Loyalty programs pay those who play

In the early days of casino loyalty programs, the players club was a method to track a gambler's slot play so that, after a certain dollar amount, they could be rewarded with free T-shirts and restaurant comps.

That's still true today. But in recent years, thanks to advances in technology, those programs have expanded to cover everyone, gambler and nongambler alike, tracking a customer's spending in nearly every part of a property. And the rewards have far surpassed free steak dinners and shirts with logos.

Want a new car? A stay in a top-tier hotel? How about comped airfare? Additional money to play in the slots?

All of those, and more, are among the rewards given to members of casino loyalty programs. Granted, none are exactly free. The process involves you spending money in order to win points that can be redeemed for rewards. But you don't have to spend thousands to earn a reward. Players club members can receive discounts and other benefits no matter what their level of play, casino industry representatives say.

Joining one is easy and free. Visit any casino's promotional counter or Web site, fill out a form providing personal information, present identification and you're set. The casino will give you a card that you carry with you and insert into slot machines before you play. Hotels owned by the same company, such as Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand, share the same club and anything you accumulate by playing at one property can be redeemed at any other.

Before computers made it possible to accurately track a guest's spending across not just one property but several, rewards programs were implemented by people.

"The good old-fashioned way to do it was to have casino hosts, who would try to notice who was playing a lot," says Brian Shultz, vice president of marketing for Boyd Gaming. "It was all observational, much more by the seat of their pants."

With that method, it wasn't uncommon for players to get overlooked. A players card fixes that problem by enabling casinos to track everything a player does, Shultz adds.

"We wanted to be able to understand our guests more through technology," says Kevin Kelley, chief operating officer of Station Casinos. "When you get a card and put it in a slot, you learn an awful lot about what players like and what they don't."

Members of Station Casinos' Boarding Pass club accrue one point for every $1 they play, with 1,000 points equaling $1 in comps.

Those points can be used at any Station Casinos property in town in a variety of ways, Kelley says. You can use them to play slots, pay for a hotel room, a meal, merchandise in the gift shop, movie tickets or other items.

While MGM Mirage doesn't share the company's formulas, players club members accumulate points through slot play, which can then be redeemed for discounts on food, rooms and other things, says Sherri Gilligan, senior vice president of marketing and advertising for MGM Mirage. As they play, members also earn "bonus" points that can be used just like cash at the company's annual Holiday Gift Shoppe, held in December. In the past, guests have purchased BMWs, kitchen appliances, jewelry and other items with their MGM Mirage Players Club points.

"It's a great program," Gilligan says. "The whole focus is on taking care of the customer and getting them what they need."

Members of MGM Mirage's club can use their points to receive discounts on Cirque du Soleil tickets, at restaurants and other entertainment options as well.

Every casino company typically uses its own formula for accumulating points and then redeeming them for comps, Shultz says. Boyd Gaming, with its B Connected and Club Coast Players' Cards, awards one point for every $1 played, with 1,000 points worth $1.

You can usually find out the formula when you sign up for a players club or on a casino's website.

Those who don't spend a lot on gambling also can benefit from belonging to a casino rewards program. Casinos routinely offer free gifts to card members, just as an additional incentive for them to visit the property.

"Most casinos do something like that once a month," Shultz says. "The offerings run the gamut. There's apparel, food, jewelry boxes, you name it. The theory behind the giveaways is that it generates an extra reason to come."

Nearly every program allows club members to redeem their points for additional slot play, which is one of the most popular rewards, Shultz adds.

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564.