Just wanted to share an experience that I had at Mohegan Sun this
past Saturday (10/2):
I arrived around 2PM, and was playing $1 PE in the old poker room all
afternoon. It doesn't really get crowded until later in the evening,
so I was playing two machines at once -- if any of you play the PE
machines there, then you know how slow they deal. I usually play two
at once to keep myself from getting bored (PE isn't the most exciting
game, and when the deal speed is slowed to a crawl, it can really get
boring).
Anyway, I had been playing for a good 3 hours or so when an older
gentleman walked right up to me and said "You're not allowed to play
two machines. Cash out and move, I want this one." Now, certainly
this guy would be justified (although still rude) if all of the other
PE machines were occupied. However, about half of the machines were
empty, including the one directly adjacent to the machine that I was
playing. I explained to the gentleman that I would gladly give up my
machine if there weren't any others for him to play, but that wasn't
the case. His response was that "he was playing this one for a few
hours the other day and won really big on it, so now it was 'his'" --
he didn't want to play any other machines. Basically at this point,
he just said "I'm serious -- cash out and move." When I refused
(purely on principle), he stood as close to me as possible and
said "well then I'm going to smoke a cigar in your face and force you
to, since you're 'not following the rules'". Childish behavior
aside, I suggested that he get a casino employee and ask him
what "the rules" were.
He finally went off to find one, and returned a few minutes later,
complaining loudly to a poor slot attendant that he couldn't play his
machine because I was, and that I shouldn't be playing two at once.
The slot attendant told him that there were other machines available
with the exact same games, and to play those. So the gentleman
demanded to speak with the slot attendant's manager. While he waited
for the next employee up the chain to show up, this guy told me
that "It's nothing personal; I'm the nicest guy in the world --
you're just not following the 'rules'" Right.
A few minutes later another employee shows up, and asks what the
problem is. The gentleman (I refer to him as a gentleman because I'm
not sure what else to call him while keeping this clean) again causes
a scene, telling the employee that he is "from Atlantic City, and
everyone knows that you're not allowed to play two machines at
once." I don't get down to AC much, but I doubt any casino would
restrict you from playing two machines as long as there are others
free. Anyway, the new employee tells the gentleman the same thing
that the first one did, so he demands to speak with HIS boss,
claiming that "he'll take this all the way to the top."
So while he is waiting for the next in line, he generally makes a
scene, saying things like "how are people supposed to play if you're
hogging two machines?" I point to all the empty chairs next to all
the vacant machines. Then I say to him "even if the casino actually
forces me to give up a machine when there are plenty of free ones for
you to use, which they won't, what makes you think that I'm going to
give up THIS one (pointing to the one that he wants)?" He has no
answer.
When the next casino representative arrives, the gentleman is irrate,
cursing me out for playing "his" machine, and telling the poor
employee he needs to "enforce the 'rules'". This employee was more
stern with the gentleman, basically telling him that people may play
as many machines as they'd like to as long as there are machines
available for others to play, which there were. When the gentleman
demanded to speak with his manager, this employee basically told him
that he was the end of the line. At this, the gentleman went
storming off. Several people around me that had witnessed the whole
thing had colorful things to say about the guy.
I did witness the guy playing earlier in the day -- he scared a few
people away by pounding the "deal" button as fast and hard as
possible between hands. He was also playing very slowly, and
recording all of his hands on a "Bally's Atlantic City" book of
matches.
Anything like this ever happen to anyone else?
On a side note, I only play two machines when there are others
available. If I'm playing two, and the others fill up, and I see
people waiting to play, I'll offer to give up a machine to them. I
DO think that it is rude to monopolize two machines when others are
waiting to play, but that certainly wasn't the case here.
?