GIFTS, GIFTS, GIFTS & MORE GIFTS!

Enough with the gift giveaways. PLEASE! My wife can’t say no to the gifts that the casinos are constantly giving away. Most of the time we don’t even play, we just drive out to the casino and get the darn toaster or whatever it is. I’m sick of the useless gifts.

James Henderson, Buckeye, AZ

Tell the casinos to stop giving away crappy presents. How many toasters, luggage sets, sheet sets and waffle makers do they think we need? Gift cards and free play, that’s all!

Margaret F., e-mail

I am so sick and tired of the casinos bribing me to come play with a stupid gift. I’m done collecting $5 items that are worthless that end up costing me hundreds of dollars at the casino!

Diane Mueller, Chandler, AZ

My garage is filled with casino gifts from the giveaways. You wouldn’t believe all the items I have. I could probably fill up 20 kitchens and bedrooms and bathrooms with all the bed sets and towels and kitchen appliances and more!! I’ve given my friends and family I don’t know how many gifts. Some already get their own items from the casinos and they don’t want mine. I’m done. I’m not picking up another sheet and comforter set. In fact, I’ve decided that I will purposely not go on the giveaway days so I’m not tempted to pick it up just because!

Mira S., Gilbert, AZ company. First, it’s easier to pay someone else to do the work. Second, the perceived competition with the other casinos. As in, “they are doing it, so I have to as well.” Third, it is one of the only large companies performing this service. Fourth, it works. If the gift program didn’t contribute significantly to a casino’s bottom line, they wouldn't do it. So, you mention NOT going to a casino on their gift days. If you all are prepared to follow through with that statement, do so. A shift in consumer behavior will affect a casino's bottom line.

Another way out of the cycle of picking up “useless gifts,” to use your words, is to focus only on promotions which are not based on physical items. Personally, I like gift certificates. They are small, have an exact cash value, and can be used by me, my family, my friends, or I can regift them.

I go out of my way to ignore gift promotions and only focus on gift card and free play promotions. The best promotions for me are “earn and get.” Whether it’s gas or free play, I’m gifted $X and then given the opportunity to play up for more certificates or free play the more points I earn. That’s how I avoid a garage full of crappy purses, plastic screwdriver sets, off-brand toasters (or blenders, or baking dishes lined with toxic paint), and so on.

We appreciate your feedback. Thank you!

Trust us when we say, we all know how you feel! Almost all casinos are using the same gift supplier (Imagine This | Casino Continuity Programs - ImagineThis.com). Make sure you check out their website to gain a better understanding of what casinos are outsourcing to this single company that they all use. If you’ve ever wondered why one casino offers a gift set, and then in the following month another casino has the exact same gift set, Imagine This is the reason why.

There are several reasons why the casinos are using this one

If you have a garage filled with unwanted and unused casino “gifts,” my advice to you is to stop collecting more gifts and to have a garage sale as fast as possible once the weather cools off. Price each unused and boxed item at $5 and sell them all. There are a lot of people out there who are more than happy to exchange $5 for a brand new toaster.

But based on what we’ve heard, post-pandemic, people who frequent garage sales recognize unwanted casino gifts and are beginning not to buy them. Prospective buyers are turning up their nose because they know the products are low-quality, not brand name, and are in low demand. So, before too many unwanted casino gifts flood the market, get rid of yours while you still can in exchange for cash. If that’s not your style, pick your favorite non-corporate charity and donate the items. If buyers are starting to reject the gifts, the donation places may soon catch on too! $