Gambling managers gain XP only from dealing with regular gamblers. A gambling operation running only on features for walk-in gamblers won’t cut it. On the plus side, you’ll still get decent leveling from only running Bookmaking and Card Tables.
Yes, it means you’ll have gamblers to shake down for debt repayment, but if you can’t be bothered to do that … you could just … choose not to? Like, no one’s forcing you to extort gamblers if you don’t want to. There is no way to automate gambling extortion.
If you want to keep it to a minimum, move gambling managers around. Put someone with plenty of upgrades into a gambling house that doesn’t generate XP while you level up a new one in one that does.
Since the number each calculation for placing bets is based on seems to be 1, presumably that corresponds to $1, meaning a bet of 0.75 in the settings file means 75 cent, and 6 means $6.
For occasional gamblers
Occasional gamblers don’t become indebted and therefore can’t be extorted.
I don’t know how heat is calculated, but presumably a lower number is better.
| Slot Machines | Policy Shop | Sports Betting | Faro Parlor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon |  |  |  |  |
| Min. level house | Gambling Den | Gambling Den | Small | Small |
| Requirements | n/a | n/a | Skill: Money Laundering | Skill: Card Games |
| Build cost | -$1000 | -$1000 | -$2500 | -$2000 |
| Days to build | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| Heat per person | 0.1 | 0.15 | 0.1 | 0.15 |
| Weekly cost | -$5 | -$10 | -$15 | -$50 |
| Cash on hand | $500 | $500 | $1500 | $750 |
| Max customers | 50 | 75 | 25 | 100 |
| Minimum bet | $0.50 | $1 | $4 | $0.75 |
| Maximum bet | $1.50 | $2 | $6 | $3 |
| Gambling odds | 2% chance of a 25:1 payout | 5% chance of a 10:1 payout | 2% chance of a 30:1 payout | 2% chance of a 30:1 payout |
For regular Gamblers
The regulars, who keep showing up and who keep giving you their hard-earned cash … until they fall into debt and get to be extorted into giving you useful stuff. This is where a gambling operation really becomes worth the investment! Be careful, though – Roulette Wheels can lose you a lot of money!
Seats indicates number of players without any modifying features (e.g. Card Parlor).
Each week players have a % chance of taking their winnings and leaving the establishment. This is why it’s listed as a risk. If you gambled on forgiving their debt and extended their credit in the hope of them falling further into debt, you’ve just lost. But there is usually no shortage of other gamblers who will soon take their place.
I don’t know how heat is calculated, but presumably a lower number is better.
| Bookmaking | Card Tables | Dice Games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Icon |  |  | |
| Min. level house | Gambling Den | Gambling Den | Small |
| Requirements | Skill: Numbers Games | Skill: Card Games | Skill: Table Games |
| Build cost | -$2000 | -$1200 | -$1500 |
| Days to build | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| Heat per person | 12 | 15 | 15 |
| Weekly cost | -$25 | -$35 | -$10 |
| Cash on hand | $1000 | $750 | $750 |
| Seats (% chance all seats get taken) | 3 (50%) | 2 (60%) | 2 (70%) |
| Min/Max $ to play | $200/$500 | $150/$250 | $150/$300 |
| Minimum bet | $50 | $25 | $50 |
| Maximum bet | $100 | $75 | $100 |
| Gambling odds | 10% chance of a 5:1 payout | 10% chance of a 3:1 payout | n/a, 10% rake |
| Risk of leaving | 10% | 20% | 20% |
| Blackjack Tables | Small Table Games | Roulette Wheels | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Icon |  | | |
| Min. level house | Medium | Medium | Large |
| Requirements | Skill: Money Laundering | Skill: Money Laundering | Skill: Cooked Books |
| Build cost | -$3000 | -$4000 | -$7500 |
| Days to build | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| Heat per person | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Weekly cost | -$75 | -$50 | -$75 |
| Cash on hand | $2000 | $2800 | $3500 |
| Seats (% chance all seats get taken) | 5 (50%) | 5 (70%) | 8 (70%) |
| Min/Max $ to play | $500/$750 | $200/$350 | $25/$1000 |
| Minimum bet | $75 | $100 | $50 |
| Maximum bet | $200 | $200 | $400 |
| Gambling odds | 5% chance of a 15:1 payout | 5% chance of a 15:1 payout | 1% chance of a 90:1 payout |
| Risk of leaving | 5% | 5% | 0% |
Performance enhancers
Improves performance of other features. There is no gambling involved, and while the features themselves don’t list a weekly cost in-game, some actually have a weekly cost according to the gambling settings file.
| Small Bar | Smoking Lounge | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Icon |  | ||
| Min. level house | Gambling Den | Small | |
| Requirements | Skill: Suave Service or Attentive Staff | DLC: The English Outfit Nationality: English | |
| Build cost | -$1500 | -$2000 | |
| Days to build | 35 | 21 | |
| Weekly cost | -$20 | n/a | |
| Function | Increases minimum and maximum bets (+10%) | Decreases chance of regulars taking their money and leaving (-50%) |
| Card Parlor | Uniformed Attendants | Imported Furniture | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Icon |  | | |
| Min. level house | Medium | Medium | Large |
| Requirements | Skill: Money Laundering Skill: Fine Finishes | Skill: Attentive Staff | Skill: Fine Finishes |
| Build cost | -$5000 | -$2500 | -$3500 |
| Days to build | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Weekly cost | n/a | -$5 | -$2 |
| Function | Seats +2 gamblers in card-related features | Decreases debt needed before you come to collect (-20%) | Increased number of gamblers (+50%) |