Member card in physical casinos, better or worse?

[Agbamoni]

I guess the membership card has level by level on each card. For example, a normal membership card, VIP card, and VVIP card. Meaning the reason for the membership card isn't to give gamblers a bettor feeling when they are gambling in the casino. I believe there are very good reasons for the idea but the two reasons I can wrap my head around are security and interest. The casino's intention is to offer security and privacy for gambler at the same time, they put in effort to give the different level of gamblers a unique experience to gamble more so that they will make more profit.

[cryptoaddictchie]

That's correct, I have cards in our local casinos, but sometimes I will forgot it and play or there were days that I will forget to removed it in last slot games that I played then I will get another one the next time that I will play, and everything is intact, with my points in it.

So it's not like everyone that goes to the casino will have to registered. Maybe others see it as a privilege, but maybe there are some who are concern about the casinos knowing them that's why they played without the card.

Wow so you have the card mate. On which casino you played? Im playing on Solaire North in QC never yet tried to register, but what does the point advantage of registering? Ive seen some users who played using their cards it seems the prime advantage is those pts can be converted probably to hotel accomodations. But is there much more good stuff there besides that?

[Dr.Bitcoin_Strange]

It's just about gathering database. I don't believe that the casino intention of doing this is to lure new players by giving them big wins, or are you trying to say that it is the casinos that decide if gamblers should win bets or not?

I share same opinion with you, I don't think the member card is to lure new players but also to take record of what is really happening at the casino, like when their numbers of new customers are increasing or reducing and also to know about their customer retention rate too, because there are some players that would visit the casino maybe twice and you won't see them again. They probably want to track all of that.

[Sanitough]

Is that card like a loyalty card? If so, then yeah, it kinda turns you into a regular gambler since you’ll end up playing more often.

Honestly though, I think it’s not that bad that’s just how I see it now as a responsible gambler. If the card gives benefits like points, freebies, or rewards, then it’s worth taking advantage of. After all, as long as you’re disciplined and know your limits, there’s really no harm in it.

[leonair]

Physical casinos used to be able to be played without an account and just cash. This was one of the main advantages.
But probably they realized that tracking player habits even on the individual level was too valuable to miss and started making player accounts mandatory.

Now to play at any machine at a physical casino, you can't just drip some cash in, you need to insert a card.
This way the casino knows who has played what, which game you won what on etc.

I'm having a suspicion some casinos might even use their ability to track player to lure new players in with bigger wins only at first runs with small balances. What do you think?

I have never seen this system so I don't understand what kind of card you are talking about. Are you talking about a membership card that allows you to enter the casino. And there will be a few categories of cards that will indicate the VIP level of the players or are you talking about game-based cards? I have never seen such a system and nowadays, when you can easily access any type of casino game online, why go to a physical casino which is time-consuming and you can't keep your gambling hidden.

[Beparanf]

I'm having a suspicion some casinos might even use their ability to track player to lure new players in with bigger wins only at first runs with small balances. What do you think?

We don’t know exactly if that speculation is true but I believe the main purpose of member card is for AML policy requirements to track player spending to avoid potential money laundering.

This records is helpful for local authorities in case they are suspecting someone for money laundering. A recent case on Philippines that a corrupt government official use casino to launder stolen funds from the government.

Additionally, it’s for the VIP benefits tracker.

Lol, no, physical cards in the casino are used to understand your betting pattern. If it is being used then everyone will be required to have the card, it's not a requirement so for sure you haven't been in one land base casinos.

You can even fake your identity if you wanted to and get that card. In the Philippines they uses fake identity right?

VIP and regular players are too different as well. Like in online, VIP has certain level that you need to achieved and you should be playing in the VIP section of the casino although you can go out and play in the regular table.

It's used is to really track the games you played and then offered you perks for free hotel accomodations or used your points and get freebies.

Your word of tracking means casino want to know the customer hence KYC which is the number 1 requirements for AML policy. They give perks on your wager and at the same time to have a clear records on your bet.

It’s the way of the casino to force player to KYC through rewards. Don’t tell me you can get this card without providing ID? KYC is part of AML policy.

Sometimes it’s good to understand the law if you are sharing info publicly.
Read the amlc under (T)monetary instruments :

3)    Casino Value instruments such as casino chips, casino reward cards, Ticket/Voucher in or Ticket/Voucher out, markers, cashier’s orders, chip purchase orders/vouchers, chip checks, gift certificates, and casino drafts; and

FYI what you said is correct too.

[Porfirii]

Physical casinos used to be able to be played without an account and just cash. This was one of the main advantages.
But probably they realized that tracking player habits even on the individual level was too valuable to miss and started making player accounts mandatory.

Now to play at any machine at a physical casino, you can't just drip some cash in, you need to insert a card.
This way the casino knows who has played what, which game you won what on etc.

I'm having a suspicion some casinos might even use their ability to track player to lure new players in with bigger wins only at first runs with small balances. What do you think?

This is the new trend in the era of surveillance capitalism we're living: transferring the practice of tracking the customers' habits from the virtual world also to the physical one.

In my country we can still play just with cash in most physical casinos and bookmakers, but I've started seeing the use of (anonymous, as long as you don't charge them with a credit card) cards in arcades. But due to new regulations, to avoid minors access casinos, you have to scan your ID the first time you enter one, and use biometrics the following times, so I guess that it's just a matter of time they will start tracking our gambling behaviour too.

[LeyMonte]

I'm having a suspicion some casinos might even use their ability to track player to lure new players in with bigger wins only at first runs with small balances. What do you think?

Some require you to deposit cash and buy your slots to play. If you want to withdraw the money you spent when purchasing the slots, they will set a new requirement. If you can meet their requirement, you can cancel your deposited money. I think that casinos that require cash deposits and have a requirement when withdrawing money because of this, every casino player loses their money while fulfilling that requirement. Very few casino players can meet their requirements and withdraw their money. I think this can also be a trap.

[YOSHIE]

I'm having a suspicion some casinos might even use their ability to track player to lure new players in with bigger wins only at first runs with small balances. What do you think?

Yes, physical casinos some users use member cards in casinos, but many also do not use player cards, in my experience and to my knowledge, Although many people generally believe that they can track users in their gambling activities, I am sure that it cannot influence users in any form.

Gamblers who use player cards are the same as those who don't use cards, it doesn't affect the outcome whatsoever, winning and losing are still part of gambling. In my understanding, tracking software cannot influence them in playing slot machines, whether you gamble using a player's card or not, as well as promotions, bonuses, offers or whatever else is involved in gambling, if you win you are paid, if you lose, you lose.

[TopTort777]

Somehow I am not surprise that offline casino do that kind of stuff to track how gamblers use their money, how they gamble. Years ago gambling was more wild. Now everything and everyone wants statistics. That is not only about casino wanting to track gamblers activity. Look how dependable from data we became. We truck everything as well. Our bonus level, bonus points, steps made, distance covered, amount water we drink, calories we spend and gain, and what games we play, our win rate and etc.

[Botnake]

I think this is more of a security enhancement by the casino. I remember watching a documentary before that mentioned reports of gamblers trying to rig slot machines  and even with CCTV everywhere, some still managed to slip through. So with this card system, they can track everything you do inside. It’s actually useful for them, especially during investigations whenever suspicious activity is detected.

[TravelMug]

That's correct, I have cards in our local casinos, but sometimes I will forgot it and play or there were days that I will forget to removed it in last slot games that I played then I will get another one the next time that I will play, and everything is intact, with my points in it.

So it's not like everyone that goes to the casino will have to registered. Maybe others see it as a privilege, but maybe there are some who are concern about the casinos knowing them that's why they played without the card.

Wow so you have the card mate. On which casino you played? Im playing on Solaire North in QC never yet tried to register, but what does the point advantage of registering? Ive seen some users who played using their cards it seems the prime advantage is those pts can be converted probably to hotel accomodations. But is there much more good stuff there besides that?

Solaire North, the newest one in QC is very far from my place mate. I have my very old RW (Resorts World) now it is called Newport World Resorts Manila. Then I have the COD (City of Dreams). I sometimes go in Okada or Solaire in Paranaque but I haven't tried to get a card as I usually go to RW or COD.

Some points you can convert it to play. In RW, before I used my points to redeems some items from them, like hoodies and stuff.

While in COD, I got a hotel accomodations, and then they have raffles. And then I have friends that have voucher that sometimes we do sell to some individuals or friends if they needed like a room.

How's the ambience in Solaire North though, maybe I will give it a try one of this days.  

Oh they also have this kind of tier in terms of the card. Obviously, the bigger the money that you spend on casinos, the better the tier of your card and more benefits.

[cryptomaniac_xxx]

If a membership card means you will have to provide personal information, that must be bad. Having a membership card means you'll have an account in the casino. Although aliases are a common thing--even the casino itself would facilitate your membership with fake identities--it's probably giving you problems in the long run. It could even be used by the casino against you in the event of conflict.

I wonder why everything has a membership card nowadays, even stores and pizzeria have it.

Probably it's the same as having mandated KYC on most crypto base casino right now, your provide your name, and personal id.

And you won't believed that there's even this superstitious belief that having a card, the casino's doesn't want you to win. So it's better not to apply one. And I do agree on some comments that is this card is to track you. It will not mention how big you have lost already, but casinos knows what games you always played and so they can concentrate on that and then started to offer you games that you want to try and so you will comeback on them.

Maybe they can used it against you if let's say they find you cheating and then totally ban you from entering their premises.

[goldkingcoiner]

Physical casinos used to be able to be played without an account and just cash. This was one of the main advantages.
But probably they realized that tracking player habits even on the individual level was too valuable to miss and started making player accounts mandatory.

Now to play at any machine at a physical casino, you can't just drip some cash in, you need to insert a card.
This way the casino knows who has played what, which game you won what on etc.

I'm having a suspicion some casinos might even use their ability to track player to lure new players in with bigger wins only at first runs with small balances. What do you think?

Well, the online gambling casinos usually have VIP accounts with benefits that come with them, so it really is not a new strategy to track or market differently to certain kinds of users than others.

They use that data for marketing and other purposes, but that same thing exists with any industry.

There is no conspiracy. Just more and more industries that track user data more agressively than in the past.

[Solosanz]

It's about technology, people are now prefer cashless, hence the casino now use card over cash, it also gives benefit to both casino and government because gambler who use card might encourage to spend more money and the government have better way to track it's citizen.

Since cashless only gives advantage for the gamble to not carry the money, I see it's worse than better if we value the benefit and the risk of cashless.

[Dogedegen]

Member cards for anything are not good. You are letting them generate data and track your behavior. Furthermore in this case it gives your subconscious more reasons to gamble because it acts like an investment of effort and a membership of sorts. It increases the chances that you will gamble more than you want to or than your bankroll or gambling strategy planned for. Don't do it!

There is no conspiracy. Just more and more industries that track user data more agressively than in the past.

In pretty much every membership program the user is giving much more away than they are receiving so it is not a good deal. I definitely can't recommend any of these if people care about privacy or free will. These things are very manipulative. People even think they are getting good deals out of them as if selling $500 worth of data to get a $50 gift is a good deal..

[abaeze]

Games like blackjack, roulette or poker can be played directly with cash. In some games, it is mandatory to take a card to get the offer in the case of card or token. So, while playing, you should start playing by looking at the writing on the machine or table. And even if newbies don't know these things, old ones play by paying attention to these things.

Your suspicion is largely true because casinos definitely track players and want to increase play for new or small balance players with targeted offers. But targeting a specific player by increasing the machine payout and "winning big on the first run" is usually strictly prohibited by law, but still many casino owners consider it legitimate for their own benefit and profit. In most cases, they use free credits, bonuses or marketing tricks to attract players, and sometimes big first-time wins happen due to RNG, which they do intentionally to create a good impression.

[yahoo62278]

Physical casinos used to be able to be played without an account and just cash. This was one of the main advantages.
But probably they realized that tracking player habits even on the individual level was too valuable to miss and started making player accounts mandatory.

Now to play at any machine at a physical casino, you can't just drip some cash in, you need to insert a card.
This way the casino knows who has played what, which game you won what on etc.

I'm having a suspicion some casinos might even use their ability to track player to lure new players in with bigger wins only at first runs with small balances. What do you think?

I think it's less likely used for rigging wins, wouldn't really make sense because if that was ever found to be true the casino would be shut down. Too big a risk for them when they already have a license to print money. House edge takes care of everything.

They use the card to see what games are over or underperforming so they can make decisions on whet they need more or less of. Only think your name does is rack up comp points and get tickets for raffles and giveaways.

[Wapfika]

Member cards in casinos can be useful if you play often — they help you track points, get cashback, and access small perks. But they also record your habits, so privacy-minded players may prefer staying anonymous.
It depends on what you value more, rewards or privacy.
Do you usually go for loyalty cards when you play in person?

I doubt you will consider playing on land based casino if you prefer privacy since it’s a public place while all your games are being recorded with the casino CCTV.

You should stay playing online casino if you value privacy the most. Not getting this perks while you are dealing with high house edge of the land based casino games is such a waste.

However, it’s a case to case basis on user preferences but for me it should be avail.

[Pumpsta]

Idk man, even the idea itself is a hit or miss. It’s either a feeling of community or it’s gonna be the reminder of how stupid of an addict you are. I feel like a lot of people would try to hide it if the card was a thing.