Question of the Day - 07 September 2023

In my observation, casino security tends to be pretty vigilant about minors loitering and watching gambling. I've seen them carded/asked to move along countless times, and often after stopping for less than a minute.
Since doing that is, as you point out, indeed a misdemeanor, I wouldn't have my underage daughter's first exposure to Vegas involve deliberately breaking the law, no matter how unlikely her being actually charged may be. It's a chance you should NOT consider taking IMHO. Wait until she's 21.
Look at it this way--would you want her to go to a bar with him on his 21st birthday, just so she could see him order his first drink? Or would you say, not worth the potential trouble?
Oh, and casino security is VERY wise to underage people "passing for 21."

If this is real, go to Canada and even she can lose your money. At least there, part of your loses goes toward their National Health Plan. 

I'm guessing that you could all stand around and watch him burn through a couple 20's on a machine at the Airport without anyone hassling you!  the slot attendants are not that attentive, and underage gambling is probably pretty low on the list of things Airport Security is looking for. But I'd still tell the daughter "Look but don't Touch". 

1) My daughters were carded well into their early 30's so just because she may look 21 doesn't mean squat. 2) This must be a big gambling family to think it's important for the 19 yo daughter to watch her 21 yo brother place his first bet. I can think of better ways to celebrate this milestone. Maybe taking his first legal drink? J/K 3) Bob solved the problem if this is really important to them. Have him sit at a machine at the airport and lose some money there.

Not that long ago a dealer told me they have been instructed to card anyone they suspect of looking 35 y/o, yes, 35, not 21 or even 25 which is way too iffy to guess.  And, I've seen a whole group be told to move along if just one of them proves to be underage.  The son will likely be carded, which is fine 'cause by his DL he will pass.  If they must, Bob's suggestion was the best one, and the daughter might get to see how fast her brother loses his money, which could turn her against gambling for the rest of her days!  LOL.  I hope they all have a grand time but don't try to skirt the law and ruin the whole trip for one or all.  

As an aside, had my parents openly showed such a celebratory attitude toward gambling at any age, no telling where I'd be now.

Candy

First asked your daughter if she even wants to watch her brother gamble or if she has other plans than Las Vegas. 

Second of all, daughters love to rib brothers forever about losing all his dough within his first hour of gambling, do you really want your son to suffer that?

Maybe your daughter doesn't even want to go to Las Vegas since the entire trip is a waste of time and money for the underage who would have to go a separate way to fun away from gambling.

If she would rather not go then justify her wishes by calling the trip a father/son ritual and go without her.

Then again, what if she wants her boy friend included in the trip?
What possibly could happen in a State that has no qualms about quickie marriages.

make a side trip to Oklahoma where it's 18 in most of the casinos and she can join him.

Shame on you, Las Vegas "ADVISOR" for telling people how to skirt the laws. IF this was a legit question, the answer is a simple NO. Maybe some of the casino people read advice like this and it re-enforces their opinion about not providing you with coupons for your book.

A progressive liberal believing that "the govt" rules and mandates should be blindly followed ALL of the time and this likely included all the COVID nonsense and misinformation. Probably is still wearing a useless mask too. That being said LVA's advice was PERFECT in IMO. And btw my son's first exposure to a casino/hotel was at age 4 when we stayed at Golden Nugget. And before anyone gets all wound up, understand it is very easy to walk from the front door at valet parking to the hotel rooms without going through the casino. And he also watched me buy a Kentucky Derby 2007 $200 win ticket on Street Sense (when he was 7) at GN Laughlin at the edge of the sports book and it paid $700 about 30 minutes later. Now he's 24 been to GN with me twice and didn't have any urge to gamble at anything other than a $5 football bet.   

If only the cocktail waitresses were as numerous and visible as the security guards.

As Spock famously said in Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, "For everything, there is a first time".  Maybe I'm just getting old and cynical, but is watching someone make their first bet really all that special?  Celebrate his college graduation, his first post-college job, his first apartment (or house), etc.  And he should be there for his sister when these events happen for her as well.  If they want to do something memorable, do the rides at the top of the Strat, take in the beauty of Red Rock Canyon, ride the ferris wheel at the Linq, go zip-lining on Fremont Street.  And if you absolutely have to watch him make his first table bet, after zip-lining, head over to Main Street Station. Some of the tables can be observed from the second floor mezzanine.  Steve Ludwig - maybe a good middle-ground would be people who want to wear masks can do so, and those that don't can't be forced to, and neither side will harass the other.  Time to yell at the neighborhood kids to stay off my lawn!!

I'm disappointed that so many commenters have decided to critique the parents' decision.  The letter writer made clear this is something they want to do, and just want to know if it's allowed. 

That said, IIRC, there are a number of machines easily observable from the Forum Shops at Caesars, including some actually within the shops area.  So she could legitimately do some window shopping while watching her brother from the corner of her eye. It's hard for security to accuse someone of loitering in a casino when you can point out you're just shopping in a mall.

Shame! Shame on LVA for advising a parent to consider walking slowly through the casino with their underage daughter. Skirting the law! You're so right, because we all know you never skirted a law in your life -- never ran a yellow that turned red, never didn't declare that $20 slot win on your income tax, never walked across the middle of the street, never enjoyed an illegal substance, never once in your life littered. It's upstanding citizens like you who make me ashamed I even read LVA -- and I'm cancelling my subscription today under extreme protest. Thank you.  

LOL, thank goodness the answer was NO.  LET THESE 'KIDS' WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE 21. 

Thank you all for your comments, I don't know when I've been more entertained. :)

Ah, how I remember my first time in a casino. Playing blackjack for $1 a hand at Slots A Fun. They used Eisenhower silver dollars for chips. I was 17 using my 21 year old brother's ID. No problem (As Col. Potter said on MASH, I had big thighs as a boy). 
As I left I remember thinking the same thing as when I first discovered self abuse. I WILL do that again.

The Advisor should have just answered with one word.  Stick in there will ya"  We all get antsy about different things.  

How about setting up a live youtube or fb feed of the brother's play so the 19yo can watch her brother more than likely lose all his money in short order so daughter can appreciate the losing nature of gambling?

'Kevin Lewis Must Be...A progressive liberal believing that "the govt" rules and mandates should be blindly followed ALL of the time and this likely included all the COVID nonsense and misinformation. Probably is still wearing a useless mask too.'

Steve Ludwig, don't even bother, these types who screamed 'follow the science!' now has science in the form of the Cochran study of 78 randomized studies on how useless the masks were will still wear a mask and scream others should wear them. The irony of ironies? What Lewis bitches about nonstop here, how Las Vegas went so downhill the last few years, was actually caused by his type screaming to shut everything down, wear masks, that science says did nothing to stop the spread. Now isn't THAT irony at it's best(worst actually).

Just got to say...in case anyone hasn't heard, Covid is NOT over yet.  Folks are getting it over again, "long Covid" is rearing its ugly head, very ugly.  Read this expert, that journal, I believe the jury is still out.  Everywhere I go some, not all but enough for me to notice, are wearing masks.  I wonder, should I go back to doing it?  I don't want to...wa wa wa boo hoo, but those who are taking the most precautions may be the winners in the long run.

Candy 

Hi Candy,

Yep, COVID never went away. It's been here since late 2019 or early 2020. And it's not going away, it's part of the repertoire of microbes now, forever and ever. My point was the reaction against it with shutdowns and masks has been ineffective says science. And the 'cure' that was pushed against it, largely political and control oriented, caused far more problems in society including making Las Vegas what it is today that many people bitch about here. It accelerated that direction in overdrive at 120mph. Remember the shot stops the spread? You won't get Covid if you take the shot? Mask just a little longer, it will go away? Wrong, wrong, and wrong. Oh, and wrong.

As for how anyone reacts to it, not my biz. People want to isolate for the next 801 variants that will sure to be on their way, stay away from crowds forever, wear 18 1/2 masks, take 20 shots a year, 'live' in fear? More power to people. It's an individual choice and not for me to judge. Key word, individual. 

Well summarized, Doc H.

Candy

SLEEP TIGHT.  PLEASANT DREAMS.  CAN'T WAIT FOR THE REPORT ON THE DURANGO.  BE UP EARLY.

I read your response making it political.What a fool you are.For sure you are dumb enough to vote for that POS 45 Trump.LOL!