Background: $1,200 is the threshold for hand-pays; if a machine player hits a jackpot for $1,200 or more, the machine locks up and the player has to show a valid government-issued ID; the player is then issued a W2-G for tax purposes.
With all that attended to, the player receives the money.
The person whose fingers hit the jackpot will be paid whether it was her card in the machine, her husband’s card, or no card at all.
The following is excerpted from Jean Scott’s More Frugal Gambling, in the section called "Playing on Someone Else’s Card."
"Most slot clubs have rules stating that everyone must use his or her own players card at all times. However, for married or other couples who have the same last name and same address, casinos don’t usually make an issue of playing on the same card. Brad and I switch machines a lot and often don’t bother switching cards. In all our years of playing video poker, we’ve never had a casino employee question this practice.
"However, you have to be careful here. Some coupons and promotions specifically state a bonus will be paid only if you if have your players card inserted."
Jean goes on to write, "This is an area that’s ripe for abuse and you can’t blame casinos that strictly enforce this rule. Some players give duplicate cards to their friends to help them qualify for a lucrative promotion. Others routinely wander the casino looking for people playing with a card, then try to sneak or sweet-talk their cards into the machine. I know one woman who tells people her card will bring them luck."
We asked Jean specifically about this question and she replied, "These days, it seems to me, it’s easier to fall afoul of casino policies such as these, as casinos are looking more and more for reasons to get rid of ‘advantage players.’ So if you’re already under suspicion, you might run into resistance if someone else’s card is in your machine when you hit a jackpot. That said, husbands and wives who aren’t on the casino’s radar shouldn’t have any problem."
