British Illusionist Banned from Betting at UK Casinos

Posted on: June 1, 2013, 05:35h.

Last updated on: June 1, 2013, 02:37h.

British illusionist and mentalist Derren Brown was banned from a Birmingham casino recently, amid fears that he would use his powers for ill gain, and take the casino operators for all they’re worth.

Persona Non Grata

Brown and friends decided to roll the dice at the Broadway Plaza Casino shortly after the national treasure finished a live performance of his “Infamous” show in the area. However, as soon as Brown’s celebrity face was recognized, he was told by staff that he wasn’t allowed to place any bets himself, and was relegated to the status of spectator.

This isn’t the first casino to quiver at the sight of the trickster who is famously known for his card counting abilities and powers of persuasion. In fact, it has been suggested that Brown is banned from virtually every casino in the country, as his skills are widely known, so he was certainly less than surprised at being told he couldn’t partake.

“I went in after the show and sat down to play blackjack. They were very nice, served me food, but they wouldn’t let me play,” said the mentalist. “So I watched the others for a bit and then left. I was escorted out by a member of staff and the manager.”

Super Natural Powers

For those familiar with Derren Brown’s talents, it is little wonder that he strikes fear into the hearts of casino operators as his misdirection and trickery has seen him convince one man that the world had ended and that zombies roamed the Earth, another that he was on a plane about to crash and that he had to land it himself, and he even played Russian Roulette live on air and lived to tell the tale.

He’s also demonstrated immense abilities when it comes to card counting, as he’s shown in several television appearances that he is capable of memorizing the order of a deck of cards after they are flicked in front of his eyes for a matter of seconds.

Should he be allowed to play at a casino, it would probably be hard for a man of Brown’s talents to not use such rare abilities to his advantage, and that definitely makes casino owners’ knees quiver. After all, they don’t want to change the rule of “the house always wins”.