Suddenly Not A Game Anymore

(I work in the gaming section, i.e. poker machines, of a tavern. In my state it is illegal for a minor, even accompanied by an adult, to enter a so called ‘gaming room.’ There are two entrances to the street in the gaming room and a passageway that leads into the bistro section of the building. Despite extensive signage we still occasionally get families with children trying to get to the bistro through the gaming area, which the law is not at all lenient on. Usually we manage to stop them at the door and tell them to go around and use a different entrance. One day a coworker catches  too late a father with his toddler in a pram; he has just entered the passageway to the bistro. She stops him anyway.)

Coworker: “Sir, you have just passed through our gaming room with a minor. I have to inform you that this is entirely illegal, and I ask you that when you leave you exit through the bistro’s doors, not the gaming room.”

(The customer agrees and goes in for his meal. About an hour later he tries to come back through. He gets a few steps into the gaming room when I, in the cashier section, call to him.)

Me: “Sir, this is a gaming room. You can’t bring children through here.”

Customer: “But the bistro is busy and the exit is too full to get through.”

Me: “It doesn’t matter. Bringing a child through a gaming room is illegal. I’m afraid you will just have to wait a minute or two.”

(The customer ignores me and continues through the door. As I am in the cashier section I am unable to stop him. I call to my coworker who is on the floor to go after him, for what it’s worth, seeing as he has already gone outside. She stops him once he has exited.)

Coworker: “Sir, I already informed you that you cannot pass through the gaming room with a child.”

Customer: “I haven’t done anything wrong! Why are you treating me like a criminal?”

Coworker: “As I and my coworker have explained to you several times, having a minor in a gaming room is illegal, so in fact you are a criminal. What’s more, there is an $8000 dollar fine attached to the offense, which goes to you, and not to us. There are 20 cameras in our gaming room, so we have footage of you committing a felony, and the gaming commission are known to look through it for these kinds of offenses. You had a booking in the bistro, so we have your name and telephone number, which we would be happy to supply. So, unless you want to have a conviction and a sizable fine, I suggest next time you listen to the staff.”

(The customer scurried away.)