Stop Predatory Gambling

The need to publicly investigate casino databases

by spgadmin

The Las Vegas Sun published two good stories this morning that highlight the need for public officials and citizens to put an intense spotlight on the players clubs rewards system that is the backbone for the casino marketing machine.

The first story focuses on how casino insiders are raiding gamblers’ loyalty points on swipe cards that track gamblers’ play as they rack up points to redeem for meals, hotel stays, merchandise and even cash.

The second story details how the loyalty cards are a key part of the casino’s deceptive and predatory marketing practices which includes inaccurately advertised payouts for video poker machines, gambling promotions that are available only to more profitable customers and comped hotel stays and VIP events with hidden costs.

Nearly every state Attorney General in America sued Countrywide Financial for their deceptive and predatory lending practices. It’s time the same level of scrutiny was applied to the predatory gambling trade and it starts with the casino databases. Because as The Sun reporter describes, “So critical are these massive, good-as-cash databases to casino profits that, if there were to be an Oceans 14 movie, the next great casino heist might target the computers that manage them.”

The great casino heist has been underway for a long time and we are going to do our best to end it.