The Negative Side of Promotions
In my last blog I promised that I would address some of the frustrations and problems players might face in using casino promotions. I really did not want to write on this subject, but I was getting criticism that I was “Little Miss Sunshine,” that I was presenting a too-rosy picture for a situation that was really getting more difficult for players who wanted to cut their losses.
I have always stressed that casinos are not non-profit businesses – at least they don’t plan to be such. And so in recent years when they started cutting video poker paytables and reducing comps and other player benefits, I chided other players about talking about “the greedy casinos.” I suggested they adjust to the new casino environment by “complaining with their feet.” When a casino makes too many cutbacks, then look for another playground. In the meantime, I was trying to help by detailing in this blog many of the options so they would have a better chance of finding a friendlier casino atmosphere.
I have always been aware that casinos take notice of players who work against their goal of achieving profits. It started long ago with countermeasures against blackjack players who could beat the house by counting cards. Skilled video poker players stayed under the casino radar for much longer but finally caught the attention of math-savvy executives – the ones we call bean counters.