Hard count is a term used both in casinos and in the real world. It refers to the process of counting coins, be it in a bank or casino establishment. That usually means you will be under the watchful eye of the casino’s security and cameras, which is for your own safety and protection.
In some casino establishments, if you’ve just had a big win, the casino staff will take you to a special room where you can count your winnings.
However, keep in mind that the staff won’t count every coin by hand. Instead, the coins are separated by their denomination and put into containers. They are then weighed using large scales programmed to automatically count the value of the container based on the weight.
The opposite of the hard count is the soft hand, which means that instead of counting coins, you are counting banknotes.