Things have changed quite a bit since I began my channel. One aspect that’s improved over the years is the ability to film my slot play in casinos. I’m not the only one who remembers those days:
Heard about you on Kim Komando. Had to check out your channel. Very fun to watch! One question: I always thought filming in a casino was a HUGE no-no. I know my times in Vegas, I was asked not to take pictures more than once. Did something change?
Butter S.
There have definitely been changes over the years, and generally more in favor of the player, which is a good development.
What many don’t realize is that for the most part, anti-filming regulations were at the casino or corporate level, not often at the state level (although some states, like New Jersey and Pennsylvania, do have restrictions at the gaming regulator level that require pre-approved permission before recording).
In the case of Las Vegas, the anti-picture and anti-filming rules were set by the casinos. One notable exception for a long time was the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, which is why you often saw my content based out of that location in the earlier years of my channel, and I wasn’t alone – a lot of channels 5-10 years ago were filming there.
But over time, things have changed as two things have happened – casino companies finally realized that filming the game (as long as you’re not filming other patrons) isn’t a security risk (as it never was), and it can be good marketing for big wins from a casino to be shared widely on platforms like YouTube and Facebook.
Today, MGM has a corporate-wide policy when it comes to filming, and even based on whether you’re just a player capturing their bonus or a creator with a social media presence. El Cortez is notable for welcoming table game players to film their play, something that’s still more unusual given most casinos have rules about electronic devices around tables.
Many casinos that now allow filming will generally need some sort of pre-approval before you film on their floor. Some require you to wear badges while doing so. This is all fine by me! I’ve had a stance for many years now that I go to casinos where I have pre-approval, or where filming is simply allowed. After all, I only have so much time to film content, and it’s lost time if I’m stopped because I haven’t arranged permission upfront.
Even then, I do sometimes still get stopped. I’ve encountered my share of security people who either don’t realize marketing teams are granting permission, or are stuck in the previous mindset that no filming is allowed. Over time, I’ve gotten organized, and have permissions printed out or handy on my phone if questions come up, so I can resolve the question and get back to work.
So I’m happy to report that things have improved. Most casinos will let you snap a quick picture, and a growing percentage allow filming in some form. You might still encounter someone who tells you you can’t take a picture, but oftentimes they’re more concerned about other patrons being captured in your photo than the machine.
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Brian I was wondering if you still have classes about how to get a slot channel started.
Hi Sharon! We don’t have anything to share right now (Brian did a boot camp some time ago but we have nothing on the schedule right now), but he previously published this video that shared a lot of tips. While the video is a number of years old now, much of the information is still helpful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydosvk4mLto