Reading the question of the day about not paying back markers and the
repercussions got me thinking about how things were in the old days.
Or, do the casinos still have collectors out in the field?
Two stories come to mind.
1. Back in the mid 1960s a well to do local's son obtained a fake ID
and visited Lake Tahoe virtually every weekend. He was know by all
at the pit, and somehow obtained a line of credit for the tables. His
luck turned south, and he was unable to pay back his markers. At
this point he played his ace card- his real ID that showed him only
19. He thought that would probably be the end of it, but found
some "collectors" at his doorstep. At this point his father got
involved, and came to my father for advise (my dad was an attorney).
My father assured him that they had no legal right to collect and
told him not to pay the casino. My dad saw the father about a week
later, and he said he paid the collectors in full on the spot. The
rather large collectors said legal or not, they expected to receive
the money. The boys father was convinced that he and his son were in
physical danger. The message was received.
2. My first job out of college in the mid 1970s was working for a
small loan company. I had some very good customers come in and
needed $3,000 today. They stressed it had to be today, and could I
do it? After a few questions about the need for a quick loan, they
finally told me that her brother had got himself in trouble with
paying off a loan at a Reno casino. She told me that collectors came
to the door - they meant business, and said they would be back
tomorrow to collect the money or else.... I am not sure exactly what
they said, but they had the entire family shook up. I did make the
loan, and they paid it back without a problem.
Any of this still going on?