Have you ever accidentally left your players card in a machine when getting up? I’m sure most of us have done this at some point in a casino. But what about playing a machine for a bit before realizing someone else’s card was in it? That’s the general topic of today’s question:
What happens when someone accidentally forgets to take their card out and you play that machine and win, not noticing it?
Donna L.
Ultimately, your play, including how much you bet, and how much you won or lost, will be recorded to their account. It’s unlikely that play will get removed unless the casino is made aware of it and there’s a specific reason to correct the record, such as a jackpot being triggered.
We often see players advising other players that their win/loss records are enough to prove their gambling records with the IRS. This is exactly one of the reasons the IRS doesn’t solely accept them if a player is audited, but instead requires more complete and complex documentation of gambling history for the tax year.
Just like a card reader could be out of order, or you forget (or purposefully choose not) to use your card, so can examples of one player’s card recording another player’s play, whether accidentally or intentionally. Win/loss systems aren’t perfect, but compared to the days before they existed, it’s still much more helpful for casinos to get data on players, on which casino offers can then be crafted to woo them back.
As technology evolves, this may over time be improved as well. When we shared our recent experience with cashless gaming, one element that shifted was the optional use of Bluetooth on your mobile device to connect with a machine instead of inserting a card.
That same technology can also respond if you walk away without disconnecting, it will do so automatically – a helpful way to ensure you’ve carded out before someone else plays the same machine.
But for now, it’s possible to leave your card behind, and it’s equally possible for the next player to play without noticing. Not everyone uses a card, and therefore not everyone will spot that a card was left behind. So it’s always a good idea to double check before walking away that you haven’t left anything behind – your free drink, your mobile phone, and your players card among the things to watch for.
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