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Celebrities enjoy gambling just like ordinary people. But a key difference is that many celebrities can afford to play high stakes and stay in lavish hotel rooms. Therefore, these icons get preferential treatment at casinos. These perks include everything from penthouse suites to choice nightclub tables.
But despite the stakes they play, celebrities aren’t immune to being thrown out of gambling venues. In fact, a number of famous people have been kicked out of casinos and banned. Some of these celebrities were barred due to bad behavior. Others simply beat the casino at their own game, much like an advantage player.
In one case, a famous woman was even banned from her father’s own casino as a method of punishment. Keep reading to find out about this incident along with other notable times where celebrities received bans
1 – Retired Basketball Star Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson is an 11-time NBA All-Star who led the league in scoring in four different season. He’s often referred to as “The Answer” for his ability to score big baskets when his team needed them.
Apparently, though, Iverson has no answer for proper gambling etiquette. And this has earned him multiple bans at casinos from Atlantic City to Detroit. One incident started when Atlantic City’s Taj Mahal (now Hard Rock Hotel & Casino) accidentally paid Iverson $10,000 for a bet that he didn’t win. Rather than immediately returning the money, he refused to the point where the Taj Mahal staff kicked him out.
Iverson is also banned from Detroit’s Greektown and MGM. According to DetroitBadBoys, he’s been 86’ed for multiple infractions such as throwing chips and cards at dealers. “[Iverson is] banned mostly for his boorish behavior,” the report reads. “He is a bad loser, and he loses a lot, often throwing his chips or cards at the dealer.
“He has been warned about improper behavior at the tables repeatedly. He is often loud and disruptive, according to witnesses, rude to dealers, other players and the wait staff.”
The Answer continues to gamble at casinos. According to TMZ, he skipped a BIG3 basketball game to play at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Illinois in 2017. But it’s clear that he’s not welcome at certain gambling establishments based on past behavior.
2 – Actor Ben Affleck
Card counters being thrown out of casinos is nothing new. But when the card counter in question is famed actor/producer Ben Affleck, it becomes a bigger story.Affleck was counting cards at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Casino when management noticed his acute counting abilities. The Batman v. Superman actor, who once made over $1 million during two Vegas blackjack excursions, was asked to leave the table.Hard Rock didn’t necessarily bar him from their casino or even kick him out on this occasion. But they politely told him that he’s no longer welcome at their blackjack tables.
Affleck later confirmed that he wasn’t officially banned from the iconic Vegas casino. He also told the NY Daily Newsthat this isn’t the first time he’s been asked to leave a blackjack game.
“There were a number of casinos that said, ‘Hey, you can’t play blackjack here – we know you count cards.
“’But, you know, you’re welcome to come, do whatever you want, see a show, have dinner. We’ll comp ya. Play roulette, we know you don’t play craps, but, hang out, we still want your presence and business.’”
Affleck has developed an affinity for other types of gambling, most notably poker. He won the 2004 California State Poker Championship along with $356,400.
The 45-year-old was also part of an underground poker ring that featured other notable celebrities like Matt Damon, Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Dan Bilzerian, and retired slugger Alex Rodriguez.
Unfortunately, Affleck’s love of gambling may have played a role in his 2017 divorce from ex-wife Jennifer Garner. But the good news is that they at least have a good enough relationship to co-parent their kids and hang out together.
3 – Rapper Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne has been rapping since he signed with Cash Money Records at the age of nine. He’s since gone on to release a number of hit albums and has amassed a $150 million net worth. But Lil Wayne’s legendary rap career, which has spanned over two and a half decades, doesn’t get him any passes at casinos. As of 2010, he’s ban from the Wynn Las Vegas for undisclosed reasons. While no official reason has been given, speculation is that the ban stems from Lil Wayne’s former probation terms.
While Wayne may be restricted from the Wynn, he has no problems getting into other casinos. For instance, the rapper hung out at the Palms following the 2010 Wynn incident.
4 – Illusionist Derren Brown
Derren Brown is a British illusionist and mentalist whose built a career out of doing the seemingly impossible. But if there’s one trick that he can’t pull off, it’s playing blackjack at the UK’s Broadway Plaza casino.The Birmingham establishment asked Brown to leave their blackjack tables in 2013. Casino management became nervous when they saw the illusionist preparing to enjoy blackjack with his friends.They were right to be fearful, because Brown once demonstrated his uncanny card counting abilities in front of a TV audience.
The good news is that Brown didn’t receive rough treatment from the Broadway Plaza staff. It was actually quite the opposite since he was treated with the utmost respect.
“After being politely escorted from @BroadwayCasino. Lovely people, great food, very generous bunch,” Brown tweeted afterward.
“I went in after the show and sat down to play blackjack. They were very nice, served me food, but they wouldn’t let me play.”
Brown added that he’s banned from most UK casinos and wasn’t surprised that Broadway Plaza askedhim to leave the blackjack tables.
Lucky for him, it’s not like he needs blackjack to get by. Brown has completed a number of near-impossible feats and hosted his own TV shows, including Mind Control, Trick of the Mind, and Derren Brown Investigates.
5 – Socialite Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton has been in the public eye for well over a decade. The celebutante has made headlines for legal incidents and starred in the reality show The Simple Life.Hilton was also an heiress to the Hilton Hotels franchise, until her grandfather, Conrad, decided that her inheritance would go to charity.But this isn’t the most embarrassing way that Conrad has dealt with her.In 2006, Paris had been playing poker at the family’s Las Vegas Hilton casino. She was eventually banned from her own casino on Conrad’s orders. He didn’t like that his granddaughter was blowing a fortune on poker. In one famed incident, she bet and lost her £175,000 Bentley during a high stakes game.
This is likely the first and only time that someone has been banned from their own family’s casino. Conrad Hilton did this out of love for his granddaughter, because her losses were spiraling out of control.
The officer had no other choice but to arrest her for the incident. Her boyfriend at the time, Cy Waits, was also arrested outside of the Wynn for having a marijuana joint in his car and failing an alcohol sobriety test.
6 – The Band One Direction
One Direction is from the UK, where the legal casino gambling age is 18. Perhaps this is why they didn’t pay any mind to how Las Vegas’ legal gambling age is 21. The boy band, which consists of Harry, Louis, Zayn, Lia and Niall, were all under 21 when they were staying at the Palms. Management eventually kicked them out for underage gambling and drinking.Speaking to The Sun, a source said, “The boys were hoping to go wild in Vegas by boozing and gambling into the early hours. But security at every casino in town knew who the lads were and threw the mout because the legal drinking and gambling age in the US is 21.”
This 2012 incident wasn’t all bad news for the X-Factor winners, though, because they were comped a £16,000 suite at the Palms. Their room featured a swanky two-floor loft with a basketball half-court, pool table, and hot tub.
7 – UFC President Dana White
Dana White, who presides over the world’s most-famous mixed martial arts organization, has a penchant for high stakes blackjack. He also happens to be very good at the game, which has gotten him banned from casinos.
White frequently plays in marathon blackjack sessions where he bets up to $25,000 per hand. Of course, with a net worth of over $400 million, he can afford to take the risk. But it’s not really much risk; because White wins so much that he makes casinos nervous. The Palms eventually decided that the UFC boss wasn’t worth the risk and banned him in 2012.
This ban might come as a surprise when considering that White had been one of the Palms’ best customers since they opened in 2001. Not only did he play blackjack games for $25k per hand, but he also frequented their expensive steakhouse, N9NE, and tipped employees as much as $10,000.
The Vegas casino enjoyed his business until he won several million dollars on the blackjack tables. Palms responded by reducing his maximum bet to $5,000 and halving his credit limit. White didn’t take this too well and stopped running UFC fights on the property. He also began playing blackjack at Caesars and commented that they’ll “let you play” without “messing around with limits.”
The Palms’ reconsidered their decision two years later and sent Dana a $5000 bottle of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Montrachet wine as a gift.
“I’m like, are you serious?,” he asked. “We’re going to get killed. They don’t have some kind of suitcase where they put the money in.” White’s friends helped by carrying the cash out in black garbage bags. This has motivated him to bring his own bags to the casino.
Six months went by and White decided to play blackjack again at the Palms. The casino returned to their old agreement by limiting his action to $5,000 per hand and eventually giving White his “walking papers.”
Despite banning him from their blackjack tables, Palms did part on good terms by giving White a championship belt that read “PALMS Undisputed Blackjack Champion.”
Conclusion
Celebrities are given special privileges at many places they go, because they draw attention and are usually willing to spend big. But simply being famous doesn’t given one an all-access pass to get away with everything at casinos.
Gambling venues have banned plenty of notable celebrities over the years. Casinos are quickest to ban any celebrity who poses a legal risk.
The Palms didn’t take long to throw out One Direction after the underagers tried drinking and gambling. Likewise, the Wynn asked Lil Wayne to leave when they caught him violating probation by drinking.
Paris Hilton was banned from the Wynn and Encore for a drug-related arrest. Humorously, her own father also barred her from the Las Vegas Hilton for losing too much in poker.
Another quick way to get 86’ed involves treating staff members poorly. Allen Iverson is barred from multiple casinos in Atlantic City and Detroit for bad behavior.
Advantage play is one more big reason why gambling establishments kick out celebrities. Ben Affleck, Derren Brown, and Dana White are all guilty of being too good for the blackjack tables.
Brown didn’t even get a chance to start playing blackjack at Birmingham’s Broadway Plaza. Showcasing his card counting abilities on TV earned him the boot before he could even get warmed up.
In summary, celebrities aren’t bulletproof at casinos. They’ll get away with more than the average person, but only up to a certain point.
