OT. Casino gambling and comp'ed rooms?

[Elliot]

I could use some knowledgable advice here.

Normally, I avoid Family Drama Stuff. But a dear relative, who receives mail at my address, just received a letter/invitation from an expensive Las Vegas hotel-casino. I called the number, pretended I was him, gave the "Player's Club" membership number off the invitation, and asked what I had coming to me. The answer was three free nights and a pair of fancy concert tickets. I played along and giggled that I must have spent a lot of money last time I was there. The lady giggled back that I sure had.

So now I have an idea why this relative often claims poverty.

The question is... how much is enough money to "earn" such an invitation (with a market value of at least $400,-) to return and lose more money? In other words, did he blow a few hundred bucks on a one-time adventure, or is he pissing away thousands on a regular basis?

Knowledgable input much appreciated. Wild guesses and wisecracks less so. Thanks!

[ygmir]

I could use some knowledgable advice here.

Normally, I avoid Family Drama Stuff. But a dear relative, who receives mail at my address, just received a letter/invitation from an expensive Las Vegas hotel-casino. I called the number, pretended I was him, gave the "Player's Club" membership number off the invitation, and asked what I had coming to me. The answer was three free nights and a pair of fancy concert tickets. I played along and giggled that I must have spent a lot of money last time I was there. The lady giggled back that I sure had.

So now I have an idea why this relative often claims poverty.

The question is... how much is enough money to "earn" such an invitation (with a market value of at least $400,-) to return and lose more money? In other words, did he blow a few hundred bucks on a one-time adventure, or is he pissing away thousands on a regular basis?

Knowledgable input much appreciated. Wild guesses and wisecracks less so. Thanks!

someone close to me, used to get those offers, in Reno, and, he was spending several thousand dollars per month.........

[Elliot]

someone close to me, used to get those offers, in Reno, and, he was spending several thousand dollars per month....

Very scary. What might the minimum be?

[ygmir]

that's tough:

each place has it's own criteria.
I'm sure they have a formula, relating age, assets, income, credit rating, marital status, location, games, times and days attended, etc. etc.....

they try to find people, that, will spend more once there, than, they spend with the free stuff, obviously.

Was this a one time offer?
Has this person received other similar offers?
Do they belong to some sort of "club" related to the casino?

[theCryptofishist]

dPretty creepy, when you get to it.
What's your plan for dealing with said reletive next time he poormouths?

[Elliot]

Fishy, thanks for that link. Gambling is such an alien world to me.

This is the first such offer that has arrived here, but he has an other address also.
Apparently, he has signed up for a "rewards card", as they describe it on the above link. I never even gave the clerk on the telephone a name -- just the Players Club number.

From the info on that link, as I understood it, he would have had to blow a couple of grand to earn three nights at New York New York with two tickets to Lionel Richie.

I don't have any plans for the situation, and it's none of my business, and maybe I'm overreacting, and it's not like he's in danger of going without food and shelter, and he has no dependents. And I'm no rocket surgeon with money myself. But doggone it, he's my kid brother.

[theCryptofishist]

I do think that the "stuff" about "gambling addiction" is "true." There is a potential problem. May or may not happen. It's possible that there's been a drop in value of the casino stuff--more indian casinos, economy. (Although it's my understanding that when the economy goes down that kind of spending goes up.) I'd sort of keep an eye and see if there are other signs. But yeah, don't pry...

[AntiM]

I have a handful of those club cards. I don't gamble much at all, the odd dollar or two in the penny slots so I can sit and get free drinks, $20 or so at the tables when I'm feeling frisky (which hasn't been for years now). Not often even though we're in Vegas several times a year. I get offers for free rooms now and then, mostly from Excalibur and Stratosphere, but any show tickets are far harder to come by.

Now if the room were a suite and he has VIP passes into Rok and the Zumanity show... then I'd be fairly certain he was dropping cash like mad.

[Oldguy]

He might even be an employee getting perks instead of raises in this bad economy. I remember getting drink tokes when I cashed my casino paycheck, show passes, private resort stays when rooms unbooked, pit boss signitures on lots of comps( meals, rooms, etc...). I worked security and health clubs during my college years in Reno, back in the day of owner/operators instead of today's corporations.

Chip exchange runs between different shops got me perks from different casinos. Pulling cans from tables got me signitures from the pits. The pros in the poker rooms were good tippers; as well as the celebrities, polititions, and pimps on the make. Escorting hardcount boys from slots got me inside doors to private inside clubs, and facetime withe the execs and golden boys. Soft count ladies in the vaults were the power back in the days of skimming. But the guys with crooked noses got the soft perks.

Shills, coolers, and observation were the shadow warriors. They are well paid to be hidden.

When I got supervisor training and time in the trenches I got to sign my own name on a few comp slips. I ran two health clubs for awhile.

While it's true some comps are given to whales (who lose) to entice them in, some comps are given to whales on winning streaks to get them off the fucking tables.

[Elliot]

Interesting!

But my brother is not a casino employee in any way, shape or form, guarandarnteed.

[Dork]

In Auckland the rewards were something like 2% of the casino's expected profit from your play, plus monthly bonuses if you played regularly enough get to a certain level. You'd have to drop thousands to get to the level where you get free hotel stays.

Vegas is seriously under-booked right now, though, so they're pretty anxious to get people to fill those thousands of empty rooms. Rewards might be going cheaper.

Not everyone who drops money in Vegas on a regular basis has a gambling addiction - some simply find it fun to show off how much disposable money they have. I classify it the same as people who buy flashy clothes and cars. I don't understand the impulse, but it's a big part of what helps me make money at the poker tables.

Why don't you spend a night there with him to see what he's up to? If he spends a couple of hours at his game of choice, hits a bad streak, then becomes bored and leaves you know he's just having fun. If he simply can't leave and compulsively reloads at the ATM when he's losing you know he might have a problem.

[Elliot]

Bingo!
I got my brother out of the gambling closet, so to speak. We are discussing that and our other various issues (both of us -- we are all human!) in a nice brotherly way.
Thanks for the help!

[Isotopia]

The question is... how much is enough money to "earn" such an invitation (with a market value of at least $400,-) to return and lose more money? In other words, did he blow a few hundred bucks on a one-time adventure, or is he pissing away thousands on a regular basis?

Assume $400 to $500 spent for every $100 rebate and that's consistently rather than periodically. And that's the very minimum.

[Hayden]

I used to play blackjack and a bit of poker at Harrah's New Orleans. I never really spent THAT much or even MADE that much. I would go ...ehh, maybe one or twice a month - IF that - and it was merely because I was already in the French Quarter and drunk, and thought - Hey! Let's blow $100!!

I began getting offers to fly to Harrah's alllll over the country... free buffets, free hotel stays, free flights, etc.

I was NOT a big spender. At all.

I think they were still pissed that I made $1,100 on $25 once. LoL

It doesn't take a huge gambling addict to receive these types of offers in the mail. I would get a comped hotel room and flight to a Harrah's at least once a month.

[ibdave]

Bingo!
I got my brother out of the gambling closet, so to speak. We are discussing that and our other various issues (both of us -- we are all human!) in a nice brotherly way.
Thanks for the help!

Elliot, This is good news... Hope it all works out... Good start...

[gyre]

LV just opened up a new entertainment center originally financed by bahrain.
They are probably doing serious promotion about now.

Hope things work out.

I'm lucky I find gambling so boring.

http://www.citycenter.com/

[Elliot]

I get the feeling that most of the big gambling is under the control of "The United International Corporate World" now. That "City Center" was being promoted on the TV in my room when I stayed at New York New York in November. (And the programming on that TV was obviously controlled by the hotel.)

(I had work at the Convention Center and my boss paid for the trip and room.)

It's all about the dopamine (adrenalin) rush, says my brother.

[dragonfly Jafe]

...interesting thread...now I know why I never got comped for anything (I think I might have spent $50 once in a casino - usually for me it is quarter poker on a $20 stake until I don't want anymore watered down free drinks...)

[Elliot]

My brother is expressing some interest in Burning Man now. He shrugged it off before. Maybe we can find him a precious little squirt of dopamine in Black Rock City? Thunderdome?

But I don't know if he would have much to contribute, generally. I'll keep working on him.

[Ugly Dougly]

You could find a more fruitful place to ask that.




"Squirt of dopamine"? Does that sound wrong?


Ah! "Fun". An Earth emotion.

[Elliot]

Barbarian Camp Obstacle Course? I regret I missed it. Is it returning? Might be something for my dopamine/adrenaline-starved brother? He's done sky diving, car racing, gambling....

[gyre]

The only money I ever spent on gambling was bribing my way into the back rooms at monte carlo.
People are surprised I wasn't eager to place bets in there.
I didn't even recognize any of the chips they were using.
Big crowd on one side of the room just watching everyone else.
Security.