Academy Award-winning actor/ writer/ director Ben Affleck
has come clean on reports that he was caught counting cards while playing
blackjack at the Hard Rock Casino Las Vegas in April.
Affleck admitted to card counting, even though he doesn’t think
people should make a mess out of it.
“That is a true story,” Affleck told Detail Magazine’s Jeff
Gordinier. “I took some time to learn the game and became a decent blackjack
player. And once I became decent, the casinos asked me not to play blackjack.”
Affleck was asked to leave a blackjack high-rollers table and was
reportedly banned from playing at the Hard Rock,
although the casino has issued a statement saying that the future Batman wasn’t
banned from the property and was “welcome back any time.”
Affleck also downplayed any conceived drama surrounding the
banning episode, saying that the casino simply told him not to play blackjack
while inside their premises.
“I will say this. There were a number of casinos that said, ‘Hey,
you can’t play blackjack here. We know you count cards. But you know, you’re
welcome to come, do whatever you want, see a show, have dinner. We’ll comp ya.
Play roulette, we know you don’t play craps, but hang out, we still want your
presence and business."
