New Havasu “Casino”

[Good Stuff]

Maybe a vin but wife and I were running up to Walmart in Havasu today and I saw a Hummer covered in banners that said “Casino” pointing towards the Dillards area of the shopping center. Curiosity got the best of me so we looped back down and sure enough right next to the Dillards is “Win Win Casino”. The signs say they have poker there but all we saw were about 6-7 banks of 4 very generic machines and a bingo area. Maybe the have designated Parker nights or times. Also the machines don’t appear to take money unless there is a membership card inserted so maybe that’s how they get away with the location. There were about 10 people in there playing the slots.

 

[The Prisoner]

I think I remember seeing bingo signs where sears used to be. About 3 months ago??? Was at night so didn’t see to much

 

[The Prisoner]

Found this but its a paywall

New tenants at The Shops at Lake Havasu

Win-Win Bingo

www.havasunews.com

 

[River Runnin]

The bingo is on the machines, if you win anything it goes on the card you have to get. If you win a couple dimes you put the card in the ATM and get them. Just a bunch of one arm bandits -- BANDITS being the key word! -- After checking it out ONE time, I won't be going back.

 

[hallett21]

In Ventura there used to be “Players card room”. I think they are setting up a new location.

But their work around (I believe) was that the card room provided the dealers and tables. The card room collected a fee per hand from the pot/hand.

The actual money is handled by a “bank company”. Basically a person sitting next to the dealer that would control the money.

The location has poker, black jack, 3 card poker and the panda dragon game.

Then there’s an adjoining bar/restaurant that’s a 3rd business that’s “unrelated” to the dealers and bank.

@Tank probably knows more about how it worked/works.

 

[redone76]

In Ventura there used to be “Players card room”. I think they are setting up a new location.

But their work around (I believe) was that the card room provided the dealers and tables. The card room collected a fee per hand from the pot/hand.

The actual money is handled by a “bank company”. Basically a person sitting next to the dealer that would control the money.

The location has poker, black jack, 3 card poker and the panda dragon game.

Then there’s an adjoining bar/restaurant that’s a 3rd business that’s “unrelated” to the dealers and bank.

@Tank probably knows more about how it worked/works.

Funny...Stopped in for breakfast at that restaurant once on my way up to Pismo a few years back. Wondered the whole time how it was legal. Good food though!

 

[LuauLounge]

An Indian wandered by a few hundred years ago.

 

[RVR SWPR]

In Ventura there used to be “Players card room”. I think they are setting up a new location.

But their work around (I believe) was that the card room provided the dealers and tables. The card room collected a fee per hand from the pot/hand.

The actual money is handled by a “bank company”. Basically a person sitting next to the dealer that would control the money.

The location has poker, black jack, 3 card poker and the panda dragon game.

Then there’s an adjoining bar/restaurant that’s a 3rd business that’s “unrelated” to the dealers and bank.

@Tank probably knows more about how it worked/works.

Been awhile but the Ventura Card Room located on Ventura Ave if i remember correct was owned by the same family, their permits or License was a “GRANDFATHERED” situation with the family. For many years a well run Card Room for serious players.

 

[Tank]

In Ventura there used to be “Players card room”. I think they are setting up a new location.

But their work around (I believe) was that the card room provided the dealers and tables. The card room collected a fee per hand from the pot/hand.

The actual money is handled by a “bank company”. Basically a person sitting next to the dealer that would control the money.

The location has poker, black jack, 3 card poker and the panda dragon game.

Then there’s an adjoining bar/restaurant that’s a 3rd business that’s “unrelated” to the dealers and bank.

@Tank probably knows more about how it worked/works.

Been awhile but the Ventura Card Room located on Ventura Ave if i remember correct was owned by the same family, their permits or License was a “GRANDFATHERED” situation with the family. For many years a well run Card Room for serious players.

This is spot on^^^^ the family got a license in the early 1900’s. The players club was a hole in the wall on ventura Ave in ventura for EVER. then about 10 or 12 years ago they finnagled moving their shop to the auto dealership area off the 101 between Victoria and Johnson drive. Expanded their business by like five times, opened that restaurant (which was pretty good) and were doing straight gang busters! My cousin worked in there as maintenance and said it was a complete shit show. He used to find stacks of chips behind desks and just kinda run fast and loose just making hand over fist cash. Rumor was they were connected to the cartel as the original family member that controlled it lived in Mexico and then all of a sudden a few years after they opened the new place there was a “new boss” around and he was very cartelish. Lol. But that was just rumor. Who knows.

During covid they (the family not the city) shut the location down and for some reason vacated the property completely. They were looking for a new spot in Ventura after things opened up and had their eye on the old toys r us building off of Johnson drive where “Crown Classic Cars” now is but the rumor was the city was getting greedy and wanted more of a cut so they struck a deal with the state to take the top floor of the satellite race track at the Ventura county fair grounds in Ventura. This is state land and the city gets nothing from it now. Another stellar move by the city. they are doing pretty good from what I hear.

RVR is correct, it’s a legit serious card players spot though. Big names and games run through there all on the down low. Whole thing has always been a trip.

 

[MeCasa16]

In Ventura there used to be “Players card room”. I think they are setting up a new location.

But their work around (I believe) was that the card room provided the dealers and tables. The card room collected a fee per hand from the pot/hand.

The actual money is handled by a “bank company”. Basically a person sitting next to the dealer that would control the money.

The location has poker, black jack, 3 card poker and the panda dragon game.

Then there’s an adjoining bar/restaurant that’s a 3rd business that’s “unrelated” to the dealers and bank.

@Tank probably knows more about how it worked/works.

I remember when I first moved to Ventura in 2002 after college. I ventured in there to play poker and learned some valuable lessons quickly. All the people at the table were friends. As soon as new meat showed up, they went from working each other to all working together to get the new persons stack.. As the card room was closing, they all coordinated to ride up to Santa Ynez together to do more gambling.. Hard to believe that was 20 years ago already. Probably haven’t played there since 2003, so I’m sure a lot has changed.

 

[NicPaus]

I remember when I first moved to Ventura in 2002 after college. I ventured in there to play poker and learned some valuable lessons quickly. All the people at the table were friends. As soon as new meat showed up, they went from working each other to all working together to get the new persons stack.. As the card room was closing, they all coordinated to ride up to Santa Ynez together to do more gambling.. Hard to believe that was 20 years ago already. Probably haven’t played there since 2003, so I’m sure a lot has changed.

Regulars. My Good Friend RIP Shawn. Family owned the Normandie casino. Now owned by Flint and called Lady Luck. Lots of Regulars. He worked surveillance. I spent a lot of time there and lived in the pent house for almost a year while i remodeled my first house. The casino makes money on ante fee per hand, food and drink. The bank usually someone they knew put up the money. Usually bank comes out ahead. But there were teams that would "break the bank" by cheating together. Richard was a master of it and a Regular that would partner up with other's and target other casinos. If a outsider would come in it was similar. There were alot of regulars there every day. Crazy to watch it go down from the cameras.

 

[78DiMarco]

Maybe a vin but wife and I were running up to Walmart in Havasu today and I saw a Hummer covered in banners that said “Casino” pointing towards the Dillards area of the shopping center. Curiosity got the best of me so we looped back down and sure enough right next to the Dillards is “Win Win Casino”. The signs say they have poker there but all we saw were about 6-7 banks of 4 very generic machines and a bingo area. Maybe the have designated Parker nights or times. Also the machines don’t appear to take money unless there is a membership card inserted so maybe that’s how they get away with the location. There were about 10 people in there playing the slots.

It's a BINGO parlor.... nothing more and kind of sketchy...

 

[LazyLavey]

Ruth Langmore reincarnated?

 

[DevenOsborn]

I was an avid gambler and went to different casinos before the pandemic, but the one you mentioned I had missed somehow. I was sure that there would be no casino to recover after the lockdown because of so many online platforms for playing casino and poker that appeared. But I’m glad I was wrong. Although I continue playing online, I plan to return to my previous pace of life and, hopefully, will start visiting casinos and organizing poker evenings with friends. I really miss the emotions and adrenaline you can receive only by playing face-to-face with your opponent.