© Spielbank SH
Interview with Tilo Schwonbeck, Director of Casino Kiel
“A croupier is like an artist, like in the theatre.”
We spoke to Tilo Schwonbeck about the connection to the sea in Kiel, why the croupiers in the north like to talk to their guests, that a ball never knows what happened before it and why it is not advisable to go straight from the beach to the roulette table in flip-flops.
Tilo Schwonbeck
Director Casino Kiel
Casino Kiel has been around since 1998, you've been here since 2002, first as a croupier and since 2020 as director. What made you decide to start your career in a casino back then?
A casino is simply exciting, it's this game, similar to sport. This fun, this excitement that you can experience here every day with colleagues who come from a wide variety of backgrounds - be it catering, construction, banking, or students who would rather work here than be at university, and so on. It's the same with the guests, there's a very broad spectrum here too. There's the professor next to the construction worker or someone who runs a company. They all stand next to each other and take part in the game.
What connects these different guests and brings them here?
It's the thrill, the appeal of the game. There are numerous psychological studies on what changes in people who are open to the game and then come to the casino. Their gaze changes, their attitude changes, their hands get clammy. You notice this when you greet them with a handshake. It's exciting to see how they behave over the course of the evening. Winning, losing. It triggers emotions, no matter in which direction, whether positive or negative. It can happen that the otherwise so even-tempered family man is a little more tense.
Just like in a handball or football stadium, where emotions can suddenly boil over.
Yes, it's ambition that grips people. It's more pronounced in men. Having to prove themselves and being able to do so. I've mastered the game and I'll show you how it's done.
“Here in Kiel, the harbour and its ships characterise the cityscape and the people of Kiel are very connected to the sea. We’ve picked up on this in the design of the casino.”
Tilo Schwonbeck
Despite all the North German understatement, the people of Kiel are quite proud of their city. Are there differences between the four locations in Schleswig-Holstein that reflect the local colour?
The interior design of the individual locations is different. Here in Kiel, the harbour and its ships characterise the cityscape and the people of Kiel are very attached to the sea. We pick up on this in the design of the casino: We have waves at the bar and a driver's cab as a cash desk. Many of our guests come from cruise ships, but it's not so much the tourists, but rather the people who work on these ships. During the short layover time in the harbour, the ship's staff have time off and like to come to our casino from time to time. In principle, the tourists have already spent their money on the trip and everything is included on board. And of course there is usually a casino on board the larger cruise ships.
In addition, our current building is not a great incentive for tourists to visit us. It has become an eye-catcher because the boat harbour has developed well. But it is neither an architectural highlight nor does it have a long history like Monte Carlo, Baden-Baden or Wiesbaden, so you wouldn't say: I must have visited this famous casino once.
© Spielbank SH
The Casino Kiel in a maritime location between the boat harbour and the Kiel Fjord, where the ferries to Sweden and Norway depart
The situation is similar in many other areas: the location or building can develop a charisma and become a magnet for visitors. Speaking of which - Baden-Baden, Monte Carlo, Las Vegas: The casinos in Schleswig-Holstein say: "This is how the north plays." Do people play differently here in the north than in other casinos?
The games are the same, of course: Roulette, blackjack and poker have the same rules worldwide, with only slight variations. The slot machines are also essentially similar. But every casino has its own DNA and we have our North German charm here. This basically means how we deal with our guests and establish contact with them. We want to communicate with the guest. The croupier is welcome to talk to the guest. In some casinos, this is completely forbidden.
Why is that forbidden?
We don't want to get too close. If you deal with one guest, you might leave out the other ten who are standing next to you. Everyone should be treated equally, no one should feel better or worse treated. This is why communication between croupier and guest is sometimes completely prohibited. Entertainment takes place differently in these casinos.
“The tables, the croupiers, the interaction and the game itself with the chances of winning - it’s great.”
Tilo Schwonbeck
Northern Germans are said to be reserved, but here it's the other way round?
Exactly. Why do the guests play at a table with a croupier instead of a slot machine? The slot machine game is faster. The world moves faster today. Playing at live tables with croupiers is slower. Although the games are much faster than they were in 1990, they are still slower than at a machine, where the guest sets the pace with every press of a button. Interaction with the croupier takes place at the table, which is particularly appealing to the guest. The croupier can help with questions and read wishes from the eyes. It's a completely different gaming experience.
This is exactly the kind of service we want to offer to get people out of the fast-paced, flashing sea of lights and into this slightly more upmarket, cosier, more communicative game. That's so nice, that's what we want. It's not always easy, but the guests love it. A croupier is like an artist, like in the theatre. People see that and think: "Wow, what's he doing there?" Once you've been doing it for a while, it's no longer magic, but it looks like it at first.
We are talking here about the so-called "big game", while slot machines are categorised as "small game".
This is certainly historically correct, but in view of the turnover, the terms "big" and "small" have completely reversed for us. So you can't really talk about big and small anymore. For us, it's the "live game" and the "slot machine game".
Isn't slot machine play on the increase? You have to be very careful that live gaming remains in the casino.
Take roulette, for example. It's far too complex for many people who had their first contact with slot machines. Because the world is so fast-moving, nobody has time to seriously engage with this game. Yet it's totally exciting if you do get to grips with it a little. It is in itself the fairest and most beautiful game. The tables, the croupiers, the interaction and the game itself with the chances of winning - it's great.
It reminds me of people who like to get together for games evenings and play "The Settlers of Catan" for hours on end, for example. There seems to be a similar atmosphere when playing live in a casino.
When you play roulette, poker or blackjack together, you are a community. You see what the others are doing and you can enjoy it - or not. You can be envious. You can experience everything that makes a person special. But you can also just watch. You stand behind the table or at the bar, have your drink with you and simply watch what happens at a table. It's different at the slot machine. You notice when someone wins big or the jackpot drops. Then the bell rings and it's a real alarm. But with roulette, everyone is there live. You see what someone bets or when they receive a payout. You can see how they get on, and all within a very short space of time. It's a completely different interaction, of course.
“The ball never knows what happened before. The ball doesn’t know whether it has been red ten or twenty times. It has no memory, they say. It’s pure coincidence, just luck.”
Tilo Schwonbeck
In various well-known films in which the game appears in casinos, I always got the impression that you have to be quite a pro.
It's a game of chance, so ultimately it doesn't matter whether you bet on red, black or a certain number. Of course, you can't put all your eggs in one basket, otherwise you'll never win. You have to give yourself the chance to win. That's what we try to explain to people. But apart from that, it doesn't matter what you bet on. It just depends on your luck. There are no strategies, even if some people keep trying to explain the opposite. The ball never knows what happened before. The ball doesn't know whether red has come ten times or twenty times. It has no memory, they say. It's pure coincidence, just luck.
At the beginning of the year, a guest here won just over 150,000 euros - that was a lot of luck. What do you think then? Do you simply rejoice with the guest or do you think: "I hope he doesn't bet everything directly again and gamble it all away"?
We're happy for everyone who wins here. Every guest should be happy to win. In this case, we knew the guest personally and knew that he would handle his winnings responsibly. We know that we have a small advantage because we have to run this casino. All the employees and guests who took part in the jackpot also shared in the excitement and joy. Of course, that's something that gets everyone's pulse racing again. As you can see, it is possible to win, even a prize that is beyond what is normally imaginable. If someone here wins 10,000 euros, that's great, but nobody realises it.
A win of 150,000 euros is something special that happens perhaps three or four times a year. Of course, you have to cover it in the media in a responsible manner, similar to the lottery when €18 million is paid out somewhere. Of course, that's a completely different sum. You can't retire on 150,000 euros. It's also something where you have to communicate with the guests. What are you doing with it? What are you planning to do? Do you want the money in cash? Or do you want a cheque? The guests then often tell you what they are planning to do or tell you about it on a later visit. It's exciting to see what the guests do with such a win and that they don't risk everything again at the roulette table or on the machines.
The whole thing has a sporting flavour. Is that the reason why the casino is the presenting partner of the Ocean Race Europe in Kiel and has also supported many Kiel sports clubs for years?
There is a lot of overlap between these two areas. The competitive nature and the ability to make decisions in the shortest possible time are characteristics that people with an affinity for sport recognise. It is simply the case that there are certainly more people with an affinity for sport in percentage terms than in many other areas. But of course we are also very happy to support the clubs here in the city with our commitments: THW, the Altenholzer handball team, Holstein Kiel, the Baltic Hurricanes and the Düsternbrook women's tennis team.
That has a broad impact, of course. What other ways could you think of to boost the brand and raise awareness of the casino?
We are also at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival. We have a co-operation with the Opera Ball, which takes place once a year in Kiel. We would also like more people to come to our evening events at the casino in smart clothes. That used to be the case, and it still is in Baden-Baden and Monte Carlo. Overall, everything has been liberalised.
Chic is often what is comfortable and functional. It's no different on the racing yachts of the Ocean Race. The sailing teams wear clothing that is suitable for the weather and in which they can move easily in the cramped cockpit. How comfortable can it be in the casino? Swimming trunks and slippers are probably not appropriate?
(laughs) No, swimming trunks and slippers are not appropriate. You shouldn't walk straight from the beach to the casino. We simply call it "smart casual wear". Shorts are not appropriate for men, but you should feel comfortable in your clothes. Better is always possible, of course.
How do you relax after a day at work? With a round of roulette?
All employees of Spielbank Schleswig-Holstein are prohibited from playing in a casino in Schleswig-Holstein themselves. However, I encourage them to take a look at what other banks do. To get to know the other side, that of the guests. What happens to the people who come here and gamble? You should also give yourself that feeling. It's exciting and helps you to better empathise with guests.
I find my own relaxation playing football in the old men's team in Altenholz and running in the Projensdorfer Gehölz. As a director, I no longer work only at night but mostly during the day, which has completely changed my whole rhythm of life. Suddenly I had time in the evenings again.
© Kiel-Marketing GmbH – Interview: Ralf Löwe / sonofasailor.de
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