Casinos Cash in on Player's Card

As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times: "The implementation of computerized tracking of the money that people gamble in casinos through the use of players' club cards was a major catalyst contributing to the growth of the gaming industry.

"Players' clubs enabled casino owners to analyze their customer bases to an extent that was never before possible and allowed them to craft marketing strategies that encourage brand loyalty, attract new customers and cultivate current ones.

"This isn't to diminish the fact that players' clubs can be valuable to gamblers as well. The benefits that players derive from using their cards and the judicious use of them contribute toward cutting into the house advantage on slots, video poker and table games.

"Case in point is Harrah's Entertainment's Total Rewards, which is available locally at Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel and Jack Binion's Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ind. This April when Harrah's completes the process of converting the Caesars properties that it purchased last year to Total Rewards, its database will swell to about 39 million individuals. Of that number, approximately one-third will have been active within the last year…"