Emerald Gem
3/5
The ATM close to the cashiers booth is flawed. It works fine but once it did not release $800 and a month later I saw on my credit card it had charged us and I had no proof to dispute it as it wouldn't give you a receipt if the money didn't get dispensed. Lost that money unfairly. The winnings are small most times, occasionally someone wins bigger but most times it's like the machines don't release rewards no matter how many thousands go in them. Why is there signage along 404 and Elgin mills and Yonge street directing people that Casino, Bingo is here? Some gambling addicts are in recovery and having signage everywhere is not helping.
The bingo caller voice is heard over the slot machine area and it's loud and gets annoying. Some of the machines are extremely loud and some of the machines are extremely quiet. The back room where the slot machines are is always really realy uncomfortably HOT and stuffed air especially in winter and there is no coat check service. Some machines are too bright and too loud on the lowest volume. There is too much air freshner in men's washroom. The ladies washroom is always very clean and roomy. Some of the staff wear heavy perfume. They no longer offer free drinks or free coffee or tea but have free filtered water. The machines do not give much but take lots. The bingo caller voice is heard too loud from the bingo hall to the slot machine area. There is no guide on how to play bingo for beginners. Most regular staff are always very friendly.
I got very sick from having their chicken wings, once. They had a charcoal after taste flavour maybe from the old oil and I thought they were not fresh. I should have not ate them.
I tried their chicken wings two more times after and it was fine.
The salad is good but once the lettuce was bitter, wasn't washed thoroughly.
The staff are super friendly and nice and hard working every time I have been there.
Some gamblers come and watch our machine just for fun. I'm ok with some one glancing at our machine for few minutes but this one female gambler comes and just stands behind us or leaning on our chair, commenting, super annoying and I told her to give us space.
Side note and wish list...I wish big winnings were only paid in cheque and not cash since its highly likely compulsive gamblers would just pour that back into the machines.
I wish there was a system where gamblers were enrolled in mandatory counselling and cash advances were limited to a limit from all combined cards per day.
Its sad seeing so many regulars there who gaze at the slot machines with googly eyes in the hope of a winning and getting conditioned for rewards, getting drowned in the sounds of a promising very soon to come BIG WIN that is over exciting but its only logical to know this is a for-profit system that needs to pay their rent and electricity and pay for the machines and staff with gambler's funding and a portion to some charities. Fun place for a couple of hours for those without gambling addictions.
If you see people winning thousands in casinos its very likely they have spent twice to get to that winning over time and...they will likely pour that money back into the machines again to repeat the cycle of winning loosing, but big wins are hard to come by. I believe the machines are programmed with very little odd chances of a big win.
Its good if someone is able to set limits to their time and money which is written on machines but we know addictions are difficult to overcome and gambling addictions ruin lives, health and relationships.
No gambler will admit they are helpless until it is too too late and the damages are either irreversible or will take years to pay back to build back their credits and in Canada, having bad credit is bad. There is really no need for advertisement, gamblers get hooked and keep coming back.
