Why didn't this Vegas dealer intervene when I was harassed at his table?

In My Humble Opinion
1

This is a story that happened to me 15 years ago but I still remember it.

Was at the MGM Grand at Vegas, decided to go check out a blackjack table. Table had two people already and I went to their right and got dealt in by the dealer. So my second hand of cards in somebody else showed up to the table and they say directly to my right, apparently they had been playing before me but had gotten up to use the restroom leaving their chips at the table.

So the second this guy shows up at the table it’s obvious he’s a problem because he sounded drunk and then turned to me and immediately accused me of stealing some of his chips because in his words “I had more chips here when I left!” I tell him he’s mistaken and I just got here but this drunk guy is legit trying to escalate the situation by continuing to accuse me of stealing his chips.

Now the weird part is the dealer was standing there, obviously he had seen this guy before and the drunk guy probably told him to hold his chips while he went to take a piss or whatever. But the dealer not once did he actually say anything to back me up, nor did he try to get someone to try to contain this situation because I legitimately felt if I stayed this drunk guy was going to graduate to physical assault with the way his language was getting, so I simply folded and packed up my chips and left (which was easy since I was only on my second hand)

I’m completely confused why this guy wasn’t walked out for starting a scene because I’ve seen people walked out for less.

2

Dealers aren’t there for security, except to make sure someone doesn’t take the “bank”. After all, it might all have been an act to distract the dealer. Where was the pit boss? I would expect the pit boss to step in and to radio security to escort the offender out.

3

I agree with dolphinboy, it should have fallen on the pit boss not the dealer to step in. And in my experience at table games, I have only seen the staff cover chips with a towel (usually with “Reserved” written on it) as a courtesy when someone needed to step away, but I assumed that was only for high rollers or at least regulars that were known by the staff.

4

I’d think the dealer could do a little more. It is their table to run afterall but yeah, at least call the Pit Boss over.

I’d tell the drunk guy that every table has a camera on it and if he feels his money was stolen talk to the casino and have them review the security footage.

I’d think trying to steal in a casino has to be one of the worst ideas ever since every square foot is watched and recorded by a camera 24/7.

5

What do you mean by “you folded”? Did they let you pick up your bet and leave the hand? Because I’ve never seen a dealer/pit boss allow that.

Or do you mean you completed the hand and then got up and left the table?

6

I took him to mean he folded as to conversing with the drunk, not as to his then-current bet.

7

It’s been a while and I think the dealer hadn’t actually started the round because this guy was causing a scene next to me so I just left the table because I could.

8

It might be that the drunk was a bit of a “whale” and they just wanted to downplay the whole thing.

9

Question for the OP: When you sat down, did you notice a stack(s) of chips in front of the drunk’s seat? Was there a ‘marker’ of some sort indicating that the seat was being held for an absent player?