I don’t gamble, but I think that casinos take a very dim view of people who try to cheat—and they say that counting cards is cheating. In the old days things might have gone worse for him than being arrested. And to “cheat” by pulling chips from the table, that’s got to be pretty dumb with all the eyes in the sky casinos have.
How can they tell if you’re counting cards? Are they mind readers?
Counting cards is a skill, not cheating. Unfortunately, casinos take a dim view on skilled players who turn the house edge to their favor.
> and they say that counting cards is cheating <
Card-counting is undesirable behavior, not criminal behavior. So if you’re caught counting cards, you won’t be charged with any crime. But you’ll be banned from the casino. Come back and you’ll be arrested for trespass.
By the way, sometimes you’ll see folks standing by the roulette wheel, keeping track of the numbers that have come up. The casino won’t both those folks. Because that technique gives you no advantage.
But keep track of the cards that have come up in blackjack, and out you go. Because that technique works.
Counting cards isn’t illegal.