"In the martial world, one's fate is not their own. Moreover, the Song brothers treated me well, taking me in during my most difficult times. Yang Jian couldn't find a reason to refuse and could only agree to help them collect debts.
After Song Jianmin gave his instructions, he left with his elder brother for the provincial capital.
Yang Jian, along with Sixi and others, checked back into the Zhenxing Hotel, booking two standard rooms.
"Brother Sixi, when do we start?"
Yang Jian and Sixi shared a room.
Sixi was in his thirties, of medium build, with a buzz cut and a fierce look on his face. He was clearly involved in the underworld. He had previously been responsible for maintaining order inside the venue, and Yang Jian wasn't very familiar with him.
"We start tonight. First, we'll collect from those who are easier to get, to earn some living expenses. We'll deal with the tougher ones last. Don't worry, we have experience collecting gambling debts, so we'll be fine."
Perhaps impressed by Yang Jian's courage in confronting the police, Sixi had a good impression of him. Knowing he was a rookie, Sixi was a bit concerned about his safety.
"Brother Sixi, I heard from Jianmin that they arrested quite a few people this time, including an Emperor. What does 'Emperor' mean? Are they one of us?"
Since he had nothing else to do, Yang Jian wanted to learn more about the casino's operations.
Sixi chuckled, "You're really out of touch. You don't even know what an Emperor is? Then let me educate you about the structure of a casino."
Yang Jian quickly poured him a cup of hot water.
"Our place mainly focuses on dice games, and there are also some rural games with copper coins. The modes are similar. We also have Pai Gow, Bomb Flower, and Baccarat.
We specialize in dice games. This gambling method is very popular in the provincial capital and the Han River plains. Today, I'll specifically explain how dice gambling venues operate.
In the eyes of ordinary people, casinos are where gamblers bet against the gambling company. But that's not the case.
There are four types of people in a casino. One type is us, known as the gambling company. We are primarily responsible for providing the gambling venue, gathering gamblers, and maintaining the casino's safety and order.
The second type is the Emperor company. They are a group of people who pool certain funds and specialize in operating as the banker in various gambling companies. Gamblers bet against them, so the gamblers' wins and losses have little to do with us, the gambling company.
The third type is the chip company, which provides funds to gamblers and engages in usury. In street slang, they are called 'money lenders.'
The fourth type is the gambler. Gamblers are also divided into several categories, including professional gamblers and casual gamblers.
Professional gamblers treat gambling as their profession, going to various casinos like they're going to work, driven by an organizer. These gamblers generally don't bet heavily; their goal is to earn a living allowance. They are known as 'professional crews.'
Yang Jian didn't understand, "Earn a living allowance?"
Sixi nodded, "Yes. To attract customers, casinos need people, so they hire these professional gamblers to fill the seats. They are paid a daily allowance ranging from two hundred to five hundred yuan, depending on the liveliness of the casino and its profits. It's generally no less than two hundred, which is better than working a regular job."
"But don't these professional crews have to gamble? They can't just sit there without betting. What happens if they lose?"
"These people are very shrewd. At the start of a game, they'll participate to create atmosphere, but they control their betting amounts very well. If they win, they stop immediately. If they lose, they don't get carried away and cut their losses. These people don't ask for much; they just want to earn a salary."
This was eye-opening for Yang Jian. "There are people like that? But it doesn't seem very stable. What if they keep losing? And what about getting caught by the police?"
"Heh heh, to be honest, these people are just lazy. They can't make big money, and they're not willing to do hard labor, so they just hang around casinos to get by. Very few actually win money. As for getting caught, the gambling company will naturally pay to bail them out. The twenty-odd people arrested a few days ago were bailed out by Brother Hao, with a fine of three thousand yuan each."
"Oh, so opening a casino not only involves risks but also incurs many expenses. How do gambling companies make a profit?"
Yang Jian's interest was fully piqued. He realized there were many little-known structures and models within casinos.
"Gambling companies profit by taking a cut from the Emperor companies' winnings. The method is a bit complicated, and you probably wouldn't understand it if I explained it. You'll get it once you enter a venue and see for yourself."
"Then how do chip companies make a profit?"
"Chip companies are usurers. They provide funds to gamblers. For every ten thousand yuan, they charge three hundred to five hundred yuan in daily interest. This is a very fast way to make money. If you have money in the future, you can do this. It's even less risky than opening a casino."
Yang Jian finally understood Song Jianmin's intention for him to accumulate funds quickly. It was likely to engage in usury in the casino.
"Brother Sixi, since the division of labor in casinos is so clear, what about the legendary cheating? Logically, if the gambling company doesn't participate in gambling, there's no need for them to cheat, nor would they allow the Emperor company to cheat. After all, for a venue to operate long-term, it must protect the interests of the gamblers. Fairness is the most basic requirement."
Sixi gave him a thumbs-up. "You're so smart! You understand the intricacies without ever having been to a venue. You're right, a stable and long-term casino indeed doesn't allow cheating. Just like the big casinos in Macau, they profit by taking a cut."
"Then what situations lead to cheating?"
Having been cheated out of two hundred thousand yuan by Brother Mao, Yang Jian was particularly interested in the topic of cheating.
"The issue of cheaters is very complex. I'll explain it to you in detail when we get into the venue. In short, remember one thing: although we work in casinos, we must never gamble ourselves. The schemes here are too deep. Even in a completely fair and just casino, don't even think about winning money."
"Why?"
"There's a saying: 'Gamble long enough, even immortals lose.' Gambling is addictive. Losing money starts with winning money. As soon as you gamble once, it's very difficult to quit.
Think about it, the gambling companies in the casino need to make money every day, otherwise, we wouldn't get our salaries. The chip companies also need to make money, and their profits are even greater than ours. The Emperor companies have a low probability of losing money. Where does all this money come from? It all comes from the gamblers. If you can't quit your gambling addiction, even if you win a match or two, you'll eventually lose it all."
"You have a point. I really shouldn't gamble."
"Remember this: not gambling is winning. When we work in a casino, we are doing a high-paying job. Those gamblers are our clients, our livelihood. If you confuse these roles, you'll regret it immensely."
Sixi was quite eloquent and very candid, advising Yang Jian entirely from the perspective of an elder brother.
This conversation deeply impacted Yang Jian and served as a warning. It would have a profound effect on him when he truly entered the casino later. Song Jianmin had never confided in him so deeply."