What are comps, and why do casinos have comps in the first place? First and foremost, one has to remember what a casino is- it is a commercial establishment that offers gambling opportunities. It offers not only rewards through legitimately winning, but also rewards the patrons of the casino so that they would be able to go back again. Technically, comps serve to encourage gamblers to stick to a particular casino online or not, and to keep playing and to play regularly too. The advantage of having comps and the point system is that some of the money that one may lose may come back slowly through a casino’s comp system. But then again, if one is having a bad streak of bad luck for most days, the comp system might not be that useful.
An overall evaluation of the whole comp system reveals that it’s mostly tokens to players, and that is why the whole other system of advantage gambling came to be to be able to maximize the perceived value of probabilities in games in casinos and to be able to maximize the amounts of money that would be available to finances the games in online casinos or in casinos that are traditional and brick and mortar in structure.
How are comps evaluated? Well casinos often encourage its regular patrons to be part of an organization, such as a club, so that one would have an electronic identity or extension that can be inscribed with the point system. The point system may be checked by what many people call “pit bosses”. In online casinos, this process has been simplified since everything is done electronically. Games, winnings and losses are logged and the amount of money circulating via games are automatically tracked and comps are awarded automatically, based on number of games played and how much money is being deposited in playing accounts. Accounts for online casinos have a particular minimum, and a kind of comp is that you would be awarded immediately a comp once you join. This particular comp may not be withdrawn, but instead can be used to bet in other games. So technically, this particular comp encourages the player to keep playing since he has some phantom credits in his pocket; for most people, the number is insignificant, but all the same, there is a particular “feel good” factor when it comes to comps, even phantom credits such as these.
Comps such as these may be accumulated, but at the same time, the conditions for the use of such comps remain; they cannot be withdrawn as real money through your bank account. In other types of gambling, the comps differ significantly based on rates that are given by the casinos themselves; there are games that have high rates, and thus have higher comp rates. These are again, checked by the bosses of the pits, which are often exploited by advantageous gambling practices, which tends to maximize the already existing house advantages.
Garry Sputnim is a seasoned journalist and storyteller with over a decade of experience in the trenches of global news. With a keen eye for uncovering stories that resonate, Alex has reported from over 30 countries, bringing light to untold narratives and the human faces behind the headlines. Specializing in investigative journalism, Garry has a knack for technology and social justice issues, weaving compelling narratives that bridge tech and humanity. Outside the newsroom, Garry is an avid rock climber and podcast host, exploring stories of resilience and innovation.