Free Play :
Entrenched and Entitled
Players have come to expect free play as a reward for their slot wagers . Is that a good thing for casinos ? BY FRANK LEGATO
Loyalty rewards for slot players have certainly evolved from the days when marketers sent out direct-mail coupons to players month after month as a perk for their repeat play . Some loyalty rewards have remained in place , from merchandise gifts to direct cashback through the credit meter .
But these days , the king of the slot loyalty game is free play — non-negotiable bonus credits that do not actually become a reward until they are wagered through a slot machine at least once . For casinos , it is a low-cost player perk with tax benefits — particularly in jurisdictions that deduct the cost of free play from gross slot win , reducing the total on which casinos must pay often-onerous gaming taxes to their states .
Tax benefits aside , the fact free play must be played through translates into a reinvestment in the player that is cost-effective . Coupons can be cashed at the cage and carried out of the casino . Cashback directly to a credit meter , likewise , can be cashed out immediately . Physical gifts are carried off the property — or , nowadays , often shipped directly to the players ’ homes at the casino ’ s expense — without any requirement for additional wagers .
For players , free play is easy to earn , and lately , has become ubiquitous , to the point players see it as an entitlement — it ’ s a perk they
expect , in return for their repeat play . For most operators , that ’ s just fine . “ Over the last 20 years or so , free play has become pretty much a fundamental tool in our marketing arsenal , probably similar to most casino properties , at least in the United States ,” says Mark Birtha , president of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento .
“ It ’ s definitely something that our guests are quite familiar with , and for whom it obviously has a lot of appeal . So , we use it regularly , and it ’ s something we find is pretty effective in terms of driving trips and overall loyalty with our guests .”
“ It ’ s definitely something that our guests are quite familiar with , and for whom it obviously has a lot of appeal . So , we use it regularly , and it ’ s something we find is pretty effective in terms of driving trips and overall loyalty with our guests .”
— Mark Birtha , President , Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento
18 Global Gaming Business MARCH 2025