Finance:Caesars Rewards

Caesars Rewards (Europe/North Africa: Player Rewards and South Africa: Emerald Rewards; formerly Total Gold and Total Rewards) is a casino loyalty program at nearly all Caesars Entertainment Corporation (formerly Harrah's Entertainment) locations.

History

The program began as Total Gold on September 4, 1997, then renamed as Total Rewards on April 4, 2000 and again as Caesars Rewards on February 1, 2019.

In 2005, after Harrah's Entertainment bought Caesars Entertainment, Inc., Harrah's announced that the "Connection Card" program (Caesars' loyalty program) would be merged into the Total Rewards program; transferring former Caesars properties from the Connection Card loyalty program to the Total Rewards program began in December 2005 with the Flamingo Las Vegas and was completed in May 2006. Members earn both Reward Credits and Tier Credits based on hotel stay, shopping, play at slot machines, table games, and more; Reward Credits may be used towards dining, merchandise, and other items, while Tier Credits are used to determine annual Tier Score.

Properties transferred to Total Rewards

Caesars Entertainment Connection Card

• 12/6/05 – Flamingo Las Vegas
• 1/17/06 – Bally's Las Vegas
• 1/17/06 – Paris Las Vegas
• 2/7/06 – Bally's Atlantic City
• 2/14/06 – Caesars Palace
• 3/7/06 – Horseshoe Southern Indiana (formerly Caesars Indiana)
• 3/21/06 – Harrah's Casino Tunica (formerly Grand Casino Tunica)
• 4/4/06 – Tunica Roadhouse Casino & Hotel (formerly Sheraton Casino and Hotel Tunica)
• 4/19/06 – Caesars Atlantic City
• 6/07 – Caesars Windsor

Other acquired properties

• 4/2010 – Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino

Accumulating Credits

Caesars Rewards is a credit-based loyalty system. The credits can be accumulated to comp any service, from a hotel room to a round of golf.

A guest may accumulate rewards credits at any Caesars property, whether it is by slots, table games or poker (if available). The rate of accumulation is for every $5 spent on a reel slot machine (the traditional slot machine), a credit is earned. For every $10 spent on a video poker machine, a credit is earned. Table games (blackjack, poker, baccarat, etc.) are accumulated differently. The rate is based upon length of play, average bet, and type of game. Also, credits may be accumulated through the Caesars Rewards Visa credit card, issued by Comenity Bank. For every $1 spent, 1 credit is earned. However Caesars Rewards credit card charges do not count to tier status. Credit card charges allow the customer to earn one Reward Credit for every $1.00 in purchases and keeps their Reward Credit balance active as long as it is used at least once every 6 months. The Reward Credits added to one's Reward Credit balance do not count towards Tier Score or Tier Status. Also, Caesars Rewards Social program issues rewards points for online game play, based on what is paid for credits. (There are no cash winnings, only credits to allow play).

Using credits

100 rewards credits is equal to $1 of value in comps (short for "complimentaries"). For example, if a player has 10,000 rewards credits, he or she can use them to get $100 in comped drinks or towards a room.

Comping using reward credits is dollar for dollar, meaning if the value of the item the guest wants to comp is $20, they'll need $20 in reward credits in order to fully comp the item. If they do not have enough credits, they can partially comp it.

For tier credits, $5 is equal to 1 tier credit on Slot Machines, $10 to 1 tier credit on Video Poker. Table games are rated by supervisors.

Tiers

The four Total Rewards levels. Tiers above gold have an expiry date. Seven Star tier may also have a photograph of the rewards member on the reverse side to help prevent fraudulent use.

• Gold – The entry level card that is free to all 21 years or older.
• Platinum – Higher tier requiring 5,000 tier credits earned in a calendar year. (Raised from 4,000 tier credits earned in a calendar year in 2012). This level is given to members who qualify for the military/veterans Salute card.
• Diamond – Higher tier requiring 15,000 tier credits earned in a calendar year. (Raised from 11,000 tier credits earned in a calendar year in 2012). As of 2018 even more credits will be required for even basic benefits, Diamond Lounge = 25,000 credits to use.
• Seven Stars – The highest tier, requiring 150,000 tier credits. Members are not automatically enrolled as they must be invited by their casino host. Some qualifications, aside from tier credits, include not having any outstanding markers (credit), and not being a security issue at any Caesars property. Guests at this level are the priority for all casino workers. Seven Star guests are provided with priority lines and first available service at participating Caesars properties. Seven Stars members are also entitled to up to four nights complimentary at any Caesars property, given at least 48 hours notice is provided. Also, Seven Stars receive 25% off spa services, and complimentary entry into spas and health clubs at most properties. They also receive a discount at gift shops. These guests are also entitled to one free trip to any Caesars property per year. Included is complimentary airfare for 2, up to $1200 total, hotel stay, and transfers from the airport to the property. A credit of $500 is also applied to the guest folio for this trip and can be used for food, spa services, and in house purchases. Seven Stars guests also receive a complimentary annual cruise on NCL. All Seven Stars guests are entitled to complimentary hotel stays at any Caesars property. Complementary media services vary from property to property but typically include free internet and 2 movies per day. Seven stars guests are entitled to 5, $100 vouchers for "celebration dinners", These vouchers can be used individually or combined and can be used at many (but not all) on property restaurants. Finally, all Seven Star members are eligible to have one companion member per year. These companion members are entitled to the same priority treatment as a regular Seven Star guest but do not receive the trips or vouchers.
• Chairman – This level was created for Terrance Watanabe, superseding even the Seven Star rank. Perks of this level included "tickets to the Rolling Stones, $12,500 a month for airfare and $500,000 in credit at the gift stores. Harrah's also offered 15% cash back on table losses greater than $500,000, special high-limit games and other incentives." It is unclear whether or not any other Chairman-level player is likely to emerge, for Watanabe's levels of play, resulting in a $189 million loss at CET properties is unlikely to be approached by other gamblers.

Caesars Windsor

Caesars Windsor (formerly Casino Windsor) converted uses Caesars Rewards cards. However, as the minimum legal gambling age in Canada is 19 (18 In Québec Province and Alberta), as opposed to 21 in the United States, Caesars has taken some precautionary measures to ensure no one under the age of 21 attempts to gamble at a US Caesars property. At Caesars Windsor, the tiers and benefits are the same at any other property, regardless of the guest's age. However, guests over the age of 19 but not yet 21 are issued cards with a special red bar, to alert employees on the casino floor if they see anyone with these cards attempting to gamble in the United States. These patrons will also receive direct mail offers from Caesars Windsor, but not from any other Caesars property where they cannot be legally redeemed. Once the guest turns 21, they may be issued a Caesars Rewards card without the red bar.

Charter airline service

In May 2013, Total Rewards started offering charter airline service from various airports across the United States to Laughlin, Nevada and Reno, Nevada, Atlantic City, New Jersey, Tunica, Mississippi, and Biloxi, Mississippi.