Different casinos have different policies. These policies can be in place for a variety of reasons. Today’s question focuses on a specific aspect, that of checking IDs:
MGM Grand Detroit just started checking IDs for everyone. Not just showing it, you have to take it out of your wallet for them to scan, etc. Have you ever been to another casino that does that? And what are your thoughts on this? I can see doing this at night but we go to the casino at 8am, and it seems a bit much.
Blenda
We certainly have seen this before. Circa in Las Vegas has been a 21+ property since opening, and they enforce it through the checking of IDs as each person enters. MGM Springfield in Massachusetts, a sister property to MGM Grand Detroit, is another property where it’s been required.
We’ve seen it situationally in other places, although we don’t know if it’s happening all the time. Most Las Vegas casinos don’t do this, but also aren’t 21+ resorts from top to bottom either.
There’s a variety of reasons to do it, when it is done. One is to better ensure underage persons don’t enter the casino floor and gamble or drink. (A previous fine, albeit a decade ago, could be part of the reason for the change.)
While it can create bottlenecks getting in, one of our colleagues noted they had less trouble getting service at bars at a casino that did this, because the bartenders knew everyone in the casino already had their IDs checked on their way in – so it can balance things out.
Scanning IDs can ensure the IDs are real, but also allows for counting how many people are in, and if something occurs on property can help narrow down who might be responsible.
Of course, the casinos in many cases already know who we are. Between facial recognition technology, the use of players cards and mobile devices to track our play, and cameras everywhere, if you’re concerned about privacy, the casino’s probably not a good place to go.
We ultimately don’t have any objections about it accordingly, because casinos have to follow laws to ensure compliance with regulations, and ID checking is an easy way to make sure only those who are allowed to be on the casino floor get to be present on it.
But we sympathize with those who find the wait to get into a casino frustrating when things back up, people fumble to grab their IDs out of their wallets or purses for scanning, etc.
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If you go into one of these casinos to do something other than gamble, is their facial ID system going to ding your offers for a “no-play day”?
While it’s certainly possible the systems are linked, often the security systems aren’t so much looking to tie back into the player systems to track who’s on property and using their card or not. It’s usually for different reasons. But we’ll never say never, and this sort of thing will continue to evolve. There are facial recognition systems for tables, for instance, to register the player in lieu of a card, but at that point it’s a player tracking effort for recording those who are playing.
Red wind casino has been doing that since Covid
I have experienced this at a few Caesars’s properties. Horseshoe Bossier City started this after the person mowed down ppl on Bourbon Street in NOLA. Caesar’s NOLA was doing it before that happened. We also have seen it at Horseshoe Lake Charles. LIVE! Casino in Bossier City did it in the beginning when they first opened but the last few visits I did not have to show ID.
It’s definitely becoming more common. During busy times it can create a line to get in at some casinos, but once you’re in, all good!