Wu Wangchun took his turn at the dealer's position for three hours before calling it a day. Another Emperor Company took over, their accents suggesting they were from the Hanchuan area. In the gambling circles of Hancheng, Emperor Companies from Hanchuan and Xinhe were the most numerous, and the overall strength of Hanchuan Emperor Companies far surpassed that of Xinhe.
"Uncle Wang, how much did you win?"
In the lounge area, Yang Jian, with a smile, poured a cup of tea for Wu Wangchun, who had just stepped away from the gambling table.
Wu Wangchun placed ten thousand in cash in front of Yang Jian. "I won over thirty thousand. Take this for your tea."
Yang Jian quickly pushed the money back. "Uncle Wang, I didn't refuse the red envelopes you gave me before, but I can't accept it now. After all, you're here to help me."
"Take it. I have something to discuss with you."
"Then go ahead and speak."
Yang Jian reluctantly accepted the cash. He knew Wu Wangchun's personality; he was generous with his money and sincere when giving it. Refusing it would have made him unhappy.
"Xiao Yang, I see great potential in this venue. Not only are local bosses and those involved in demolition playing here, but also construction bosses from Xinhe. In a few days, more people will be coming.
"Yes, the local bosses were invited by Li Jin, and the construction bosses from Xinhe were introduced by Sister Feng. The construction projects here are about to kick off, which will bring even more construction bosses. That's why Li Jin chose to open the venue at this time."
"Xiao Yang, I'm planning to be a permanent dealer here. What do you think?"
"Of course, that's fine. But are you not going to manage your family's venue?"
"I will manage the family's venue, but not on a large scale for now. On one hand, the authorities are watching closely, and on the other hand, it's currently the off-season. Rural casinos are busiest around the Spring Festival. So, I'll let Wu Zhi maintain things there. For this period, our main focus will be here."
Wu Wangchun had started his career with Emperor Companies. The primary reason he returned home to open a casino was that he had won too much money at his previous casino. The gambling companies wanted to deal with him, and it was difficult to find good venues elsewhere, which forced him to return home.
Now that Yang Jian was opening a casino in Hancheng, Wu Wangchun saw another opportunity. He had always treated Yang Jian well and maintained a good relationship, and Yang Jian also respected him greatly.
At Yang Jian's venue, he had no worries about being extorted or bullied. Moreover, this venue had more potential than the one at Sanjiaolu, with a larger cash flow. If his luck held, he could potentially win ten million by the end of the year, which was faster than making money from his family's casino.
"Uncle Wang, I'd certainly welcome you as a long-term dealer. Do you think we should adopt Old Pan's model of operating twenty-four hours a day?"
Adopting Old Pan's casino model was something Yang Jian had been considering, but he lacked experience and wanted to hear Wu Wangchun's opinion.
"Xiao Yang, I don't recommend a twenty-four-hour operation. I've dealt at Old Pan's venue. On the surface, it appears prosperous, but I believe its lifespan won't be long. It will likely close down soon."
"Why? It seems quite popular."
Wu Wangchun smiled. "The popularity has been high recently, but its drawbacks are starting to show. Firstly, the duration is too long. Both the gamblers and the casino staff will become extremely fatigued.
Most gamblers are successful bosses who have their own work to attend to besides gambling and entertainment. However, once they become addicted to gambling, they neglect their careers. If playing at the casino all night becomes the norm, it will not only affect their health but also their work.
If the casino controls the time, ending operations at midnight every night, gamblers will have enough rest and energy to work the next day. They will still come back in the evening, gradually forming a habit, and the casino can operate in a virtuous cycle.
The twenty-four-hour model easily overdraws a person's physical and mental resources. Because gambling is addictive, most gamblers have poor self-control. They might unknowingly play all night and need two to three days to recover.
Young people with good health might be able to play through several consecutive nights, but eventually, they will succumb. Do you think such a casino can last long?
Furthermore, the casino staff also cannot endure such long hours. Unless they double their staff for rotation, having too many people inside the casino will not only increase operational costs but also attract the attention of law enforcement, potentially leading to crackdowns as organized crime.
In reality, Old Pan's venue has very few players in the late night and morning hours. They are essentially exploiting the Emperor Companies."
"Exploiting the gambling companies' wool? What do you mean?"
Yang Jian had largely agreed with the other's assessment but didn't quite understand the last statement.
Wu Wangchun took a sip of tea to moisten his mouth. "Doesn't he have a rule that every Emperor Company that takes a turn dealing must pre-deposit five hundred thousand with them? With eight shifts of Emperor Companies daily, four million cash is in the hands of the gambling company, and they use this money for loans to circulate cash in the casino.
In reality, the tables in the late night and morning hours have less than fifty thousand, especially in the morning, even twenty thousand is a lot to cap a table. An Emperor Company only needs a hundred thousand to deal, but they still have to obediently deposit five hundred thousand for their turnover.
You must understand that an Emperor Company cannot only deal at one casino. Committing funds to Old Pan here will inevitably affect the operations of other casinos.
That's why I withdrew after dealing for two days at Old Pan's venue."
Yang Jian nodded repeatedly. "That makes sense. Back then, we also had to abandon other casinos because we committed all our funds to Old Pan's venue."
"Also, this fellow Xi Ge is a bit overbearing. Because all the Emperor Companies are arranged by him to deal, the Emperor Companies have to defer to him. Not only do they give him a cut every day, but he often defaults on his gambling debts.
Just a couple of days ago, a boss from a Hanchuan Emperor Company had a dispute with Xi Ge because Xi Ge refused to pay his gambling losses. Xi Ge's brothers beat him with nunchucks and broke two of his fingers. In the end, due to Old Pan's influence, the Emperor Company had to swallow their pride and let it go."
Yang Jian seemed a bit surprised. "Xi Ge seems quite good to us. He speaks politely to me, arranged the venue for Hao Ge, and didn't gamble when we were dealing.
Wu Wangchun sneered. "That's because you're a good fighter and have a strong reputation. Even his brother-in-law, Zhou Tao, has to give you face, so he naturally treats you politely. Frankly, he bullies the weak and fears the strong.
Look at how he treated Song Jianhao later. He showed no mercy. Song Jianhao's newly acquired Toyota Prado was sold at a low price to cover his debts. Song Jianhao, in turn, suffered in silence."
"If he acts like this, isn't he afraid of offending all the Emperor Companies?"
"He's already offended quite a few. You might not know, but Old Pan's venue is no longer viable. It's now been changed to afternoon and night sessions, and their internal staff are dealing. No professional Emperor Company is willing to deal with them.
"Casinos operating and dealing themselves? Who would dare to play there? Even if they don't extort, gamblers will feel uneasy."
"Exactly. I think this venue will be completely disbanded before long. So, these are all experiences and lessons learned."
"Thank you, Uncle Wang. You've taught me a lesson again today. Your analysis makes sense; casinos cannot operate twenty-four hours a day."
"By the way, never mind anything else, but look at the mahjong parlors all over the streets. Which one operates twenty-four hours a day? Aren't they all just afternoon sessions and evening sessions? The mainland is not like Macao. To run casinos in the mainland, you have to adapt to people's living habits. Macao is specifically for gambling, and people go there to have fun, so there are no time limits."