Question of the Day - 15 August 2020

Yes, you certainly can. And the best explanation we've ever seen about it comes, not surprisingly, from Jean Scott in the book that we consider her piece de resistance, More Frugal Gambling. Here's what she has to say about "divorcing your host."

"Not all hosts are magical or even attentive. It takes a lot of good judgment and people skills to be a host. I'd love to tell you that hosts are infallible, but obviously, that can't be true. Hosts sometimes show a lack of common sense, understanding, and tact when dealing with customers.

"You're not married to your host and it's possible to change if it's obvious you're not getting the service you reasonably expect. How you do this depends on the organization of the host department.

"In a large system with many hosts, you're often coded to one of them specifically, usually the one you had contact with the first time. After this you 'belong,' and your play will be credited, to this host, even if you book a room through another department or get a comp from another host -- when, for example, your host is off duty. This is particularly the case when there's a host incentive program in place that gives bonuses for individual performance. 

"In this sort of highly organized department, sometimes you'll find it difficult to change hosts; it might take a request to a department supervisor to get recoded, or even a letter written to a vice president. In many cases, it will take a great deal of persistence and follow-up. Why? Because your old host will fight to keep you. It's like trying to change your car salesperson in the middle of a deal: The first one feels entitled to the commission. Asking for a change in hosts can lead to an awkward situation, because the supervisor will want to know your reasons for the request and you might not wish to go into them. Even if the request for a change is routinely handled, you might also feel uncomfortable if you'll still seeing your ex-host frequently (which is more likely in a smaller casino). That's why some savvy players scout carefully before making a choice in a casino where they know it will be difficult to change later.

"Fortunately, the host structure isn't as rigid as this at many casinos. In some, the whole department can work as a team, even though each host still wants to have as high an individual job-performance record as possible. In these casinos, we usually have a primary host who takes care of most of our comps, such as rooms and invitational-tournament reservations, but we know other hosts well and use them when our primary is off or busy. In smaller casinos with only a few hosts who work together closely, we consider all of them our hosts.

"I suggest that anyone dissatisfied with his or her host start looking for another host by talking to a few around the casino. It's always good to have a host who works the shift when you tend to be at the casino most. When you find one who seems to be serious about taking good care of you, use the magic word: ask. You might say that you and your spouse (if you have one) would like to establish yourselves with a new host that you can talk to more often, then ask how you should go about doing so. You don't have to badmouth the other host to get the point across."

We hope this helps lay the groundwork for making a switch that often puts you in the middle of a sensitive situation. We're sure other QoDers have been in this position and undoubtedly will post other good advice for you in the comment boxes.