Question of the Day - 28 March 2017

There are a lot of ins and outs to the money game all over the world, but it’s a bigger game, with more options, in Las Vegas. Especially when it comes to cash. This answer is the Cliff Notes version; we could delve into each one of these options in much greater detail.

The best way to access cash in Vegas is right at the casino cage. And the best way to do that is to set up check-cashing privileges or a line of credit in advance.

Casino cages cash checks for customers who just walk up and ask, but for how much is always the question. There are a lot of variables—amount of check, if you’re a guest at the hotel, if you’ve ever cashed a check there before and for what amount, if you’ve cashed a check at a casino cage in the last xx number of days, whether the information on the check matches that on your ID, how much money you have in your checking account, even if you look suspicious to the cashier.

Most cages will cash a walk-up check up to $100, up to $300 if you’re a guest, but it’s not automatic. Better, especially if you want to cash a four-figure check, is to call the casino in advance (ask for the cage; you might be forwarded to the credit department) and make arrangements. You’ll divulge some personal and banking information and be approved or not depending on your bank balances.

You can also set up a casino line of credit from home before your trip; most of the large casino companies have credit apps on their websites. Or you can just show up at the cage and ask for a credit/marker application; most cashiers will be happy to help you fill it out. The problem with that is it can take a few days for them to review your references and approve a withdrawal amount. That’s why it’s better to do it in advance.

Once you’ve established credit, you can go to the cage and withdraw chips, or cash if you’re playing the machines, or sign a marker at the tables. A casino "line of credit" is more of a short-term loan; you settle up with the cage before you leave, unless you have terms; if you don’t pay, the casino runs the marker through your bank account, just like cashing any check you wrote.

Another option. With the proper approval, you can EFT or wire-transfer money directly into the cage, though you’ll pay your bank’s fee to do so.

And yes, you can have a casino host set up a line of credit or an account for you to deposit money in advance, though you probably won’t get the attention of a host at a major property for a few thousand (walking-around money here). Also, you’ll be on the hook for giving the host’s casino a shot at the money you have on deposit in the cage or in your line of credit. You’ll get more comps that way, but you can’t fake it. At some point, you’ll have to play.

It’s better, perhaps, if you have only a few thousand on deposit or in your line, to sign markers right at the tables and hustle the floorman or pit boss for your comps.

Finally, if you do your banking at a large institution with branches all over the country (B of A, Wells, Chase, Citi, US Bank, etc.), you can have a cashier's check made out to yourself that you cash at a local branch of your bank when you arrive. You’ll still have to carry the cash between the bank and your hotel (where you can stash it in your room safe or in a safe at the cage), but that will avoid all the casino-credit machinations and fees.

Note that you’ll generally have an easier time getting help from a casino in putting money into an account at its cage than getting it out by having them write a check or wire money back to your bank if you happen to win big. The major casinos will do this as a matter of course if you’re well-known to them as a player; if not, they’ll generally do it, but often grudgingly.

If you have an account at a bank with branches in Vegas, you can simply drive to a branch and deposit the money.