Casinos along Mexican Riviera?

Quote: 100xOdds

yeah, I should have.

they have a new Lock It Link game that I haven't seen in the States called Piggy Bankin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfwmIq7E9y0 (skip to 11min mark)

The... end of the video, that's only 10:53 long?

I actually kind of like the look of that one, for some reason.

Quote: Venthus

The... end of the video, that's only 10:53 long?

I actually kind of like the look of that one, for some reason.

whoops! was looking at another Lock It Piggy Bankin video.
for the one I posted, skip to 2:30min mark.

Quote: RogerKint

Puerto Vallarta has 2 casinos within a short walking distance from the cruise port. The casino in the mall is more upscale, has a couple table games and many of the slot themes one would find in Vegas. I found everyone to be very helpful there. A cocktail waitress spotted me trying to squish some pesos into a random slot in the machine and laughed. The machines don't take cash. Cash must be loaded onto a card at the cage. Ijole, gringo!

PS didn't see ocean or desert theme game for you so it may not be worth the trip ;)

so I gambled at a Mexican casino.

there's a 15% tax on winnings when you cash out!
and they cheat you for more tax!



I loaded 6000 pesos on the card. it showed correctly as 6000 in the slot machine.
but they put me down as only buying in for 5000 so my profit is listed as 2000 instead of 1000.
I got charged 15% on an extra 1000 pesos!
so I got charged $8 usd more.

there was a language barrier and I gave up and just took the cash. :(
not worth the aggravation over $8.

don't expect to be gambling in mexico ever again!

hm.. thinking about the tax some more, the only thing I can think of is that they tax winnings without taking into account the loses before that win.

Example #1 (from my previous post above):
I bought in for 6000 pesos and drop to 4980.
then win 3000 pesos then lose 911 pesos.
4980 + 3000 = 7980
7980 - 911 = 7069
difference between 7069 and 4980 = 2089 pesos as the taxable amount

if true then Example #2:
now lets say I drop down to 4980 pesos and win 3000 then lose 2000.
4980 + 3000 - 2000 = 5980
taxable amount = 5980 - 4980 = 1000

in example #2, even though my cash out amount is less than the 6000 I originally bought in for, I still get taxed 15% on 1000 pesos.

if so, then it makes no sense to gamble in Mexico!!!

Extreme example:
buy in for 6000, go down to 1 peso then win 6000 and you cash out.
you are then taxed on 6000 even though you are break even for the session.
paying 15% x 6000 = 900 pesos :(

*IF* that's the way they tax slot/vp players in Mexican casinos, I now appreciate USA casinos much more

Quote: 100xOdds

casino 1 block from walmart (near pier):


table games section was closed when I was there (around noon weekday)

Update:
The above casino (Puerto Vallarta) used to exchange pesos back to USD. no longer. :(
that's probably why the $ to peso exchange rate is so bad now.
$1 = 17.5 peso

official rate is around $1 = 19.5 peso
that's a 10% fee!

i was told you can exchange pesos back to USD at the Walmart 1 block away.

No taxes were taken out when i cashed out at this casino.
In Cabo san Lucas on the other hand, i was told 7% taxes on wins are taken out.

This Cabo casino near the pier has an even worse exchange rate of $1 = 17 pesos. Don't know if they exchange pesos back to USD but it doesnt matter. (See below)



Fortunately at the Cabo pier, they have a money exchange place:



18.40 peso for $1 is a 5.6% fee but it's still better than the 10% at the casino.

If your bank refunds ATM fees and doesnt charge foreign conversion fees (ie: Capital One?), then i'm guessing the best way to get the best rate for your USD is to withdraw from an ATM.
Note: Do NOT pick 'dynamic currency conversion' option at the ATM!

Cabo has 2 casinos within walking distance of the cruise pier.
1) Casino Codere in the pier mall, 2nd floor
- Mall is on the other end of the pier
- Allow 30min walk. (20min to entrance + a few min in the mall to casino)
- Walk to escalator on other side of mall (see 1st pic)
- Walk through glass doors. It's on the left (pic)

2) Casino Playwin
- A couple of blocks from the pier
- It's probably closer to the cruise pier than Casino Codere


Note:
There's an immediate tax on profits when you cash out. (last pic. No idea what it says. You do the math.)
and If it's over 10k pesos (~$500 USD), you have to show ID and sign a form. (3rd pic)
Check the 'Yes' box.

Apparently in Mexico, you can't put $ directly into the machine.
- You MUST play with a players card.
- Guess that's how the gov't takes their cut from your profits
- Computer keeps track of your buy-in. So if you buy-in with 500 pesos, lose it, buy-in with 2000 pesos and win 400, there's no tax when you cash out.

Puerto Vallarta:
There's a tax to load $ onto your players card. :o :(
(Pic from Casino Life casino, right of Walmart)

Mazatlán

There are 3 casinos here:
1) Casino Codere (same as in Cabo San Lucas)
- It looks big on the outside but not alot of slots inside. There were a few tables but were closed
- Taxes are 16.5% of profit!! :(
---> And they shorted me my original buy in. It's supposed to be 2000 pesos, not 1620.




2) Monte Carlo
- Oldest casino in the city
- It was packed! I didnt play anything
- I took a pic of the nearest cross street for future reference. (it's on Cameron Sabalo, which is a main road)




3) Casino del Rey
- A couple of blocks away (0.2 miles) from Monte Carlo according to Google Maps
- Did not visit

Quote: 100xOdds

Note:
There's an immediate tax on profits when you cash out. (last pic. No idea what it says. You do the math.)
link to original post

(trimmed)

Did you get a subjective feel if the games were looser or tighter than elsewhere?

I'm choosing to translate Redondeo as "Breakage".

Quote: Dieter

Quote: 100xOdds

Note:
There's an immediate tax on profits when you cash out. (last pic. No idea what it says. You do the math.)
link to original post

(trimmed)

Did you get a subjective feel if the games were looser or tighter than elsewhere?

I'm choosing to translate Redondeo as "Breakage".
link to original post

it was all over the place.
Got a double big bubble in OMG.
wiffed on all 8 plays on Magic girl at various denoms (column of same char turns wild on next spin). In my home casino, i might wiff 1 out of every 3 plays.
Jungle tiles: $0 and no additional free games, 30+ free games but didnt pay much, 10 additional free games but got 3 columns of wilds on one of the spins and made $$$. (All on same machine.)