We’d never advocate people running up huge gambling debts and then not paying. If you sign a marker, you’re promising to pay back what you borrow, the same as any other loan. So we think that ex-NBA star Charles Barkley should make good on the $400,000 debt he owes to the Wynn Las Vegas.

(The Clark County District Attorney’s office is now involved, too, having opened a criminal case in the bad check unit, since gambling markers are considered checks under the law. The DA wants the money repaid, plus a 10 percent fee to the unit, or $40,000. We think that’s a little ridiculous, especially since Deputy District Attorney Bernie Zadrowski is also the chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, and the Republicans are well known for their deep, abiding sympathy for the rich. Isn’t there a member of the working poor they can zing for a bounced grocery store check instead?)

Anyway, here’s the thing about the story we find a little odd: Barkley has been upfront about the fact that he has a gambling problem. He told ESPN about it in 2006, estimating that it had cost him $10 million. And this could not have been news to the people at Wynn Las Vegas, who gave him two $100,000 markers on Oct. 18 and Oct. 19 for a total of 400 large.

What’s up with that? We thought that Nevada casinos didn’t cater to problem gamblers. Didn’t we hear American Gaming Association Chairman Frank Fahrenkopf going on about that the other day in the pages of CityLife?

Could it be that the industry was … what’s the word … lying when it says problem gamblers aren’t welcome in their casinos? Color us shocked.

It seems clear what should happen here: If a casino extends credit to a player who has acknowledged a gambling problem — as Barkley clearly has — then it should not be entitled to collect anything from that player, either civilly or criminally. Problem solved, since no casino would ever loan money it has no hope of recovering. (Dirty little secret: As much as the industry goes on about providing an “entertainment experience,” they’re really just in the business of separating suckers from their cash.)

That’s what should happen, of course. What will happen? Well, the legal eagles in Zadrowski’s shop will prosecute the only crime that matters in this situation — defrauding the casino. As for taking advantage of people who have admitted a gambling problem? They’re on their own.

Welcome to Las Vegas.