Comps

I was playing midi-baccarat at $25 table. Only flat bet. That's my norm. Table was full,with lots of players waiting. Had given my players card so they had to know my normal play. An asian standing behind me wanted to know if he could play behind me. I said I didn't care, and he laid down a $5,000 chip. After the hand I told him he could sit and I would stand. Played a couple more hands then just stood and watched him play $5000 a hand. After a while I left. At dinner time I went to see if I could get a buffet for my wife and myself. A girl came out and told us we could have anything we wanted. If we wanted to have a couple join us, that would also be fine. She said not to worry about a thing during our stay, everything would be compted. I couldn't believe it and for a couple of days we ate at their steakhouse with our friends. I told them how unbelievable this all was and then he told me what probably happened. We checked out, and am now afraid to stay there again. I feel guilty because we were treated so well. Do we have any legal liability?

No! They should have corrected the rating after you left by asking the player's name. If I were you, I would go back to the casino and tell them their possible mistake. The worst they can do is cut off future offers, and they will probably appreciate your honesty. But enjoy what you already had.

If on return I was asked I would tell them I thought they treated all guests that way.
Conversely I can picture the other guy getting told he only has enough comp for 1 buffet.

Legal liability? No.

Moral / ethical liability? Maybe. Maybe not.

There is a chance that the comps you got were legitimate for allowing the high roller play behind you while you were still seated. And I think it's a real, legitimate chance. You enabled the house to get a shot at that player and were rewarded.

Oh, perhaps you were rewarded a little too much, but a player at $5000 per hand gets rewards, so why not you as well?

Personally, if you feel like coming clean, tell it to a host. Don't merely step up to the rewards desk and tell a clerk.

Positive karma for allowing him to take the seat?

Seems to me that this is no different than you leaving your player's card in a slot game while someone else plays on it. Mr. 5K clearly didn't care about being comped that session or he would have handed in his own card. Consider it a gift of high-roller treatment from Mr. 5K to you. What you were comped probably cost the casino 4 bets of EV from the high-roller: $5000 hand * roughly 1.1% avg EV * 4 hands = $220. They probably made that while you were still there betting, so no, don't feel guilty. The casino isn't stupid - they know where the bets are coming from. If they hadn't wanted to comp you, they wouldn't have.

Thanks. I hadn't thought that maybe they did know.

The real test would be to see what type of phone calls and mailers you get over the next few weeks.

If a casino host calls you up and says that they have a private jet waiting for you at the airport and that your $1,000,000 line of credit is waiting for you once you get there, you know that they made a mistake. In that scenario, you may want to inform the host about the mix up.

But it sounds like you got a couple of buffets and a nice dinner or two on the casino. The cost to them might have been $500 max (less when you consider that's the retail price for food/service). They probably know what's going on and decided to reward you for your actions of allowing the high roller to sit down at the table.

What's the casino going to do, take away the steak dinner you already had?

If your gut is bugging you, as others said, tell a host if you're losing sleep over it.

Personally, I would have enjoyed it and wouldn't feel any guilt about it. Mr. 5k will be well taken care of. And at that level, do you think he really cares if he gets a free steak dinner or not?

No doubt. Enjoy what you had. My opinion is that is the casino rewarding you for surrendering your seat to a larger player!