Some casinos will lock machines for certain players. Where it happens, other players can get frustrated about it:
Why do casinos lock down machines for players…as in over night or during a meal time? I understand high $$ players, but it is not logical for the machine to be down while a player is off eating or sleeping, when the machine is on the main casino floor.
Virginia
One of my friends on the east coast speaks often about how a high limit version of a machine with a limited number of the slots available were often locked by high spending players when a progressive was overly high, as the player wanted to be the sole person to chase it over some number of days.
Casinos are considered pretty data driven, but we’re with you on the thought that they may be leaving money on the table by letting a high value player dictate terms. Of course, these types of decisions are built off the same sorts of fears that lead many casinos to avoid going non-smoking, for fear that all their big spending players are smokers and they’ll chase them off to some other casino that allows smoking. Yet in the post-pandemic era it doesn’t seem to have happened.
Some casinos now let any player lock a machine up, but for a time limited period that factors in a reasonable window to grab a snack or go to the restroom. Casinos are much less often willing to lock a machine for hours or days, but it certainly happens, and we hear about it enough that many other players don’t like it.
But we always remind players that they have a budget and a voice, too. Tell your casinos you don’t like this practice, just as you should tell them if you want a certain game to be added or that you think a certain policy is working (or not). If they hear from enough players like yourself, Virginia, they may revisit their thinking. But if most of just simply stew silently, they may not even be aware of the frustrations for other players they may be creating by their decision.
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I have really stopped going to the Casino except on rare planned occasions, mainly when I travel. The Free Play and the gifts are not enough to deal with all the broken buttons, turned off machines, long wait for the free drinks. You get quick service when you order Alcohol. And now if they offer you a free room, your deposit must cover the cost of the whole Wet Bar. And we know that most people don’t even touch that overpriced stale crap!
We recently encountered a hotel that had shifted from a $50 a day credit card hold to $150. Enough nights at enough places and that starts to add up when they don’t fall off right away! Sorry it hasn’t been a fun time for you, Cynthia!