From Ordinary Pensioners to the Wealthy: Who and How Plays in Minsk Casinos
One client had an epileptic seizure right in the gaming hall, another brought his mistress to the establishment and hid there from his wife. A former employee of a metropolitan casino told Tochka.by what sometimes hides behind their doors.
The image is illustrative. Photo: Drew Rae / Pexels.com
The Lucky and the Eternally Aggrieved
Marina worked in a casino for about five years, and this time was entirely sufficient for her to draw conclusions about the target audience of such establishments.
“Figure, 90% of visitors are people who behave abominably. Most firmly believe that the casino wants to cheat them, so hysterics, shouting, and insults to employees are a baseline for many clients,” she shares.
The image is illustrative. Photo: Javon Swaby / Pexels.com
People with such beliefs, according to Marina, often offered a share to some of the staff for a “correct strategy”. They visited the casino almost daily and constantly looked for a way to “trick the system”.
Someone even came with a notebook, fully documenting the course of the game on paper, to later analyze what was written and try to find some connections.
Some clients tried to cheat (for example, hiding cards), but without success — croupiers and dealers constantly watched them.
Despite all the players' tricks, as Marina notes, no secret scheme existed in this establishment — everything was decided by Luck.
Yes, one client carried out money in armfuls — at one point, they even didn't want to let him into the casino. With numerous winnings, he built himself a house, bought two apartments, a car, and regularly financially helped his children. In general, legends were told about this man.
The image is illustrative. Photo: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels.com
Many dreamed of repeating his experience — almost everyone who was in the vast database of regular clients. At large-scale raffles in the establishment, there could be about 150 guests, and Marina knew each of them personally. She roughly remembered who lived where, what cars they drove, and so on.
Many visitors, according to the interlocutor, had one peculiar trait: in real life, they never behaved the way they did at the gaming table. It seemed as if a completely different side of their personality was revealed in the establishment — the casino atmosphere untied the guests' hands. Some started to riot, others limited themselves to pleasant cheerfulness: jokes and relaxation.
“A woman who worked as a hairdresser used to visit us. She didn't suffer from ludomania — she appeared exclusively after receiving her salary and left plus or minus $200 at the casino,” Marina recounts.
According to the interlocutor, the client was cheerful and pleasant to communicate with.
Among other atypical visitors, she recalls a grandmother — an ordinary pensioner of average income. True, she mostly complained that all the staff were cheats, and yet she had a great evening.
The image is illustrative. Photo: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels.com
It was customary to look after wealthy clients at the casino. If necessary, Marina booked plane or train tickets for them, ordered taxis, organized cultural and entertainment programs, and so on. The options available to a visitor depended on how much money they left at the establishment.
Sometimes strange requests came from clients.
“One of the visitors kept a pair of horses and asked me to buy medicine for one of them. The trip for the medicine turned out comical: I had to examine the composition while wearing an ornate evening dress,” Marina shares.
Soon the medicine was delivered to the addressee. But the man didn't limit himself to just one unexpected request — at 4:00 AM he needed blue shoes size 44.
Unfaithful Husband and an Epileptic Seizure
This is not the only story related to regular wealthy clients.
The establishment where the interlocutor worked operated alongside a hotel — any casino visitor could check into one of the rooms.
Once another regular client arrived at the hotel, staying there with his wife. Approximately half an hour later, the man went down to the casino.
“He always spent his time with us in the company of a girl. And this evening was no exception. In general, the client was playing, sitting next to his mistress. And after a while, his wife approached the reception,” Marina shares.
The image is illustrative. Photo: Anna Shvets / Pexels.com
The guest's wife behaved quite adequately. She didn't make a scene — she was simply concerned that her husband wasn't answering calls. The visitor was losing a lot of money at the establishment, so her superiors informed Marina that his wife absolutely could not be allowed into the hall.
She had to tell the woman that, in order to enter, she needed to register and pay an initial fee. The player's wife, understandably, did not bother with this and left.
“There was also a story when a guest had an epileptic seizure right in the gaming hall. I was talking to the security guard when I heard a thud. I turned around — the guest was lying near the machine: convulsions, foam from his mouth,” Marina recounts.
The woman immediately ran up to him, tried to ward off other visitors and provide first aid. Another client, who happened to be nearby, helped her.
The staff called an ambulance. But the guest did not wait for the medics — he went home as soon as he came to his senses.
Inappropriate Visitors
And the next story clearly demonstrates the risks of the profession. Once, an aggressive, intoxicated client grabbed Marina by the hand and sharply pulled her towards himself. He explained his action by saying he wanted to kiss the casino employee on the cheek.
Marina, understandably, had no need for such affections and was very scared.
A conflict erupted, literally the only one during her entire time working at the casino. The woman threatened to quit if the aggressor wasn't blacklisted. This client was no longer allowed into the establishment.
The image is illustrative. Photo: Ben Lambert / Unsplash.com
“When I first started, colleagues told another story that also perfectly demonstrates the inappropriate behavior of some men,” Marina continues.
One of the girls at the roulette table started receiving attention from a wealthy regular guest. She did not reciprocate his advances and repeatedly stated that nothing could happen between them. However, this did not stop the man.
One day after her shift ended, the girl, as usual, drove home. Once in the yard, she parked her car and was about to get out. And suddenly, turning her head towards the window, she noticed that same client near her car.
How he found out the girl's address remained a mystery.
The man tried to start a dialogue with her. The girl got scared, started shouting that his behavior was very strange, even threatened him with the police. But the client did not leave.
Fortunately, the girl managed to slip away from him into the building entrance.
But this story served as a reminder to the employees that not all visitors come to the casino simply to have fun and try their luck.
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