vpFREE2 Forums

Ageism and Casino Promotions.

I'd like to hear opinions from the community about certain promotions restricted to customers 55 years or older. Now, I'm not "anti Seniors promotions", and I'm not talking about buy-one-get-one buffets either. Promotions more like "5x points for Seniors" currently running in some casinos in town is when I get jealous.

My argument is that giving one patron only .1% cash back return on their gaming play, when a player playing identical games gets .5%, 5 times as much, simply because of their age is unfair. Two different new players, with no past play at all, get access to two different gambling opportunities. One could be playing a very positive EV game while the other has no such option.

Some people I have discussed this with have an opposing view that goes something like, "I didn't hear you complaining when they were getting half off dinner before 6pm". But to me that's a different situation. I think the 5x points is more similar to having two blackjack tables available, Seniors can get 3:2 on naturals, everyone else gets 6:5.

Ive accepted the fact I could be completely wrong and this is fine and acceptable to everyone. Just wanted to hear some new opinions.

As an old f_rt, I kinda like it. (And I'd like to know which casinos are offering it. ) I'm at the cutting edge of the Baby Boomers, and I generally feel like I've gotten screwed all along as the powers that be have looked at the vast numbers of Boomers coming along and said, "Let's cut this out, let's change that, before this massive herd of people can take advantage of it." But enough of my paranoia.

I generally go to Mohegan Sun during the week, since I'm retired, (and why should I put up with you young whippersnappers on the weekends when the casino is 3-4 times more crowded.) I know that many of the promotions I get are geared toward weekday events, which fit in with my normal attendance pattern. My sister-in-law & brother-in-law who still work, on the other hand, get mostly weekend events. I always assumed that was as a result of when we all seemed to go out there.

The reality is that I believe (generally) casinos carefully consider what they
are doing marketing-wise. And if they feel they need to put fannies in
the seats, any fannies, and there is a group that has a more elastic
demand (i.e., can more easily be swayed into an action) because perhaps
they are retired and can change their schedule and go to a casino, they
will tailor a promotion toward those fannies. Right now, casinos are
in a downward trend, so whoever they can tempt into the casino, they go
for.

Let me give 2 possible examples:
1. I'm Diamond level at Harrah's , and the nominal offer I have for Vegas rooms is 3 or 4 nights, depending on which property I choose. When I made reservations (online, not by schmoozing someone on the phone) for a trip out later this month, I got five free nights, in a higher-end room, at any one of the hotels I wanted. Do you think they want to get anyone out there for as long as possible?
2. I've never played at the Venetian at all, ever. But I have gone on a couple of Carnival cruises, and played a bit (well, maybe more than a bit) at the $1 level onboard. I received an offer under the Carnival logo for $750 slot credit, 2-4 nights at an upgraded suite at either the Venetian or the Palazzo, Gold status, a free dinner, a gift basket, etc. My wife( who is a quarter-level player) got a $150 slot credit offer, and 2-4 nights in a smaller suite. I can only believe that these are geared toward the older demographic, i.e., cruise passengers.

But do I think I got these offers because of my still-boyish good looks? Well, possibly, but not likely. ; )

···

________________________________

I'd like to hear opinions from the community about certain promotions >restricted to customers 55 years or older. Now, I'm not "anti Seniors >promotions", and I'm not talking about buy-one-get- one buffets either. >Promotions more like "5x points for Seniors" currently running in some >casinos in town is when I get jealous.

Some people I have discussed this with have an opposing view that goes >something like, "I didn't hear you complaining when they were getting half >off dinner before 6pm". But to me that's a different situation. I think the 5x >points is more similar to having two blackjack tables available, Seniors can >get 3:2 on naturals, everyone else gets 6:5.

Ive accepted the fact I could be completely wrong and this is fine and >acceptable to everyone. Just wanted to hear some new opinions.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

   5 times as much, simply because of their age is unfair.

Where do you get that life is fair?

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···

tbf1020 <tbf1020@yahoo.com> wrote:

it's unfair, and it's obnoxious, and it's infuriating.

it also ain't changing, so i shrug and deal with it.

not much in life is fair, and casino promotions are less fair than
most. my father gets far better offers than i do, for less play. so
does one of my chinese friends. whatever. i'm not going to cry that
life is so unfair because i'm young and white.

cheers,

five

···

On Sun, Mar 8, 2009 at 2:55 AM, tbf1020 <tbf1020@yahoo.com> wrote:

I'd like to hear opinions from the community about certain promotions restricted to customers 55 years or older. Now, I'm not "anti Seniors promotions", and I'm not talking about buy-one-get-one buffets either. Promotions more like "5x points for Seniors" currently running in some casinos in town is when I get jealous.

Have you looked at the demographics for casino players?

Whether you look at casual visitors or Diamond/7 Star numbers, the steady players are mostly over 50 ... there is good reason for that .. they have more time and money for things like gambling trips when the kids are grown and out of college.

Look around next time you visit your regular casino on a week day ...

The over 50 market is the market that is most likely to garner more play on a consistent basis ...

I agree with tbf1020. It is completely unfair....and annoying.

A casino having the "extra 5x points for old people" promotion is *exactly*
like a casino having two blackjack tables, old people get paid 3:2 on
naturals and all else get paid 6:5. In both cases, a subset of the casino
patrons is receiving more money than the other patrons.

I don't think anyone can dispute tbf1020's original statement - this
discriminatory promotion is unfair. And, it doesn't even matter exactly how
much more money these old people get, it's still unfair....an annoying.

Curtis

···

On 3/8/09, tbf1020 <tbf1020@yahoo.com> wrote:

I'd like to hear opinions from the community about certain promotions
restricted to customers 55 years or older. Now, I'm not "anti Seniors
promotions", and I'm not talking about buy-one-get-one buffets either.
Promotions more like "5x points for Seniors" currently running in some
casinos in town is when I get jealous.

My argument is that giving one patron only .1% cash back return on their
gaming play, when a player playing identical games gets .5%, 5 times as
much, simply because of their age is unfair. Two different new players, with
no past play at all, get access to two different gambling opportunities. One
could be playing a very positive EV game while the other has no such option.

Some people I have discussed this with have an opposing view that goes
something like, "I didn't hear you complaining when they were getting half
off dinner before 6pm". But to me that's a different situation. I think the
5x points is more similar to having two blackjack tables available, Seniors
can get 3:2 on naturals, everyone else gets 6:5.

Ive accepted the fact I could be completely wrong and this is fine and
acceptable to everyone. Just wanted to hear some new opinions.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]