Delaware Casinos

Went away for the weekend to visit some family in Maryland for the holiday weekend, and decided to stop by a delaware casino on the way home. Stopped at Harrington Casino. Place seemed nice.. a little small with only 2-3 of each kind of table, and catered to mostly slot players. Also noticed they had soda fountains on the walls for self serve which was pretty cool. Looked around and found video poker machines and decided to try my luck... 6/5 JoB.... NO THANKS!

Played some slots instead just to pass some time and relax and try some different games (fiance won $100+ on the wonka machine, seems like those things always payout pretty good with the bonuses). Sat down after at the blackjack table, looked like a pretty standard 3:2 S17 6D CSM, some weird side bet no one could really figure out with suited AK blackjack, any 21, and straight payouts. $10 min at 3pm on sunday which was also good. Played a bunch of rounds of up and down and back again. Drink lady comes around... Ordered a drink for my fiance and I (2 blended tropical drinks) and the woman comes back about 15 mins later (was low on chips by this point). Grab the drinks and give her $2 and turn around a minute later.. she's still standing there.. Apparently, the drinks aren't free there (except for the soda). total came to $14 which I reluctantly paid... would not have gotten drinks if I knew I had to pay full price for them, but whatever I was still on vacation mode.

The point I guess I wanted to bring up from my mini story is that with all the casinos around the US/world, isn't it fairly common that drinks get comped at casinos when playing slots or tables? My issue was that I felt almost guilted into paying for a full price drink, when I was under the assumption it was free, you just tip for them.. It would have been nice for the waitress to tell me beforehand how much they would be, or at least warn that the drinks are not free at the establishment. If put in the same situation again, can I do something different? Can I refuse the order afterwards? I'm not really sweating the $14, it's not bad price for 2 drinks at the bar, but it is somewhat of a slap in the face to charge full price while sitting and gambling money, especially when most states do it for free. I'm going to chalk this up to being a Delaware thing or something.. does anyone know of other casinos charging full price for drinks on the floor while gambling?

Needless to say, I don't see myself returning to this place, because of the bad payouts on the VP, and the non-comped drinks (half the reason I go to the casino). Hopefully someone can shed some light on this, I'm not sure if this is Delaware state law, or just a stingy casino wanting bigger profits.

Drinks aren't free in Oklahoma casinos either. It sucks, but it's just the way it is out here

State law in North Carolina I was told.
Can't give away alcohol.
They are liberal with free cash mailers however, so I guess it works out AFTER your first visit.

you have to expect being charged for drinks in the states that are just now getting casinos due to how the change gets sold to the legislators

anybody know the deal state by state?

Sadly, once you leave the Nevada/AC/Mississippi/Connecticut bubble free drinks are more the exception than the rule. Got burned down in Florida myself last year. Not sure about PA?

They serve free drinks on the gambling ships that sail into Int'l waters from Florida, at least in Jacksonville and Port Canaveral. Don't remember about Hard Rock Tampa, I was there early Sunday morning, and I was raised Baptist. I still wait until services are over before I start drinking (Sunday only ;-)

PA has free drinks but Maine and New York do not (sodas are free).

Part of it is new states worried that impairment should not be a weapon the casino uses to separate you and your money. This is where the argument about government oversight comes in I guess.

I can understand the need for Maine and NY however since the legal age to gamble there is 18 so serving drinks on the floor would be an issue. Everyone would have to be carded over and over again or wear one of those wristbands but it would be like having minors in the bar area. Not a good idea.

"PA has free drinks but Maine and New York do not (sodas are free)."
In PA it will vary by casino, for example the Rivers doesn't offer free drinks, so ask before you order if you don't want a surprise.

The new states didn't really embrace gambling, they just wanted/needed the tax revenue, so they have difference viewpoints on gambling than the older gambling states.

Quote: zoobrew

"PA has free drinks but Maine and New York do not (sodas are free)."
In PA it will vary by casino, for example the Rivers doesn't offer free drinks, so ask before you order if you don't want a surprise.

The new states didn't really embrace gambling, they just wanted/needed the tax revenue, so they have difference viewpoints on gambling than the older gambling states.

I believe in PA the law is to charge for the drinks, but it also allows drink vouchers for comps [somebody confirm that]. IIRC when we had the get-together at the Meadows we got free drinks, and they were skipping the step of using the voucher. If I am right and remembering right, that sounds like the sort of thing that could be cracked down on.

I have been to parx (in PA) numerous times and never been charged for drinks. If it is PA law, they've certainly found a loophole

Quote: ajemeister

I have been to parx (in PA) numerous times and never been charged for drinks. If it is PA law, they've certainly found a loophole

I don't think it was a state law, but a pledge some casinos made to keep the local bar owners happy. Also it may have been include in the application to get a casino license, sort of how the Rivers has to make a yearly payment to some local Authority.

Quote: odiousgambit

I believe in PA the law is to charge for the drinks, but it also allows drink vouchers for comps [somebody confirm that]. IIRC when we had the get-together at the Meadows we got free drinks, and they were skipping the step of using the voucher. If I am right and remembering right, that sounds like the sort of thing that could be cracked down on.

At Sands and Mount Airy Casinos in PA, there are free drinks, but the servers are VERY strict about being actively playing on a table or slot machine to get the drink. Even to the point that they demand you place a bet in front of them before they hand you a drink already on their tray!

However, they are very slow on weekends(as expected) and they cut off alcoholic drink service at 2 AM. So the "free drinks" are few and far between.

If you throw them a red chip when they bring your free drink you'd be surprised how often they come back to check 'if you need anything'.

If you have to throw them a red chip to get a FREE drink for a two minute deal then eff that. Casinos doing drink vouchers should result in no tips for those bartenders. Stuff just keeps getting worse as long as people put up with it. The casinos need players more than players need casinos. Paying workers to skirt systems is tantamount to extortion. I don't drink, but if I did, I would just bring my own bottle.
People have become so passive and pliable it's not even funny anymore.

I'm a tea-totaler, and it irks me that in Las Vegas the only way I can get a drink of water is via CW.

I feel obligated to tip her, which is just wrong: why should I *need* to pay for a drink of water in a LV casino?

No water fountains for patrons?

Really?

Bah!

Quote: MrV

I'm a tea-totaler, and it irks me that in Las Vegas the only way I can get a drink of water is via CW.

I feel obligated to tip her, which is just wrong: why should I *need* to pay for a drink of water in a LV casino?

No water fountains for patrons?

Really?

Bah!

That was tea you were smoking? ;-)

Not tea, catnip.

Burned again!

Quote: TwoFeathersATL

If you throw them a red chip when they bring your free drink you'd be surprised how often they come back to check 'if you need anything'.

I don't tip the waitress with chips, I always use Dollar bills. And if I were to give them a $5 toke for a watered down drink, just to have them "rush back" expecting a bigger tip, then I'd be broke faster than Donald Trump running for office!

Quote: BedWetterBetter

I don't tip the waitress with chips, I always use Dollar bills. And if I were to give them a $5 toke for a watered down drink, just to have them "rush back" expecting a bigger tip, then I'd be broke faster than Donald Trump running for office!

To each his or her own. I didn't say I alway throw a red chip. I just start that way, I get thirsty. I want scotch on the rocks and a big plastic or glass of water on the rocks. I want it now. The red chip up front just usually ( not always) ensures I don't run dry.;-)

Quote: BedWetterBetter

However, they are very slow on weekends(as expected) and they cut off alcoholic drink service at 2 AM. So the "free drinks" are few and far between.

Parx is the same way.. was playing the tables, drinking, and having a good time and they came around and did a "last call" which was more unannounced.. I guess the normal clientele know when drinks get cutoff, but it astounds me as a lot of these casinos are either on the border of states, or have a lot of pass through travellers (on main highways), and don't openly explain casino/state policy for drinks (either by warning with a subtotal or that this is the last chance for drinks until the bar reopens in the morning).

I guess it just falls as a pet peeve for me that too many assumptions on both parts, and open communication goes a long way with keeping me as a customer, rather than putting me in a situation where I'm trapped and guilted into paying for something I wouldn't have ordered in the first part. I may be an edge case, but if you want to keep my business, tell me what you are going to charge me in advance, or at least warn me that there will be a charge.

Quote: ajemeister

Parx is the same way.. was playing the tables, drinking, and having a good time and they came around and did a "last call" which was more unannounced.. I guess the normal clientele know when drinks get cutoff, but it astounds me as a lot of these casinos are either on the border of states, or have a lot of pass through travellers (on main highways), and don't openly explain casino/state policy for drinks (either by warning with a subtotal or that this is the last chance for drinks until the bar reopens in the morning).

I guess it just falls as a pet peeve for me that too many assumptions on both parts, and open communication goes a long way with keeping me as a customer, rather than putting me in a situation where I'm trapped and guilted into paying for something I wouldn't have ordered in the first part. I may be an edge case, but if you want to keep my business, tell me what you are going to charge me in advance, or at least warn me that there will be a charge.

Yep, edge case.
If you don't know ask, simple concept in unfamiliar territory.
Can't imagine that they would lie to you on purpose, but might give the the wrong answer because, just because good help is hard to find, and to keep.

Quote: TwoFeathersATL

Yep, edge case.
If you don't know ask, simple concept in unfamiliar territory.
Can't imagine that they would lie to you on purpose, but might give the the wrong answer because, just because good help is hard to find, and to keep.

yeah i guess I should ask beforehand to avoid any issues. I just didn't realize how many issues and differences in regulations there are in other states from what I'm used to (AC). I don't really understand why places would enforce certain policies for casinos about drinks, I feel like it hurts them in the long run by not giving out alcohol, or keeping the bar open past 2am. But I guess the states voted for it or whatnot. Guess I'll have to do my research before going to casinos I'm not familiar with... or when all else fails... bring a flask ;)

Quote: ajemeister

yeah i guess I should ask beforehand to avoid any issues. I just didn't realize how many issues and differences in regulations there are in other states from what I'm used to (AC). I don't really understand why places would enforce certain policies for casinos about drinks, I feel like it hurts them in the long run by not giving out alcohol, or keeping the bar open past 2am. But I guess the states voted for it or whatnot. Guess I'll have to do my research before going to casinos I'm not familiar with... or when all else fails... bring a flask ;)

Bring a flask is always, always, a good idea. Taking it into the casino is always, always a bad idea.