How Casinos Use Bonus Programs to Keep Track of Everything You Do
Remember those scenes from 21, Ocean’s Eleven, and any movie about casino cheating or stealing? The ones in which the security service is trying to track the actions of criminals throughout the floor using a video stream?
It turns out that casinos don’t rely as heavily on less secret surveillance to gather information about you as you might think.
If you gamble, you give them money voluntarily.
Casino reward programs and loyalty cards like MGM Resorts International’s M Life and Caesars Entertainment’s Total Rewards allow casinos to track your habits and record your preferences to encourage you to play longer and come back more often. They provide casinos with information on everything from what you play, how often, to how much you spend and what foods and drinks you buy.
Here’s how it works : loyalty program members wave player cards around cars and tables instead of betting in bills, coins or tickets. These cards allow casino owners to know exactly where you are, how much you bet (and lose) and even how quickly you hit the slot machine buttons. And because they are related to your preferences, the host may show up with a gin and tonic or your favorite drink when it feels like you’re ending the day.
To entice customers to sign up for and stick with their reward programs, casinos offer free nights and discounted hotel nights; free drinks, meals and valet parking; and points for spending money, which can then be redeemed for on-site discounts, cash, and more. These perks make gambling and gambling for a longer period of time and with more money even more attractive.
In fact, some players have sued casinos, claiming that these incentives are fueling their gambling addiction , making it impossible to quit, and in turn causing them to lose millions of dollars.
And since many casinos are franchised by just a few large corporations – Caesars has several affiliates with the same name, and also owns Harrah’s, Horseshoe, Bally’s and others – your reward program travels with you around the country and around the world.
According to Ron Schlecht, founder and managing partner of BTB Security , most loyalty programs do not store sensitive personal information that could be compromised by hacking or leaking. While it is possible that your loyalty account could be linked to a credit card number, most of the data collected is used simply to promote and satisfy customers (and happily spend money).
Of course, casinos still use surveillance cameras for security purposes: to look for players who can cheat and employees who warn them (or outright steal), says Schlecht. And some cars have built-in cameras, so even players not participating in the reward program can record their movements.
But when it comes to tracking people’s habits, loyalty card swiping provides basic information to casino owners who want players to keep playing.