Dirty Stools, Ghost Babies, And 18 More Secrets You Probably Didn't Know About What Happens At Casinos Behind The Scenes

This post contains discussion of suicide and addiction.

Casinos can be unpredictable places — and as pristine as they often look, you never know what's actually happening behind the scenes.

Redditor u/Stamfordsterling recently asked the people of Reddit, "What is something that happens at casinos that is hidden from the public?" Now, we can't confirm the absolute veracity of these stories — but if true, some of them might just change how you see casinos forever:

1."I used to be a graveyard shift slot technician. A few times we thought dead people were just normal people that fell asleep at their machines because of how late it was. Security would just scoop them up, put them in a wheelchair, and wheel them to wait for an ambulance. It must've happened a lot, because the staff would be annoyed or pissed when you told them someone was sleeping."

—u/DaddyNinjaWolf

2."The number of kids who are left alone at a casino so their parents — not on the floor, but at gift shops or food courts. It’s pretty sad."

—u/SnorkyB

3."Just how much money goes unclaimed or uncollected. I worked in the accounting department at one of the main gaming conglomerates and was tasked with cleaning up their unclaimed property accounts. There were players, aka 'whales,' who'd deposited millions and just forgot about it for years."

—u/Swole_Troll

4."I wandered down to the basement of one from a truck ramp and, man, it was like a whole city down there. Imagine a massive warehouse with roads, offices, and supplies everywhere. The opposite of the glitz going on above it."

—u/Renorico

5."My aunt worked at one in Palm Springs, and she said they basically had a room full of extra stools. Old people were sure they were about to hit, and they'd just piss and shit themselves instead of giving up their machine."

—u/Raidriar06

6."Suicides. Properties go to GREAT lengths to hide these events from the public, given how bad for business it is. But it happens, and it's quickly taken care of. It's a very open but grim secret amongst casino workers, apparently."

—u/zpoon

7."Ninety percent of casinos have private areas for the high-rollers, politicians, gangsters, and other VIPs. I was able to deal cards at one of those events. I was literally tipped $500 by some guy for keeping the water 'liquid.'"

—u/Hairy-Ganache-7457

8."Asian casinos generally subscribe to the superstitions that go along with gambling. Casino owners tend to 'hire' ghost babies, toyols, or Kuman Thongs (aborted spirits) to 'curse' players into losing. Superstitious players will bring candies and toss them under tables so the ghost babies leave them alone and let them win."

—u/10ballplaya

9."Some casinos add scents to the air (they do not pump in extra oxygen, as some people believe). They also keep the temperatures on the cool side to keep people from getting sleepy. No clocks on the walls and, in general, no windows with views to the outside."

—u/HardRockGeologist

10."My cousin works at a casino, and depending on what table he is working, he requires a uniform/vest/cumber/tie/clip change. There's a large employee room with hundreds of lockers. He shares his with two others that usually work different shifts and areas than him. In the locker are six hooks, a top cubby with three sections, a lower section with three sections, and a three-section 'mini locker' where you bring your own lock and put your wallet and valuables that you can't have on your person when you are on the floor. The lockers are large enough to keep your 'section' clothes if you need to swap during your shift. He very rarely runs into a locker buddy, unless they've picked up an extra shift, or if there's a special event."

—u/mollymuppet78

11."Major casinos in Vegas have an armory room, stockpiles of weapons and tactical gear. I was staying at a casino on the main strip and had a number of guns with me for a meetup at a nearby shooting range, and I asked the front desk if they had somewhere I could keep them since I didn't really like the idea of leaving them unattended in my room or car. A security guy came out and said, 'Follow me to the armory' and led me to an extremely secure room full of all kinds of rifles and vests and whatnot, pointed to an empty locking cabinet I could put my stuff in, and gave me a claim ticket to pick them back up again later."

—u/Asleep_Onion

12."The security cameras are scary good. Like, can read your name off your badge hanging off your waist good. You aren't doing a damn thing the camera can't see."

—u/thattoneman

13."There's an office in the basement where you can sign over your house for gambling money."

—u/bro_can_u_even_carve

14."At this casino, employees were required to wear badges clearly visible at all times when on the premises, even if not on the clock. Escorting your grandma to the bingo hall after your shift? Badge still better be visible. In the parking lot? Badge still better be visible."

—u/thattoneman

15."The amount of money you can find just looking DOWN on the floor. All sorts of cash — not just on the casino floor, but in the bathrooms and halls, too."

—u/MissMurderpants

16."At the casino I worked at, employees were only allowed to gamble there one day a month. You'd think it'd be money right back into the casino's pocket, but they don't want the risk of an employee being heavily in debt."

—u/thattoneman

17."The ATMs don't make it well-known that someone's account is empty."

—u/The_Wata_Boy

18."Anyone getting a job within the casino itself is getting background checked, especially for bad credit and outstanding debts. If you're a guy down on his luck, with some maxed out credit cards and you want a job to get back on your feet, the casino doesn't want you. You're a liability, you're not worth the risk."

—u/thattoneman

19."How much waste there is — tons of food, paper products, stuff like soaps, shampoos, lotions, key packets, folders. It's obscene. We've got a lot of rats here in Vegas that appreciate it, though."

—u/hypothetical_zombie

And finally...

20."In Atlantic City, there are a lot of unused stairwells and corridors now that the casinos are not as busy. Many homeless people find their way into them and live there. A friend of mine told me about a time they were using a stairwell to move furniture and drywall for a remodel. They found two landings with beds and clothing there, and one resident claimed he had been there over a year."

—u/le_fez

Got your own? See you in the comments!

Note: These entries have been edited for length and clarity.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org. The Trevor Project, which provides help and suicide-prevention resources for LGBTQ youth, is 1-866-488-7386.