Neil Lewis

Review of Christchurch Casino

This is really on a slot machine parlour. I went o...

This is really on a slot machine parlour. I went on Friday the 9th and after a few hours at the tables I went to cash my chips in (around $1170) at around 6:20pm. The Filipino cashier I dealt with was very frosty and set about accusing me of holding back on cashing in all my chips, claiming I had more in my pockets. The gall of it. A little background. The supervisory staff get very agitated if you don't cash up your chips to the largest denomination prior to leaving a gaming table under the pretext that they will run short of lower denomination chips but of course everyone knows that is untrue . What they want is to record your loss or on the rare occasion a profit. And it all goes into the computer.
Anyway the Filipino cashier was obviously under instruction to inform her supervisor when I came to the counter as she immediately called out to what I assumed was her supervisor ( a kiwi woman with a set of vocal chords it will be hard to forget ). This woman wanted me to present I.D. Now everyone knows (although not displayed I don't think) that I.D is required if you purchase chips on any one day in excess of $6000 and cash in chips in excess of $4000. As I was well under both these limits I challenged their ruling.
As it panned out and after much humiliation in front of other patrons I eventually received my $1100 odd payment but with a very nasty demand that I would not be welcome without I.D next visit .
I have often witnessed the staff bale up visitors and tourists using a similar ploy. Demanding I.D to the extent they want a credit card and some verification with name and address. Now why would anyone in their right mind and with any awareness of how this gathering of information could be misused. I have a farm 40ks out of town and how convenient would it be for someone to know when I'm at the casino. They only employ people of high integrity you might say however you don't have to have a criminal record to be involved in criminal activity.
Only in the last year top management at Auckland and Hamilton casinos have been incarcerated for stealing $100's of thousand if not more. And they were both very unlucky to get caught as it was institutions outside of the casino that notified the authorities first.
So avoid this casino if you wish to play the tables is my recommendation and wait until you get to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Macau - so much better.
This message has been translated into Mandarin and circulated .