When you go to a casino and play games like slot machines, you often accrue “earned comps,” which are earned as you play. Usually these take the form of comp dollars, but some companies, like MGM Rewards, have variations on this.
I go to Empire City Casino in Yonkers, NY. I have slot dollars I can redeem for cash. If I don’t use that money, do I lose it completely?
Jennette
While nearly every casino program rewards some sort of comp dollars, not every player accruing comps opts to use them right away. As such, knowing the expiration policy is key.
MGM Rewards (of which Empire City Casino is a part) is a weird example, but we’ll start with them and then broaden the answer for just about everyone. MGM Rewards actually has two buckets – MGM Rewards Points and Slot (or VLT, depending on the casino) Dollars, which accrue as you play.
Expiration depends on your status – at the time we wrote this, Sapphire members have their balances expire after six months of inactivity, whereas higher tier players (Pearl and up) have no expiration, as long as they maintain their status.
So, the simplest way to ensure they stick around (if you’re not a higher tier) is to play at least once every six months. Caesars Rewards has a similar six-month expiration policy, except it applies to all tiers.
It’s important to note that not every casino program has the same expiration policies. Some give you a longer window, some a shorter window, and the occasional one they don’t expire at all. Some let you maintain your existing points, resetting the expiration clock when you visit, while others have a rule that points acquire X months after accrual, regardless of later visits.
We’ve heard from some angry casino players who don’t like that they expire, but there are often reasons (usually accounting driven) for these decisions, so it’s important to use their value up if you are worried they’ll expire.
Comp dollars can be used for a variety of things, from shopping to dining to hotel rooms to free play, and each casino’s policies will determine how they can be used. We encourage players to get to know the programs for the casinos they visit most, and ensure that they make use of comps before they expire.
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