Red-carpet service for high rollers

SkyCity goes the extra mile for its VIP gamblers. Photo / Thinkstock

The bets can be $150,000 a hand and gamblers can spend $4 million over the table in a weekend. Welcome to SkyCity Auckland's high-roller rooms, with the most expensive gaming tables in the country.

The Herald on Sunday has learned new details about the exclusive gaming rooms, opened to coincide with the Rugby World Cup.

Documents filed with the Gambling Commission show steps taken to isolate the high-roller rooms - and concerns that staff would be so overwhelmed by the VIP status of guests they might not warn them of excessive gambling.

Spokesman Scott Campbell said multimillionaire and billionaire guests, many from Asia, preferred to play by themselves "for luck" or for privacy.

Campbell said VIPs would come in groups of up to 20 and each visitor was estimated to be worth about $15,000 to the economy, beyond what was spent at SkyCity.

Documents show the casino moved all its VIP gambling to the fifth floor in preparation for the World Cup. The room that catered for local VIPs, the Pacific Room, was also shifted from the third level.

The floor was sealed off from the rest of the casino, accessible only by a swipe-card-controlled lift. At the lift entrance, staff stop the unrecognised.

The suites were designed to separate the international high rollers from local VIPs. The Pacific Room is at the north end of the floor and international guests turn left to the four exclusive Horizon suites.

Big gamblers can have five-star rooms, food and any beverages, offered without charge.

The Problem Gambling Foundation told the commission that high rollers faced more harmful consequences because of higher losses.

The commission was concerned staff might be reluctant to stop VIPs who were gambling recklessly. SkyCity assured the commission staff would be trained at a higher level to recognise problems.