For the past few days I have worked a shift at the Casino on behalf of a non-profit group that I am involved with. I have previously posted on "hooked on Casinos" where I maintain that non profit groups depend heavily on Casinos for funding.
In Alberta a nonprofit organization can be "given" a Casino to work at for two days. Over the two days thirteen people are required to cover all shifts. The two days will give about $25000 for the organization. My shifts started at 7:30 PM and ended about 2:30 AM. I find the work interesting as there's always something new to learn. Working with your team and the adviser is fun. The system set up to operate the tables is amazing for the sets of checks and balances that regulate the flow of cash and chips. Both nights we balanced exactly.
The casino consists of slot machines and gaming tables. Charitable groups work on the gaming table aspect of the casino operation. For gaming tables chips are used for the play. A player buys chips at the table to play the game. Somebody has to tightly control the cash and the chips. That's where we come in. Let's say the casino has $200000 in cash. They also the same value of chips. Groups provide a banker, manager, cashier and chip runner. An extremely capable advisor tells us exactly what to do. All this is done with computer transactions. I was a banker...the guy who looks after all cash and chips. When I start the previous banker transfers all chips and cash to me. I give the cashier about $10000 to pay people who bring chips for redemption. When more chips are needed at the tables I also fill out chip orders. The tables need more chips when players take their chips and cash them in. The banker gives the chips to a "chip runner" who takes the chips to a table that needs chips. The manager supervises and relieves other workers. So the operation works very smoothly under the expert advice of your advisor. At the end of my shift I had to balance the cash with the chips. An able advisor really makes you look good. Also at the end of my shift I trans fer all cash and chips that were in play to the count room which does the official count.
Now the group puts their time in so that they jump though some hoops to justify getting a bundle of money for the charity. Two and a half year later we get to do this all over again.
