A:
[Editor's Note: This was the perfect question for Colin Jones, author of our new book 21st-Century Card Counter. Colin is a blackjack- pro's pro; he founded the famous Church Team, manages BlackjackApprenticeship.com, leads Blackjack Bootcamps, and has earned his livelihood beating casinos for more than two decades. And unlike card counters of days past, who had limited places to play and had to be concerned with exposure and longevity, with so many casinos to choose from nowadays, modern-day blackjack pros can ply their trade 'til they're barred -- and they do. Colin has a lot of personal experience with being 86'd from casinos and has heard hundreds of stories about it, some of which are in the book. If you're at all interested in the new way to make money at blackjack, this is one of the two best books for you. (The other is The Blackjack Insiders.]
No, you don't have to show identification you don't need to and shouldn't sign anything.
One time, I got backed off at a local casino that I'd been playing at for a couple of years. They knew who I was and already had my ID, so I figured I'd cash out right then and there. At the cage, the cashier pushed a piece of paper my way and declared, "You need to sign this."
I said, "No thanks!" And I left.
I'd rather leave with my chips and have a friend cash them out later than sign anything from a casino. Signing that document gives them the legal high ground to arrest you if you ever return. I don't want to give casinos any legal high ground.
While running the Church Team, we trained our players to put their arms at their sides, walk directly to the nearest exit, and clearly state, "I would like to leave." We told them not to acknowledge that they heard anything and definitely not to sign anything.
Advantage players also have to be aware that casinos will mail you a certified letter stating that you can be arrested for trespassing if you return. My advice: Never sign for certified mail unless you know who it's from (and that it's not from a casino).
Whether you choose to ever return to a casino that has verbally read you the trespass act is kind of a personal decision. Famed counter and team leader Tommy Hyland says he's gone back dozens of times to casinos in Las Vegas that have read him the trespass act and he has never been arrested. But there are the rare horror stories of casinos actually arresting an advantage player for trespassing on their property.
If you've signed a document stating you agree that they have a right to arrest you for trespassing, you'll obviously have a hard time winning that legal battle should they arrest you. If, however, you've never signed anything, the casino will have a hard time proving they have a right to detain you. And if a casino detains you against your will without a legal right to do so, you can, and I'd advise should, sue that casino.
Suing casinos for improper actions has become a bit of a justice issue for Tommy Hyland. While most card counters complain, but do nothing about it, Tommy has put a lot of money into the legal battles, winning many against casinos for improper detainment.
No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.
