Read an article that MGM and Caesar's properties are experimenting with ways to eliminate free booze to those of us who like to sit at the bar and play video poker.  Is this true?

The stupid resort fees that make you pay for worthless items are bad enough but now this?  I think I am done visiting Vegas now.

Give up on "visiting Vegas," because several of the large corporate properties are gouging tourists and locals!  There are many hotel/casinos that don't, especially the ones that are privately owned.

Viva Las Vegas!

These are only at VP machines at the bar and they only matter to people who sit down, throw a $20 in, order the drink, then leave.

People have made plenty of comments on trip advisor.. They have stopped to play and talk with the bartender and they were still "green."

This is going to start an unnecessary rumor that is just that, not true.

If you're actually playing VP you will get your alcohol just like you did before.

The Los Angeles Times reports the days of comped drinks for Las Vegas gamblers may be coming to an end.

"It's kind of what Vegas is known for," Scott Roeben, founder of Vital Vegas, tells KTNV. But in recent months, two of the biggest casino owners in Vegas launched systems to regulate the free alcohol being handed out to video poker players in their bars.

And according to Vital Vegas, that means it's only a matter of time until similar systems are put in place at bars all over Vegas before being rolled out to slot machines and beyond.

Currently, the changes mean gamblers can no longer milk video poker games for cheap in order to drink for free, WGBA reports. MGM Resorts started things off by deploying video poker machines in bars at the MGM Grand and the Mirage that print out drink vouchers when gamblers have been playing for long enough.

It says the new machines take the pressure off bartenders to figure out who deserves to have their drinks comped. But the major sea change appears to be happening at Caesars Entertainment, which installed colored lights on the backs of video poker machines in the bars at all nine of its Vegas-area casinos.

If i did not already have my plane tickets I would not venture out there this year but it is non-refundable so use it or lose it.  But as far as Vegas goes, I am done after this trip.  Corporate bean counters and their relentless greed have taken all of the fun out of Sin City or should I now call it Siphon City.

Sounds like a rumor that SA put in his paper

who knows what the future will hold, but as of now.. yes, they do have a green light system. as long as you are gambling, which is what youre supposed to be doing at those seats to get free drinks, then you will have a green light.

if you arent gambling and have a red light, just be happy for all of the "free" drinks that you had in the previous years...

 
nothing is free. i repeat, nothing is free.
xoxo

I hadn't heard that about night club revenue being down, but I guess it had to happen sooner or later.  As for casino revenues being down all I can say is that they have no one to blame but themselves for that.  The drink ticket thing makes sense, just hope it doesn't find its way, in some form, to the table games.  Ah, Vegas sure has changed in the last few decades.........

in my 20s.. at a really popular night club. at that time it was all about "hip hop" and "poppin bottles" ... you had to pay 20k to be at the table next to kim kardashian and she was in about once a month.  

now with edm music people dont buy bottles like they used to. they, well... drink more water.
xx

That makes sense.  Figured the gravy train would slow down at some point, I wonder if this will eventually change the demographics of casino goers.  I would love to see more emphasis put back on gaming but I think those days might be behind us.

No more free parking, either?  I heard its ten bucks for two hours at Bellagio, can anyone substantiate that rip-off?

If you are a vegas local and scan your ID it is still free to park in any MGM property for up to 4hrs.
If you pay for parking for non-locals in the self-parking garage I was just at Bellagio recently for over 2hrs and it was still $7hrs I paid.I think if you valet for 2hrs it is $13.Now if you are at the Vdara I believe that was $18 but you can't self park there it is valet only.

Eventually Vegas will get to the point where they will charge us to use public bathrooms and breath their air.

So some people may start looking for other options.
If they keep charging for every little thing.
The tourist are a big part of this economy.
 

Amsterdam.. I think Paris too.. Maybe even London. I can't remember all of the places, but many places in Europe make you pay to pee!

As for the parking.. I think they should set it up like Atlantic city.. If you gamble enough (it's not an insane amount) or go out to dinner for a certain amount then parking in free. I'm not sure why they didn't do that here. The whole point is to get someone at a machine and take their money.. So let them think "oh I risk $100 gambling for parking.. Or I pay flat out.. " just makes sense to me.

But I know little about casino marketing.
xo

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Parking fees don't bother me as I'm a Gold Card member, which means it's free. But here's what I found strange. I just got back from Vegas, staying at the Bellagio and when I saw my final bill, my two nights were comp but the resort fee HAD to stay, there was no getting around it. I wasn't going to trip over $32 but I just found it funny...oh well.

Yep and all of this add on fees and charges nonsense has convinced this tourist to take his dollars elsewhere.