In NV, a casino has the call on what a line employee can and can not play. At the Palms a line employee can play in any department except the one they work in. (poker excepted) Other casinos allow them to play anywhere. Others do not allow them to play anywhere. At the FQ's we allowed line employees to play slots on their breaks in the early 90's.

Key employees (like me and above) can not play in the casino they work in per gaming regs.
Poker is excepted in the gaming regs. Anyone can play including a casino owner.
It has nothing to do with "(where apparently the casino couldn't care less if there is collusion and cheating since they get their drop anyway)"

Poker is one of the most watched games in the casino. 8 to 10 pairs of eyes are watching each and every hand on each and every table. Yes we also have cameras on the games but it is the customers eyes that that 1st catches collusion in most cases. It is the customers that catches dealers stealing. It is the customers that jump out of their chairs and says something the 1st time it happens. Hopefully they tell a floor man discretly so we can get it on tape.
Of course it happens but it never happens for more than a couple hands. Over 22 years I have had a few customers taken out in handcuffs.

Question:
If you were playing BJ or slots and saw someone cheating or a dealer stealing, would you tell the floorman or consider it none of your business since it was not your money?
In poker, it would be your business because it would be your money they were cheating or stealing!!!

POKER is the safest game you can play in LV!
We have eyes and plenty of them.