Is Nevada the only state where it’s legal for a casino to offer free alcoholic beverages to gamblers?
Far from it. The situation is a mix of state law and casino policy.
Complimentary (comped) alcohol on the gaming floor is legal in several US states, with availability depending on state liquor laws and individual casino policies. Popular states where casinos actively comp drinks for active gamblers include Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Colorado, Connecticut, Mississippi, Massachusetts, and South Dakota.
We'll start with the “dry” states, where alcohol is available, but not comped. Those include Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Rhode Island, Maryland, Michigan (a bill to change the thirsty status quo there failed in the last legislature), Idaho, Missouri, Ohio, Florida, and Delaware. An extreme case is New Mexico, where drinks are neither free nor for sale on the gaming floor.
Drinks are gratis in Oregon, Arizona, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Iowa, Connecticut, Alabama (provided that you’ve played at least $5 on the electronic-bingo games that are Alabama’s stock in trade), Wisconsin, North Carolina, West Virginia (domestic beer only), California (if the tribe in question has a liquor license), South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Colorado, where — we're cautioned — “The Division of Gaming does not regulate the comps that the casinos choose to offer. It is a business decision whether or not to offer comp drinks and as such it will vary from casino to casino.”
Drinks are also free in New York state, where the governing statute reads, “(c) Pursuant to paragraph eight of Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law section 1340, a gaming facility licensee holding a casino alcoholic beverage license may provide complimentary alcoholic beverages to a patron under the following conditions:
“(1) there shall be no delivery of more than two drinks to one patron at a time, except that a bottle of wine may be served to one or more patrons;
“(2) there shall be no sale or delivery to any patron an unlimited number of drinks during any set period of time for a fixed price (i.e. open bar), except at invitation-only private functions not open to the public;
“(3) there shall be no game or contest that involves drinking alcoholic beverages or the awarding of alcoholic beverages as prizes; and
“(4) there shall be no service of any alcoholic beverage to minors.”
Similar laws can be presumed to apply to casinos in other states where free alcohol service is permitted. If you’re in such a jurisdiction, drink up. Otherwise, as a great (advertising) man once said, "Stay thirsty, my friends."
