Beverage on Demand for Slot Players

Caesars Entertainment introduces a novelty

This week’s land gambling news reported an interesting novelty for all slot players at Caesars Entertainment's four land casinos in Atlantic City. Namely, the company decided to enable the punters to have a drink whenever they want, by installing automated 'beverage on demand' dispensers approved by authority from the New Jersey regulators.

According to reports from the newspaper USA Today, there has been no such system in Atlantic City, so this initiative will enable slot players to select alcoholic beverages or soft drinks from an interactive video display on their machines without interrupting their gambling. The system will be deployed at the beginning of 2011, and according to announcements, cocktail servers will still be needed to bring back the drinks after they are ordered, which is also in line with the state Casino Control Commission’s request that the new system must not lead to more layoffs in the industry, which cut nearly 10,000 jobs in the past five years due to the recession.

This new customer pampering system will also eliminate coupons with the use of downloadable credits to loyalty cards that reward patrons with free hotel rooms, meals and other perks based on their level of spending. So, with their Total Rewards loyalty cards, punters will be able to activate a standard beverage menu, while later on they will be able to review and repeat their previous choices by selecting "My Drinks" menu.

In addition, it was stated by the Caesars Entertainment spokesman that those customers who seem to have over-indulged will be cut off by safeguards, who will also prevent minors from getting alcoholic beverages, including having cocktail servers ask patrons for identification.

Even though the system is a novelty in Atlantic City, there already exist ones in Indiana, Mississippi, California and Arizona, and will be introduced in Pennsylvania in March.