Casino news from http://www.nj.com/
TRENTON -- Despite being fewer than 200 strong, during New Jersey's recent budget crisis the casino inspectors took center stage.
In all, 45,000 state workers were furloughed during the week-long shutdown, which was prompted by a stalemate in the Legislature over Gov. Jon Corzine's 1-cent sales tax increase
New Jersey's 1978 gambling law requires the 191 state inspectors to monitor Atlantic City's 12 beachfront casinos around the clock.
As gambling houses idled over the busy July 4th weekend, the little-known casino inspectors in blue blazers took prominence. Corzine deemed them "non-essential workers," shuttering the $5 billion gaming industry, while some lawmakers attempted to pass legislation deeming them necessary.
But what exactly do they do?
"Their job is to certify gross revenues and to make sure it's all there," said Linda Kassekert, chairwoman of the Casino Control Commission. "Anytime a game has to be changed, anytime there is any movement of any funds at all on a casino floor, we're present."
Corzine ordered the shutdown July 1.
It left residents unable to renew a driver's license or seek a certificate of occupancy. But losing the cold, hard cash of casinos appeared to be the turning point in the shutdown, and when the Supreme Court ordered them closed on July 5, lawmakers came to terms over the spending plan within 24 hours.
Annually, Kassekert said, the Garden State's dozen gaming palaces bring in $5 billion, equivalent to the larger Las Vegas. Last week, idled casinos forfeited an average of $16.3 million daily, and the state gave up $1.3 million daily in gambling taxes.
Suddenly, the little-known but integral figures in navy blue blazers took center stage.
Case in point:
For each of the 40,801 slot machines and 1,727 gaming tables active in Atlantic City, each coin, token or bill entering a "drop box" is secured with two locks. One key is held by casino staff and the other is accessible only by control inspectors.
They are also present in the "count rooms" to guard against embezzling or other funny business. That requirement has been in place since New Jersey became the second state in the nation to allow gambling.
Inspectors start at about $38,000 annually. They undergo full training in the ins and outs of all games of chances operated in Atlantic City. Kassekert said most come from backgrounds in the criminal justice field.
"You have to be vigilant," she said, "because if you let your guard down, things are going to happen."
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