied a license. I’ve actually heard that before. I think he got around that by grandfathering from the former owner. It is a great restaurant, and I highly recommend it. There’s a new area in the back, which should be open by now, which is unique.
Since Jeff had some recent experience with casino licensing, I asked his opinion on some legislation I’m drafting for casinos in Texas. I call it: The Texas Way – Great Business and the best Game in America.
It’s been tried in Texas several times before. The biggest problem has been the Democrats behind it, who look at casinos and the players as their piggy bank to rob as needed. There are other issues, too, but I have really good solutions that will make Texas a Mecca for both casinos and players. Here are some highlights in non legalese:
– Casinos will pay the same types and rates of taxes and fees as any other business in Texas and county of operation. There will be no casino specific state or local taxes or fees on casino revenue nor on patron winnings, nor on slot machines, nor on gaming tables, nor on any other gambling equipment. There will also be no tax abatements, tax incentives, nor taxpayer subsidized loans for use by any casino.
– The license fee to operate a casino will only be sufficient to cover direct government expenses to monitor and support casino operations and patron safety, or less.
– A casino can operate only in counties that have no less than 100,000 registered voters and no more than 1,000,000 registered voters. This will prevent a casino from having too much influence on local politics and still have a noticeably positive impact on the local economy.
– A casino can operate only on unincorporated land. Such land will be excluded from incorporation into any municipality. This prevents the common practice of municipalities imposing additional taxes and fees that are directly or ultimately paid by patrons. Texas patrons will not be a piggy bank for municipalities.
– All games have full disclosure on the house odds.
A) All slot machines have a readout showing the payout percentage for that machine for the selected denomination.
B) All table games specify the House advantage for each payout.
C) At least 2 tables will offer single deck, paying 1.5 x for Blackjack, with no shuffling until at least 85% of the cards are played.
D) All Bonus bets specify the House advantage, either on the table, or on a card offered to each player, or offered electronically on a free phone app.
– At least two craps tables of $15 or less minimum bet will operate 12 hours or more with standard construction, felt or microfiber layout, no underlayment, no rubber or other lining that affects the dice action.
– All patrons will be required to provide state or federal issued picture ID, and will have to obtain and present a player card for all games.
– No patron information will be shared or given to any other entity or persons unaffiliated with the casino. No patron information will be provided to any person or entity outside the state.
– No patron will be asked to leave, stop any game, or be banned due to winnings. Texas welcomes winners. (Dom will be welcome at all casinos in Texas.)
– Any patron who loses an amount equal to or greater than that patron’s 1 month’s household income. That patron will be able to draw a no interest, no fee, no cost, no payment plan, loan equal to the amount lost by the patron up to 3 month’s household income, with the following conditions:
A) The patron’s name and all adult household members’ names will be placed on a statewide ban list, prohibiting play at any and all casinos in the state of Texas.
B) The names will remain on the banned list until such time as when the loan amount is repaid and the patron successfully completes a gambling problem recovery program.
– All slot machines will provide an electronic readout showing that machine’s programmed payout percentage for the selected denomination, the actual payout percent the last 7 days, the last 24 hours, the actual amount collected the last 7 days and the last 24 hours, and the actual amount payed out the last 7 days and the last 24 hours. Or such information will be provided by a free phone app by the casino.
– When a player registers for a player card, the player can specify what percentage of winnings, from 0.25% to 10%, will go to a selected nonprofit organization. If a percentage is specified, the casino will pay the same percentage of that player’s losses to the same nonprofit organization.
When I finish my draft, I’ll run it by my local legislators. And I’ll go to the management of my preferred casinos to get their opinion on the business model, which will have the lowest taxes for casinos in the entire country.
Any great ideas from you guys?
Replies:
Posted by: Dominator on January 25, 2018, 1:15 pm
Dom
Posted by: SevenTimesSeven on January 29, 2018, 5:01 pm
What are the prospects for casinos in Texas? In 3 or 4 yers?
7×7
Posted by: Big Bad Dad on February 1, 2018, 3:32 am
Posted by: Dominator on February 1, 2018, 4:12 pm
Dom
Posted by: Preacher on February 1, 2018, 8:37 pm
With the GTC class in town, I had a lot of company, which was great. My friend, Jeff, from Brooklyn who owns the local Las Vegas restaurant, Casa di Amore, was in town and introduced me to 2 of his friends. One was Joe, who is a college professor from Ft Lauderdale, FL, and who is President of the Teachers Union. Can we say, “Liberal”? Ha. He and I had hours of thoughtful conversation. While we differed on many things, we both respected each other’s right to be totally wrong.
Joe had heard of GTC, but apparently I was the only one with whom they had ever shared a craps table. Joe lays down a lot of money, 6 across, and was not being very selective on which shooters. He is a Total Rewards 7 Stars member, so he’s not short on cash. I invited Joe to come with me to the GTC Open House, convinced he would greatly benefit from the class (although I didn’t say that). He thought about it and later decided he wanted to go.
BTW, the new digs (accommodations) for the GTC Class were excellent, several notches above our prior location. Good job, guys!
Joe had attended a class or seminar with someone else in the field, years ago, as had Jeff and the other friend. But none of them bet the same and none of them grip or throw the same. And, if I understood correctly, none practiced outside the casino. They saw me doing the 5-count and missing out on all of the other’s money losing short rolls, making only come bets, and, of course, making the GTC throw. Most often, I was up while they were down.
Joe found the Open House very interesting and even was able to spend time speaking with Dom. Afterwards, Joe said he didn’t think that was anything that would benefit him. However, that night at dinner, I brought some dice with me to use with Tim, the other friend in the group (sells agricultural products in upper New York). Because of back problems, Tim throws from the end of the table, with a right hand 3 finger backhand throw. At dinner, I pulled out my dice and proceeded to show Tim all the different factors he fought using his technique: the muscles in his shoulder, in his forearm, and his wrist, and that each set of muscles influence his throw. Then I showed him what effect each finger had on the dice. I told him I was not an instructor, so while I could identify the issues, he really needed an instructor to show him how to address each problem. I gave him only one suggestion to help him with the wobble of his dice.
Listening to the conversation, Joe said, “You know, there’s a lot more to the grip and all of this than I’ve ever considered.”
The day after I returned to Texas, Joe texted me, saying he is seriously considering taking the GTC class. I hope he does, because I know it will save and make him a lot of money. When he does, I hope I’m there taking a Refresher Class for my right arm (I’m currently a lefty).
Regarding Casinos in Texas, I expect this to take 3 years. I agree with my elected and political friends, this will require a grassroots effort- specifically, Tea Party support. Without exception, anyone with whom I walk through my proposal, which is the “Texas Way”, they agree it would be good for the citizens of Texas. I expect to travel around the state meeting with all of the different Tea Parties, making my pitch. Fortunately, a a Director of our own local Tea Party, I know who and where they are. But they’re no push over.
Oh, and in addition to the features I outlined above for Texas casinos, I’ll figure out how to add Dom’s mulligan that he suggested.
Posted by: Dominator on February 2, 2018, 1:15 pm
Great report! and so great seeing you!
Dom
