SAMI’S SMACKDOWN By Sami Becker
CUTTING A CASINO’S CORD One Reader’s “How To Guide” On Walking Away
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here are some casinos in Arizona that truly value their patrons and provide top notch customer service and then, unfortunately, there are some that do not. That’s just a fact. Sometimes it’s poor management, sometimes it’s the inability to find good employees who are willing to do the work, and occasionally a business exhibits complete and total apathy, top to bottom. Regardless of the reason, it’s up to each of us to decide whether or not a casino is worth frequenting. Most of the residents of Arizona have at least one casino option available to them within a 15-20 minute drive from where they live. Convenience is not a good reason to choose to spend your hard-earned entertainment dollars at any casino, but I know that a casino’s proximity to where you live plays a big factor. You’re tired, you’ve had a long week, it’s Friday night and all you and your spouse want to do is grab a bite to eat and enjoy a couple hours of gaming, so driving to a casino that’s one hour away when there’s one just down the street doesn’t sound appealing. I have to commend one of our long-time readers who wrote me a detailed email recently on some of the gaming decisions she’s made as part of her New Year’s resolutions. She wished to remain anonymous so I’ll just refer to her as “Susan.” “I hold a top-level card at four different casinos in Arizona,” said Susan and “This year I have decided that [two of those four casinos] will no longer receive my business.” She went on to explain the several reasons for her firm decision. First and foremost was the fact that numerous, extremely valid, concerns that she had brought up to management were not addressed to her satisfaction. Second of all, she realized that in a direct comparison, two of the four casinos did not provide her with the best overall service and experience. “Quite a bit of money is pumped through the games, not to mention the time it takes, to achieve the highest-level tier at any casino, let alone four,” said Susan. “Besides traveling, one of the things my husband and I enjoy doing is visiting casinos on our time off from our busy work schedules.” Based on the reasons for her decisions, I fully support Susan and am extremely impressed with the level of detail and analysis her and her husband performed when evaluating which casinos were going to continue to receive their business.
34 Arizona Gaming Guide | February 2024 | azgamingguide.com
“For an entire year, I played at [a casino] without being contacted by a host or even invited to a VIP event!” Even after confirming at the Players Club that, based on her high level of play, she does have a host and her host “should be reaching out to her,” no one ever did. That’s when Susan and her husband decided to dig a little deeper. When they realized that this particular casino’s free play, promotions, and other services didn’t come anywhere close to the other casinos’ benefits, it was an easy decision to cross this casino off their list. Another casino was eliminated because Susan said she “just wasn’t winning very often at [this casino] but never understood why? I felt I was spending more time and money there, but receiving less taxable hand pays and way less in rewards and benefits.” The easy conclusion to come to is that maybe the games are just set tighter there than at the other casinos, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Sometimes a casino’s energy can just be off and it’s as simple as that. What type of crowd usually visits that particular casino? Where are your favorite games located? How loud is the atmosphere? The noise, the lights, the people, the overall environment, or dozens of other factors, can all play a role in your experience. If you don’t feel comfortable when you’re playing, it will definitely affect your play sessions. “This year is about making smart choices across the board in our lives. My husband and I will not play at any casinos where we don’t feel appreciated anymore. And we’re going to make an effort this year to drive to some of the other casinos we read about all the time in your magazine. Who knows? We may just find our next favorite casino! We’ll let you know!” Kudos to you, Susan, for choosing wisely where to spend your entertainment dollars, and your valuable time! I hope our readers take your message to heart and follow your lead as well. $
