The Top 10 Reasons Why a Player Won’t Sign Up Or Use Your Free Casino Players Card

Understanding why a player won’t sign up or use your card, even after receiving their initial card, is a key to understanding your player base, the perception of your loyalty programs, and how your front line staff is communicating the benefits (or lack there of).

Having traveled to hundreds of casinos throughout the country in either a consulting role, as a mystery shopper or player, I’ve kept a database on why players won’t use a Player’s Card. I will continue to update the list and even one day breakout the list by gaming jurisdiction and type of casino (local, resort, tribal).

10. The offers aren’t worth it, the only thing I ever got was a free coffee st louis cardinals cleveland indians hawaiian shirt .

How guilty are you at not communicating the benefits of your club? Are you also guilty of “baiting” someone into signing up and then forgetting all about them? This happens all too frequently, where the best offer a player ever received was the initial $5 in Free Play or the logo disposable camera. Then after spending their “bankroll,” you never contact the new player again. Yes, we understand the reasons why, too much is emphasized on new player acquisition, and not enough is budgeted on existing player development or the player simply didn’t play enough on their first trip. Hmm, good enough to take up labor costs, shell out a free gift, perhaps a coupon book, but not enough to paste a stamp on a letter and say “Hey, thanks for joining…as a reminder, here are the benefits…”

9. The lines are too long.

Wow, talk about a double-edged sword. You can’t get any new sign-ups because the line for new sign-ups is too long. Really? That’s like Yogi Berra’s famous statement, “Nobody goes there anymore…it’s too crowded.” When was the last time you actually looked at the confusing queuing area? How many new potential sign-ups are waiting in the line for coupon redemption or entry ticket drop offs? How many VIP’s are being serviced by how many club members and the long line of new sign-ups are being service by the newest and greenest member of the staff? Exactly how much quality time can be spent with each new enrollee? See number 10 again, I may have spotted a trend.

8. I don’t want my personal information given out, I don’t want to be tracked.

The player is the number one reason why your casino is staying in business, how can anyone in this day and age think you’ll give their information out to anyone (Elvis sightings notwithstanding)? The Player database is the “Holy Grail” of all that is right with gaming. It is protected better than executive compensation packages…let them know this. In reality, this statement loosely translates, “I don’t want my wife/husband knowing how much I play.” Explain, how you can add them to the “do not mail, call or email” list and creatively come up with a system to manually pick up their rewards.

Being tracked is what the club benefits are all about. It’s the number one reason to become a FREE member! That’s like the F&B Director accepting the excuse “I don’t eat at the buffet because I don’t like to make choices.” Communicate the value of re-investing in their play, re-emphasize the cold fact not everyone wins on every trip, but your building points, comps, benefits to offset those ghastly days. Having a tracking system is the only way a player can request a win/loss statement for their taxes.

7. I’ll get a better offer in six months.

Actually, this happens more often than I thought, as it is the 7th top reason. What your player is stating is straightforward, “I signed up, didn’t get much, played a little, then when I quit using my card you sent me a better offer in the mail (again) to come back and enjoy a FREE Buffet, a discounted room or even show tickets.” Please see reason number 10 again, I think we definitely spotted a trend. I find this incredible because most jurisdictions will only archive old accounts, not delete them. Where are the check s and balances of duplicate player records? Although I will admit, it is fun to listen to the scammers broadcast a triumphal boasts on how they duped “The establishment.” Ok, maybe not.

6. I lost it/I forgot it.

Having to have lost your card or forgetting to bring your card implies they once had to have a card. Chances are, Nope, nada, no way. They are just too uneasy to say “No thanks.” Ever wonder why they won’t give you their name so you can reprint another card or give you their license (which, “Oops must have left that in the room too.”). They could easily be placed in any other category of excuse on this list.

5. I only play tables.

We’ve all heard it numerous times, “We don’t have a table tracking system, it’s too hard to track players consistently.” Again, loosely translated, the pit supervisor didn’t manually rate or enter the players rated card into the system. Why? Could be a number of reasons, but it’s no excuse. Tier your table player’s offers and rewards against other table players; don’t compare them to slot players. The Golden Rule, you have to bet big to win big in tables…big table action deserves big rewards, not slot free play and not just a match play- although that’s a start. Don’t get me started on table hold percentages either, I’m just the messenger.

4. I don’t play enough.

This would actually be a valid excuse if a casino didn’t offer “Hot Seat Random” drawings, discounted rooms, double, triple point days and discounted meals by just being a FREE member. Again, are we really communicating the benefits? Our trend has become an epidemic.

3. The card never works or the card reader doesn’t work.

I have seen a salvo of players having a great time at their slot machine only to get up a few hours later and realize their card reader is flashing: “Please re-insert your card!” I’ve watched players dance the dance of card re-insertion and flip and rotate only to move to another less popular machine. And honestly, I’ve seen players try and insert another casinos card. It happens. Sure, you can clean those card readers, offer to replace the card, walk around and look for card readers not working and assist these folks, but if a player has to change seats or play a less desirable game, your credibility is shot.

2. I see too many people using someone else’s card.

I’ve read about every disclaimer on the back of each player’s card. Yet, I see club centers time and time again issuing one card short of infinity to a player, even though the field on the player tracking system states: Number of cards issued: 2,567,875. No red flag there. Although this happens quite frequently where rewards (entry tickets) or status (room, food & beverage) are based on this trip only (TTO), usually only at the local joints are the players complaining. At these places, the players actually have better data of who was playing when, where and how much. Better take them off the floor and give them the title of Player Development Director.

And the number one reason why…

1. Superstitious – I can’t win with it, I win more without it.

This is the number one excuse in every gaming jurisdiction on the planet. You can’t argue with superstition. Heck gaming has been built around hunches, gut feelings, fate and luck. But honestly, every casino does a great job broadcasting their winners on slot toppers, wall of fames and even on their web sites. Now we all know, Vegas wasn’t built on winners, but when is the last time a marketing director ran a PR campaign, “Play with your card, you’ll lose more than anyone else,” or “Please don’t use your card, you’ll win too much.”

write by johnson