Does James Bond keep his casino winnings?

[Blackbeard's Delight]

I always wondered how Bond would be on vacation in lavish resorts, like when he's between missions, as he has a regular salary. I assumed he kept the tons of money he won in those high stakes casino games he played... but then I got thinking, if he was on duty, would he have to check in that cash when he reported back to base? Technically he was on the clock. Or would he just stuff his piggy bank and M would be none the wiser? Any B&B members out there work for British Intelligence that would know the answer?

 

[tango68]

I'm sure if you read the Ian Flemming novels this is addressed. In From Russia with Love. James bond lives in an apartment in Chelsea with a long time house keeper. If you remember right from the movie " Casino Royale" the money belonged to the agency, so I'd assume he would have to give it back.

not sure how many people would admit to working for an agency like that. Although I imagine a public agent could be a very useful tool.

 

[The Nid Hog]

Once Bond gets back to London, I'm sure that he spends days--maybe weeks--getting debriefed about the operation that he just completed. Much of that probably covers the operation itself, but I bet he has a lot of admin paperwork to do too. He probably has to liquidate his travel and clear up his expenses. That would include returning any money he made to Disbursing at MI-6. All of that is probably a big pain, but I would think that the worst part is accounting for all the gear that he lost or ruined. Reports on dead partners can't be easy to do either.

That would make a good movie, wouldn't it?

 

[Blackbeard's Delight]

I always just assumed he kept the money, like a perk of his job. But he's never in it for the money... he was offered a million pounds to marry a crime boss's daughter in Of Her Majesty's Secret Service and he said "I don't need a million pounds" (and he did end up marrying her later in the movie, but not for the money!). I would say Bond is enough of an honest Abe that he would check it in when he got back to base. He would probably splurge on a bottle of Dom Perignon '53 before flying home for de-briefing.

I am watching Octopussy now... earlier he gambled with the movie villain and walked away with 200,000 or 300,000 pounds in winnings. He got the cash and gave stacks of cash to each of his contacts in India, and pocketed a couple for himself. The next scene was a chase scene, where he got stabbed in the chest. Moments later he pulled out the stack of cash which was in his jacket pocket where he got stabbed and said something like "Thank god for hard cash!" then threw it into the hat of a street performer. So I guess he really doesn't care much about the money!

 

[Legion]

I always just assumed he kept the money, like a perk of his job. But he's never in it for the money... he was offered a million pounds to marry a crime boss's daughter in Of Her Majesty's Secret Service and he said "I don't need a million pounds" (and he did end up marrying her later in the movie, but not for the money!). I would say Bond is enough of an honest Abe that he would check it in when he got back to base. He would probably splurge on a bottle of Dom Perignon '53 before flying home for de-briefing.

I am watching Octopussy now... earlier he gambled with the movie villain and walked away with 200,000 or 300,000 pounds in winnings. He got the cash and gave stacks of cash to each of his contacts in India, and pocketed a couple for himself. The next scene was a chase scene, where he got stabbed in the chest. Moments later he pulled out the stack of cash which was in his jacket pocket where he got stabbed and said something like "Thank god for hard cash!" then threw it into the hat of a street performer. So I guess he really doesn't care much about the money!

Your tax dollars at work.

Trust me, real life is so far from the Bond books and films you wouldn't believe. There is no way someone like that would ever get that sort of security clearance. In real life the ones who make it past all the checks still live with their parents, and have never done anything. They check everything from your families finances, to your complete sexual history.

Seriously. Your countries security is controlled by the most boring people you would ever meet.

 

[jkh]

To hell with the winnings, who covers the loses?

 

[Slash McCoy]

If you lose, you are taken into a dimly lit room with a single chair in the center, underneath a hooded incandescent bulb, and given the final debriefing. That is, unless you can cover it.

 

[Edcculus]

I'm reading through the books now. He only wins large sums of money in a few of them. Casino Royale is the obvious one. Thats totally financed by the government. Its been a while since I read it, but I doubt he gets his hands on any of it.


Moonraker (the book) starts out with Bond going to Blades with M. He wins big there, but its only to scare Drax into stopping cheating. He is playing with M's personal money, so M keeps all of that. Probably donates it all back to Blades since Bond had to cheat to beat Drax in the first place.


He does a fair amount of gambling in Diamonds are Forever. Thats all Mob money though since his assignment is to "work" for the Spangled Mob and find the source of diamond smuggling. I don't' think he ends up with any or much of it in the end.


He also wins a good bit of money twice in Goldfinger. Well, more like extorts. The first time he gives it all to a girl he saves from Goldfinger. The second time, he donates it to a charity.


From what I can remember, there aren't' any other big gambling scenes in the other books. As far as Bond (at least the novel version) going on lavish vacations, that seems a little far fetched. According to the novels, he really doesn't make that much money. He is instructed to go on vacation after a few of the assignments to recover. Instead of going to lavish resorts, I imagine him staying in out of the way places in the French countryside. Staying to He does enjoy fine things, but the only excess he really enjoys are booze and women. His day to day job in the books is extremely boring. Mostly paperwork and reviewing files/briefings.

 

[Lamb Root]

To hell with the winnings, who covers the loses?

Well I guess there's a supporting group somewhere in the world.

Anyway, I think it's about time that Mr. Bond gets one juicy Sir title. Don't you? Provided he has reported all the winnings, and has filled all the forms.

 

[Slyko]

Forget the $$$$$. I just want the girls!

 

[JHCC]

Well I guess there's a supporting group somewhere in the world.

Anyway, I think it's about time that Mr. Bond gets one juicy Sir title. Don't you? Provided he has reported all the winnings, and has filled all the forms.

Bond turns down knighthood at the end of "The Man with the Golden Gun" (the novel, anyway). “‘I just refuse to call myself Sir James Bond. I’d laugh at myself every time I looked in the mirror to shave."

 

[Doc4]

Winnings? Well, I suspect James Bond is the type to tip heavily at the table ... not necessarily tip employees, but any attractive women, who might ... er ... return the favour later in the evening.

To hell with the winnings, who covers the loses?

"... no, Mr. Bond, I expect you to cover that IOU from last night's gambling."