# Small casinos and security **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2026, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833 "2026-05-06T11:08:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2026, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/41 "2026-05-13T13:41:41Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > As I remember, though, Disney does have guests go through a security screening. Yes but it doesn’t take long and nobody is going belly up because of it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2026, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/42 "2026-05-13T13:54:20Z")
And if you’re like me, you’re so excited to get in, you don’t mind. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2026, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/43 "2026-05-13T18:55:48Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Don’t know but given the Ormsby House incident above, I don’t think so. Yes, every casino I know will give you a check. I dont see anything in that Wiki cite that indicates they would not. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > As I remember, though, Disney does have guests go through a security screening. True. But there isnt a dozen theme parks within a short distance where one could go if they didnt like security. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/44 "2026-05-14T01:55:22Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > [@pkbites](#): > > > > Disney World/Land, state fairs, and other amusement places have security at the front gate and they see hundreds of thousands of guests enter every single day. They don’t make people remove all their jewelry and belts. > > As I remember, though, Disney does have guests go through a security screening. I guess the point is, they’re looking for guns and actual knives. Unlike aircraft, box cutters and items that contain explosives are less of a concern. I know my dad once upon a time (90’s) had to go return his Swiss Army jackknife to the car at Six Flags. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/45 "2026-05-14T02:27:25Z")
> [@md-2000](#): > > I know my dad once upon a time (90’s) had to go return his Swiss Army jackknife to the car at Six Flags We have a street festival here once a year where a large section of the street gets gated off. There are amnesty barrels where people can put their knives, pepper spray, or whatever before coming in. They do not get the items back. Wouldn’t believe how many people scream they are going to sue because we are “confiscating” their 5 dollar pocket knife. No we’re not. You can turn around and take it back to your car. Buy you can’t bring it in here. And I don’t make the rules. ---
**Author:** ![Lee1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Lee1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lee1)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/46 "2026-05-14T02:45:00Z")
Yes, every individual has desires. However, this type of desire can vary in intensity. Some people attempt to obtain wealth without effort, relying on some opportunistic methods to acquire huge amounts of money. This is also the reason why robberies are more likely to occur near casinos. But some people can control their desires well. Everyone. These people know how to appropriately satisfy their desires to achieve the best results. In the end, it’s just that most people don’t want to work hard and only think about getting wealth without effort. Many people have this idea. But those who can win big money at the casino will eventually lose more money. As long as they keep going to the casino, they will eventually lose. Casinos never fear your winning; they only fear your absence ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/47 "2026-05-17T17:58:29Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Wouldn’t believe how many people scream they are going to sue because we are “confiscating” their 5 dollar pocket knife. I wouldn’t scream, but i would be pretty pissed that i had to go back to my car. And my pocket knife cost more than $5. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/48 "2026-05-17T18:19:05Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I wouldn’t scream, but i would be pretty pissed that i had to go back to my car. And my pocket knife cost more than $5 Nowadays why would you think a gated event would allow you to bring a potential weapon in? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2026, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/49 "2026-05-17T18:21:21Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Nowadays why would you think a gated event would allow you to bring a potential weapon in? IMHO a Swiss Army Knife is not a weapon. And in many states, the law backs me up. Now, some knives are more like weapons, I admit. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/50 "2026-05-17T18:26:31Z")
You walked into a casino with a gun and you wonder why i might expect to walk into a street fair with a pocket knife? One that is really poorly designed to use as a weapon? That used to be legal in airplanes, and would be again if the public hasn’t freaked out? (The security people attempted to re-legalize small pocket knives. They’ve legalized lots of similarly dangerous items like small scissors.) ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2026, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/51 "2026-05-17T19:09:16Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > You walked into a casino with a gun and you wonder why i might expect to walk into a street fair with a pocket knife? The street fair is gated and posted. The casinos I went to were neither, and I was aware that many would be posted before I went. While I agree a Swiss Army Knife isn’t much of a weapon I don’t make the rules and they have to have a cutoff somewhere. Like the grocery store liquor dept that cards everyone. It’s overkill but it’s what they do. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/52 "2026-05-18T08:08:14Z")
I’ve been to lots of street fairs. I’ve never been to one that was “gated” or “posted”. That would piss me off, too, probably enough that i wouldn’t bother going. Street fairs are typically on the public streets and open to anyone who can use the streets. But i wonder if places where lots of people carry guns just feel the need for more “gating” than the places i typically go to. Whereas i expect a casino to have significant security. It has walls and doors, it’s on private property. I have been asked to go through security screenings at casinos, although they weren’t as careful as the screening at Disney. That’s somewhat expected. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/53 "2026-05-18T09:55:35Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@pkbites](#): > > > > Nowadays why would you think a gated event would allow you to bring a potential weapon in? > > IMHO a Swiss Army Knife is not a weapon. And in many states, the law backs me up. Now, some knives are more like weapons, I admit. Lol, the Germans seem to agree. I’m waiting to board a flight back home at the Frankfort airport, and i found a shop selling swiss army knives. On the inside of security. I dunno, maybe they send it to your flight to return to you on the way back. But I’m pretty sure there are no more baggage checks between here and home. They were out on a display where you could grab one. If anyone thought they were a serious security hazard, they wouldn’t be there. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/54 "2026-05-18T10:14:39Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I’ve never been to one that was “gated” or “posted”. That would piss me off, too, probably enough that i wouldn’t bother going. Street fairs are typically on the public streets and open to anyone who can use the streets One they have here a large section of the street is rented to local businesses for the night, so it becomes a private event even though it’s on an otherwise public street. They have private security at the gate and only call us when they have someone acting up. But its us folks say they’re going to sue for confiscating their knife, stun gun, OC, club, punching dagger and other exotic weapons the promoter doesn’t want in. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/55 "2026-05-18T11:36:07Z")
Any more I’d be a little leery of a street fair that doesn’t have the physical barricades, usually city work trucks, at every entrance to thwart ramming attacks on the crowd. Whether there’s also private security or real police checking on folks’ personal possessions at those entrances varies greatly. I can’t find any logic to which do and which don’t. So it seems mostly down to the whim of whoever is sponsoring / managing the event planning. I used to carry a small single-bladed pocket knife; about as minimal as they come. After a few hikes back out into a large parking lot to put it back in my car so I could enter a sporting event or street fair or whatever I just stopped carrying it anywhere. After about two weeks I found I did not miss it at all. Still don’t a couple decades later. I do leave one in my car for the very occasional ~~need~~ want to open a package I just bought. It gets used maybe once a year. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/56 "2026-05-18T11:50:05Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Any more I’d be a little leery of a street fair that doesn’t have the physical barricades, usually city work trucks, at every entrance to thwart ramming attacks on the crowd. Yeah, my town does that for any big event on the streets. And that’s a good thing. But they don’t frisk the pedestrians. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > I used to carry a small single-bladed pocket knife; about as minimal as they come. I still carry a little knife. When i fly without checking luggage, i miss it every day. I mostly use it for things like trimming back hangnails. But also, my front teeth don’t meet, so i also use it sometimes with food. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/57 "2026-05-19T02:46:13Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Any more I’d be a little leery of a street fair that doesn’t have the physical barricades, usually city work trucks, at every entrance to thwart ramming attacks on the crowd. Catty-corner from the natural history museum where I volunteer is a block the city closes down regularly for events. They sunk a series of sockets at both ends of the street being blocked and come event time, drop bollards into the sockets. Once, before any of the gear for the event had been brought in, a car ignoring all of the signs up, tried to make a right turn and bashed into a bollard, bending it. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/58 "2026-05-19T03:37:51Z")
Interesting. I’ve been to tons of streets fairs in NYC and have _never_ once seen one gated or with security bollards. They’re literally just… in the street. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/59 "2026-05-19T03:39:29Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Interesting. I’ve been to tons of streets fairs in NYC and have _never_ once seen one gated or with security bollards. I’ve not ever seen any sort of gate or barricade at a street fair, until the last few years. I don’t think that they’re ubiquitous yet, but they seem to have gone from “non-existent” to “possible.” ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833/60 "2026-05-19T03:49:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No casino would be in business very long if they had to stop people and have them remove everything and anything that might set it off. It is not a gun detector, it is a metal detector, and that includes metallic dresses, belt buckles, shit tons of jewelry etc. Do you ever actually go through metal detectors that aren’t at the airport? All Broadway theaters have guests walk through metal detectors to enter and no one, I repeat **no one** , is removing belts, jewelry or metallic dresses. 😆 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-casinos-and-security/1029833.md?page=4)