Can I Carry an Alcoholic Beverage I Mixed in My Room Into the Casino?

I recently went to Vegas and noticed the “free drinks” are few and far between. It used to seem like the cocktail servers were everywhere and now I’m lucky to even find one. Are there any rules on bringing in drinks that you mix up in your room? I know I can bring drinks from other casinos, but I wasn’t sure if they would let me in with my own plastic cup.

We asked Anthony Curtis, who tracks this particular issue personally, and he responded, "I haven't seen any reduction in comped drink service."

We're open to opinions on whether or not free drinks are few and far between, so please weigh in by using the comment boxes.

As for restrictions about bringing your own drinks, we doubt you'd be allowed to mix cocktails at your machine; that's a little too blatant. But we've never been aware that there's anything wrong with carrying them in. As you say, how is a casino to know where a drink comes from? It could be its own bar or restaurant. It could be another casino. It could be from your hotel room.

Here's an excerpt on the topic from the March 2018 issue of the Las Vegas Advisor.

"Want to beat the high cost of drinking on the Strip? Here’s a move we discovered on our way to do the Inferno review. In Paris’ promenade area between the parking garage and the casino are a couple of convenience-type stores, including La Cave, which sell 24-ounce cans of Miller for $2.65 after tax. That’s one of the best plays we’ve seen for a drink at a major Strip resort. Grab a glass or plastic cup from a casino bar and you’re good to go. Unfortunately, you can’t take outside drinks into the theater, but they’re allowed everywhere else throughout the casino."

No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

Have a question that hasn't been answered? Email us with your suggestion.

Missed a Question of the Day?

Have a Question?

Tomorrow's Question

Has Clark County ever considered legalizing prostitution?

Comments

[email protected] Sep-21-2018

Drinking issues

The best way to carry a drink in is in a beer bottle. I have never had it questioned anywhere except in a restaurant on the casino floor. Another "pet peeve" is the water bottle "count" in a casino hotel room. Unless note on the resort fee, bottled water in the room is not free)usually $6. Venetian tried to charge me twice for that. It's one of the odd reasons we usually don't stay there!

VegasVic Sep-21-2018

Bottoms Up

I enjoy a cocktail in my room from time to time.  And as AC said, comped drinks are just as plentiful as they've ever been.  I have to lol at people who stay on the strip, paying inflated room rates, parking, resort fees and then complain if they have to pay for a drink.

Teresa Harrison Sep-21-2018

liquor

I sometimes will bring my own beverage to the casino. I only do this if they don’t have the type of liquor I like.  Never once been stopped.

Pat Higgins Sep-21-2018

P hIGGINS

This sounds about right for Vegas.  However if you are in another state, they often have a policy that when you go thought the security station to get o the casino, they make you throw any and all drink containers (no exceptions) you have in your possession into a trash can near by--including bottle water.  Remember many of the other state casinos have the security station to keep those under 21 out of the casino.   Just a thought.

Jackie Sep-21-2018

Play level

The higher your play level the more frequent the drinks,  For example a penny slot player has to beg for just water, a soda drink is a no no, and a liquor drink is a hell no or a boisterous laugh.  Nickel, dime, quarter players have to chase a waitress down.  Half dollar and dollar don't chase but but might have to get a waitress attention a time or two.  Five dollar and up has a waitress comes by before you can finish a drink.

Dave Sep-21-2018

PERSONAL BAR

When we drive up from San Diego, we always have a little bar set up in our hotel room. Beer, Vodka and mixers. We have solo cups, never have had a problem. Hell, i have seen some people with a cooler of beer at the blackjack table.

Roy Furukawa Sep-21-2018

I say mix away!

In the slot areas I agree cocktail waitresses have gotten scarce and even some table games depending on the casino. Another play is to just carry a Big Gulp with your rum and coke, vodka and whatever, or just fill it with rum and order the coke and mix away at your machine!  :D

JP Sep-21-2018

Lots of containers

I've walked into many casinos w/ a Starbucks (or other coffee) cup that, in fact, had my own booze in it--mixed the way I like and using my preferred label, which is top shelf and won't be comped at my level of play.  It's also a size that will last for quite a while, and nobody's ever given it a second glance.  Another trick is to sit down at the poker bar and start playing.  You'll get a bigger, better drink than on the floor and can leave whenever you want.

[email protected] Sep-21-2018

$5.00 Penny Play

I thought that as a CET Diamond, that plays $5.00 penny machine action, my drink service was first class.  Even playing penny Frog Prince at Wynn, I got two/three top shelf drinks an hour (I always tip a couple of bucks), which I tend to order Harvey Wallbangers.

O2bnVegas Sep-23-2018

off and on

Wynn is very good for drink service in the casino.

In one casino (Biloxi) the CWs were having to walk way to the other end of the casino from where we were playing to load their orders.  That had not been the case the previous day, but some workers were absent and they couldn't staff the fill area closer to us (or so said the CW).  I put "slow drink service in casino' on my post stay survey, whether that will do any good or not.

We recently had a CW make a big deal about bringing a drink if we hadn't completely finished the one we had.  Couldn't say 'by the time you get back', etc.  She was saying "I'll get fired" if she took an order for a drink before our glass was empty.  Yikes!  That was a first.  Was she being watched?  Caught over-serving? Strange.

Question of the Day - 21 September 2018

Comments