From: timmer Newsgroups: rec.gambling.poker Subject: Re: Binion's 3% Fiasco Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 14:22:02 GMT lvdlrs wrote: > I thought I'd post a copy of the email I sent off the Nevada Gaming > Commission Audit Division. > > My name is Gary Philips. Up until March 17th of this year I've > been employed as a poker dealer at Binion's Las Vegas since > Dec '90. I've dealt every World Series of Poker during those > years with the exception of last year when instead I supervised the > single table satellites. I've been on the 'Toke Committee' every > year also except three ('94, last year, and because Becky wanted > my off, this year as well). > > In every year the traditional split of money left by the winners was > split up into 35% to the tournament directors and their staff, and > 65% to the dealers. It was this 65% that I received and divided > up to give to those dealers who dealt the tournaments. > > I was so happy with the anticipation of an automatic 3% toke this > year that I opted not to supervise the single table satellites and go > back to dealing the tournament. The 3% meant that no longer if the > wrong person won a tournament could he decide to not toke. Also > important is that there is an accountability of the money. No money > would seep between the cracks and into hands it was not meant for. > > Becky stepped in and changed all that. She did what nobody > anticipated, not the cardroom manager Cathi Wood, not the tournament > director Bob Thompson, nor any of the assistants or dealers. She > decided that she would determine where that 3% would go. There > have been other poker tournaments both in and out of Nevada that > have used the % of the prize pool as a toke and at no time did an > owner step in to take over where that money went. It always, I > repeat, always went to tournament personnel that divided it up into > a % at or near 35 to the directors and their staff and 65 to dealers. > > She advertised in reputable poker magazines that the 3% would go > to "tournament staff". At no time before this year's World Series of > Poker has that phrase meant anything other than dealers, tournament > directors and assistants, tournament shift supervisors, regular room > shift supervisors, cardroom manager and a small assortment of other > personnel such as tournament registration computer clerks. > > An example of this concept occurred shortly after the winner of the > final event of the 1999 WSOP. Noel JJ Furlong was the winner > and it was suggested that the deck that dealt the winning hand be > auctioned off and the proceeds be given to Binion's employees that > didn't get any portion of the regular tournament tokes. That meant > cocktail waitresses, security, porters, cashiers, etc. Well Noel bid > right off with $10,000. That money got so greedily chopped up that > hardly any front line employees got very much. One cocktail waitress > entrusted with dividing up the shares for all the cocktails waitresses > involved handed out a mere pittance to the others and kept the lion's > share herself. I can just imagine what happened with the other > departments. > > The point of the story was that when Noel found out later that > the $10,000 auction was not going to go to the dealers as he thought, > because his toke to us reflected that amount, he sent a message > to Becky Behnen through his good friend Terry Rogers who has since > passed away, expressing his apologies for shorting the dealers and > included a check for an additional $10,000 to go to the dealers. > We split that $10,000 up 65% to the dealers and 35% to the tournament > directors and staff just as we always have. I had a very difficult time > > getting that money to all the dealers who had scattered to all points > of the country. > > What Becky did this year was horrible. She lied initially about where > that money would go and later lied as to what % would go where. > We were told shortly after the start of the Series that the dealers > would > not get 65% of the 3% but rather 50% and all the tokes (100%) any > player left over and above the 3%. The directors and their staff > found > out the they were promised 1% of the remaining 1.5%. The remaining > .5% would go to full time Horseshoe employees. This did not happen > from what I'm told. No surprise from me considering Becky's past. > > It is my considered insider's opinion that Becky at first wanted to keep > > most of that money to help out her shaky financial status. I can't > prove > that of course. I then think she rethought the situation because of the > > uproar it caused by the poker community and came up with the idea > that some of the money go to full time Horseshoe employees. I can't > prove that either. I can only go by past occurrences where the owner > has not shown any consideration for the front line employees. They > refuse > to give out holiday pay, have no accredited time for sick leave. And if > > a sickness lasts over 30 days that person would lose their insurance > benefits. I cannot count the number of times I seen collections for > hurt > or sick employees because of this lack of benefit. It takes an Act of > Congress to get a raise in that place for low paid employees. In other > words minimum wage was the best one could hope for. In fact every > year they had a Benefits Fair, I said that all we really wanted was > Fair Benefits. > > I think when Becky found out she couldn't realistically keep the money > she tried to do the next best thing. In going against years and years > of > poker tournament tradition she concocted a plan to pay her full time > employees not out of her considerable share (I say considerable because > of the sharp increases for tournament entry fees, single table > satellites, > and super satellites over last years charges) but out of the part time > employees toke share. > > I have had the privilege of working with and for every single person > that has been traditionally considered part of the tournament "staff". > From Cathi Wood and Bob Thompson, all the tournament assistants, > all supervisors, dealer coordinators, brush personnel, and tournament > computer registration clerks, it was fun doing the tournament with you. > It will never happen again for me as far as working with you during > any future World Series of Poker, not as long as Becky Behnen is the > owner to that tournament's rights. > I hope each and every one of you get every single penny you have > deservedly coming. > > Sadly, > Gary (...) Philips that f00kin tears it . Rocks and Beer *will* be played at BARGE this year. (in fact I might just start playing it tonight. Nah that would break my own self imposed embargo of *that* place) timmer ps if gary shows for BARGE 01 I, will be toking players this year ( I can't believe I said that)