Vegas Criticized for Less Comps, More Fees

Las Vegas built its reputation on comping frequent gamblers with cheap hotels, $3 buffets and free drinks. But according to a recent report, Sin City is tightening up on the freebies more than ever before.

Michael Kaplan of the New York Post writes that casinos are now charging for parking, tacking on big resort fees, and offering fewer comped drinks.

“Vegas gambling dens owned by MGM Resorts International (including high-end spots such as the Bellagio and Aria) now tariff as much as $10 a day to park your car,” writes Kaplan. “It doesn’t sound like a lot — but until recently, it was free.”

As for the resort fees, these are becoming more and more common in any travel destination – not just Vegas. But considering that Sin City is known for their comps, an extra $30 or more for a hotel stay comes as a surprise to many visitors.

“Check in to a place designed to take your money at the tables and you’re an instant loser when socked with markups of $29 to $32 per night,” Kaplan writes. “The fees cover entry to the gym, Wi-Fi, local phone calls, maybe a bottle of water in your room — whether you care to use the amenities or not.”

Perhaps the most-telling sign that Vegas casinos are pinching pennies comes from the free drinks, which are now being determined by gambling machines.

“Now they’re making it so that the bar-top slot and video poker machines decide when you’ve gambled enough to warrant a free drink by spitting out cocktail vouchers,” Kaplan explains. “The old, pre-Pavlovian system would have tip-hungry bartenders pouring refills whenever you seemed to be running low.”

Aside from the stingier comps that Kaplan writes about, Vegas casinos have transitioned their casino games to have higher house edges, giving players a lower chance at winning.

The best example of this can be seen with blackjack, where most tables only pay 6:5 on natural blackjacks, rather than 3:2. This may seem like a small change, but it’s one that increases the house edge by almost 1.4%.

Other changes include higher minimum bets at most table games, and “penny” slot machines that require $3 minimum wagers or more.

All of this combines to show that times have changed in Las Vegas, where free comps and low-house-edge casino games are becoming few and far in between.