COMPS FOR SALE?

There has been some discussion on the Internet recently about the selling of comps. Although there is no general agreement about this subject and I respect the right of others to publicize their opinions, I feel constrained to publically disagree with any gambling information that I feel might lead gamblers into danger areas.

Casinos generally object to any selling of comps, whether that is in written rules or just unwritten casino policy. On the other side, players often feel that if they earn a comp, this is a “gift” that they have the right to do anything they want with it.

Now we enter the Grey Zone. Your friends and family no longer want all that casino “stuff” they don’t need that you try to give them because you can’t use it? You decide to have a garage sale to clean out your closets and storage areas? I’m sure the casino doesn’t care that you made a few dollars selling their “junk.”  You occasionally have some comped tickets to a show that doesn’t interest you. You mention it to a friend and he volunteers to take them off your hands and he offers to pay you. You want to just give them to him but he insists so you give him a discounted bargain price.   You have a long-time friend who needs a room in Vegas for a 3-day trip during a high-rate period and he says he will pay you if you get him one you can get comped. You say you wouldn’t charge a friend, but he presses some bills into your hand at the end of the visit. I don’t imagine the casino is going to punish you for an occasional favor for a friend.

During the last 30+ years we have been earning comps in casinos, the last 17 while we have been Vegas residents, we have let friends/family stay in our comped rooms for hundreds of nights.  In almost all cases, we have spoken to our hosts about these arrangements and emphasized that we would give the same amount of play as if we were sleeping in the casino bed ourselves.   There has never been a problem and since no money was changing hands this has never been a gray area for us.

However, we know many players that have made a business of selling comps, entering a very very gray area.  If they do it very carefully, they often get by with it – at least for a while, i.e., selling items and gift cards they get from casinos on eBay.   But frequently I hear about problems they eventually encounter, particularly the casino taking countermeasures against them. They may be no-mailed, making play at that casino no longer an advantage possibility. More seriously, the casino may revoke their players club membership so their ability to earn future comps is cut off. And most serious, these players may be 86’d from the property – and often from all properties of that same company.

We advantage players have enough problems finding good plays these days without making our problem even worse. Of course a wise advantage player is always looking for ways to boost the EV of their plays. However, whatever ethical standards you have – or don’t have – about what you can do with your casino comps, you might want to consider the possible negative consequences of becoming a comp salesman on the side. They might cost you more than what you can gain.