The term “club” is misleading, since there are no dues to pay, meetings to attend, or any of the usual aspects related to joining an organization, although members do get a player’s card, which is key to their collecting the possible benefits and rewards offered by the casino. Slot clubs have their origin in Atlantic City and date back over 25 years. They started out as a way to recognize and reward good players, and now are one of the most powerful marketing tools a casino has to offer.
A slot club membership card resembles a credit card in that it is made of plastic and has identifying numbers on it. A player uses it while playing at any of the casino’s slot or video poker machines or while playing table games. Bear in mind that it is in no way an actual credit card, simply a means of identifying a patron and keeping tabs of the amount of money they bet, how long they stay at the tables, and what games they prefer to play.
When a player enters a casino for the first time, she or she should ask the first employee they see where they can find the slot club or players club booth before putting any money into play. The player will need to fill out a short application form, which normally does not require a Social Security number, but will ask for birthday and anniversary dates. Some times casinos will also offer a sign-up bonus such as a free gift or free points.
When the player decides upon a game to play, the player puts the card into the designated slot in the machine and leaves it there during the duration of their play. In addition to the points a player earns while on the casino floor which entitles them to comps, there is also the benefit of being on the slot club mailing list. Offers of room specials, even free rooms, are mailed out repeatedly to members, as well as meal discounts, double and triple point coupons, show and movie theater tickets, spa specials, drawing tickets, and the like. While casino offers are based on levels of play, virtually everyone is rewarded in some way for even the most trivial amount of play. Many slot clubs are worth it alone simply for the birthday special offers.