Can you be banned for progressive betting?

25 October 2012

By John Grochowski

QUESTION: I don’t count cards, but I do play a progression, raising my bets after I win. I was at a $5 table, and did a progression that maxed out at $40. After an hour or so, I noticed a guy behind the table looking right at me, and another guy came up behind me. He told me, “This is your last hand.” I was shocked and asked why, and he said, “You’re too tough for us.” I tried to tell him I was just betting a progression, but he wouldn’t say anything else. Is there anything I could have done?

ANSWER: There’s really nothing to do there but walk away. The casino misread your play and barred a non-advantage player. That’s not something that’s going to help their bottom line. But they have the right to do it.

In Nevada, courts have held casinos to be private clubs who can bar any player for any reason. They don’t have to prove to anyone’s satisfaction that you’re a card counter or advantage player. Other states have their own regulations, but in most, the principle is the same. The casino doesn’t have to deal to you, and can bar you from the premises. New Jersey is an exception. In a case brought before the state Supreme Court in 1979 by Ken Uston, the court ruled casinos in New Jersey may not bar card counters. The casinos can use other methods to stifle advantage players, such as frequent shuffles and bet size limits on individuals.

When a casino asks you to leave, it’s best just to cooperate, walk away and not let the situation escalate.