Abandoned Slot Credits

[heavy]

You see them all the time. Take a walk through any penny slot section of the casino and you'll see machines players have walked away from, leaving six or seven cents in credits because the minimum "pull" on the machine is nine cents. Maybe they printed out a cash in/out ticket for seven cents and left that on the machine somewhere. Maybe you found it on the floor. Or perhaps you were walking to the restroom and found a dollar on the floor by the ticket cash machine. And, like most normal human beings, you pick up the buck and put in your pocket. You grab the slot tickets and combine them with a few bucks of your own and put them in a slot machine. They're abandoned - so they're yours now, right?

Not so fast buckaroo. The great State of Colorado doesn't think so. In fact, picking up a slot ticket for under a buck can end up with you being fined $500 and walking away with a criminal record and a bundle of legal fees to pay. Read all about it in this article:

https://www.casinoexecutivenetwork.com/ ... rd-for-pl

Something similar happened to a player at Greek Town in Detroit many years ago. No telling how they'd handle it in a Native American casino. Thoughts?

[mssthis1]

When you consider the number of casino patrons in 5 years that is a pretty small number. It's another case of what probably started as a law with good intentions, protect granny from losing her SS money because she dropped her ticket, that morphed into something that people with a burr under their saddle or wannabe Barney Fife's take advantage of.

I don't play those credits. If it's a machine I really want to play I cash it out, set it on the base of the glass and give it to the first employee that goes by.


Heck, I have a slot ticket from Paris LasVegas in my wallet that I have to remember to take with me next trip. I unintentionally abandoned it there myself. lol.

[220Inside]

Poor Tito. Why does he keep getting short changed like that? Doesn't seem fair.

[mssthis1]

Do you have any idea of the value of unclaimed TITO dollars each year? I know I've contributed to that number a couple of times.

It's probably a significant amount but less than the money they saved from reduced labor cost.

I still remember back in my military days we were in Lake Tahoe back when our gambling budget was a couple rolls of nickels. A security gal walked past with a bag of coins in each hand doing curls with them as she walked. Needless to say I didn't flirt with her. LOL.

In Vegas it isn't uncommon to see the storm drain dwellers casing the slot machines looking for unclaimed credits. They are probably part of the reason for some of the crazy laws now. The pendulum always seems to swing way too far past center.

[220Inside]

The thing with abandoned slot credits is that it's potentially not the casino's money, especially given the way the law is written and the statement made in the article from the Colorado Gaming Division. They make reference to the "victim" of the abandoned slot funds, not the casino. The "victim" could be interpreted to be the person who left the money in the slot machine. The casino should have records of who's card was in the slot machine last and thus could theoretically return the money that that person left in the slot machine.

In theory then, the casino could be obligated to report these abandoned funds to Colorado Department of Revenue, along with the person that the money belongs to. Then the money could be listed in the state's unclaimed money database for later retrieval by the person.

[$5Bill]

This happened about 15 years ago or so when my son came into town to visit me. We went to the casino and I started out putting $10 in a $1 slot machine. He stood in back of me. All of a sudden he says, “DAD, there’s three $100 bills laying underneath the stool over here. What should I do,” he said excitedly. I turned and saw them underneath the stool in back of me. There was no one around. So I said, “If you don’t pick them up, I WILL.” He picked them up and said, “Let’s get out of here.” “Relax, I’m not finished with my slot machine.” When I had made a couple of bucks I got up and we went to the cage to cash in my tokens and we left. When we got in the car he gave me a $100 and he kept $200 for himself.

What would you have done? Hold up the money and yell, “Anyone drop three $100 bills on the floor.” LOL. I did feel sorry for whoever lost it though. I know I would have been devastated.

$5Bill

[220Inside]

If you didn't see the person drop the bills and there was no one that looked like they were hunting for them, then I say the money is fair game. If while you're playing and someone comes back looking for that money at that machine, then I would be inclined to be a good samaritan and hand it over. You might get a tip from the person as well as the good karma from doing the right thing.

[$5Bill]

Hi 22Inside

Of course that's what I would have done if I saw someone looking around but I sat there for a while and nobody came looking.

[220Inside]

I figured as much Bill. Hope you and your son enjoyed the extra bonus bucks.

[London Shooter]

What about lost chips on the floor? Who do they belong to?

[220Inside]

If they're still in a sealed bag, and I'm feeling hungry, they're mine.

Lost chips should be fair game too, IMO. I just don't buy the fact that they're casino property. The physical chips are, yes, but not the money that they represent. If the person who lost them had retained them, the casino would have been paying out that money. What difference should it make whether a chip was lost and someone else found it? It's just harder (well, practically impossible, really) to trace the lost chip back to its rightful owner, unlike unpaid slot balances.

[Bankerdude80]

I consider it a good omen when prior to a trip to Vegas I find $40 cash in the COSTCO parking lot. I do not feel sorry for the lame ass that keeps their cash mixed with their car keys. Easily preventable situation. If I am carrying cssh, I know where it s at all times.

[SHOOTITALL]

I am sure the casino considers the tickets and lost chips theirs because it is on their property. Sort of like treasure hunting on someone's property. Gotta get permission (and a signed contract). I have no qualms either way, finder's keepers or it ain't your dough. But casinos are notorious for their cheap ways and screwing the customers so this falls into that category. Then, too, the unlucky finder will never go back to that casino again and I can assure you, whatever is found is less that what an average customer loses. On the fine, the casino doesn't get a dime so that is pointless as is prosecuting a finder.

[wild child]

Colorado is a state that allows watering your "HOME GROWN" with rainwater
and
threatens prosecution for collecting rain water for potable purposes.
So some wonky interpretation over "found money" goes in that jurisdiction.

Other states restrict living aboard a house boat ..

just me saying
w c

[HornHighJoe]

What would you have done? Hold up the money and yell, “Anyone drop three $100 bills on the floor.” LOL. I did feel sorry for whoever lost it though. I know I would have been devastated.

$5Bill

I did once, went to a supervisor (I knew) and handed it to her. She went to the Pit Manager or called it in to security, can't remember, but security got involved. They were able to track the person down through the "eyes in the sky". I was raised as a Christian so I could not live with myself keeping that amount. I've handed in a $20 bill to security that I found. There were several people around and I am not going to waste my time trying to find out who is telling the truth of who it belong to, so I marched straight to the security podium and told them where I found it; let them deal with it.

As for smaller amounts, i.e. less than a dollar left in machines, I once asked the slot attendant, hey what this was about. Already knowing the answer, she basically said "keep it".

[skasower]

I was playing VP at the Caesars Palace LV Sports Bar last December. Sitting to my left were a couple of middle aged ladies playing VP and getting really sloshed. When they left, I noticed the one right next to me had left nearly $200 worth of play in the machine. However, the "eyes in the sky" I am sure were watching. I ignored it and the bartender pressed the help button. The uniformed slot cops came and retrieved the information, the credits, and told me that the lady had a players card and they would contact her!

Once I was playing at Gustav's Bar in Paris when my Wife called me with some sort of plumbing emergency. I took the call and left my money in the machine along with my players card. After spending time addressing my Wife's plumbing travesty, I went over to Sully's Bar in Ballys. I started playing and one of the managers tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I was who I am. Once he was convinced that I was not Vladimir Putin, he handed me my cash out slip! Those casinos pretty much know everything that goes on under their roofs.

Moral of the story...watch out! I am not paranoid but clearly such circumstances can be "set up" too. If someone leaves greenbacks, then tough shit for the Casino. They have no claim on lost bills.

skasower...aka...

[$5Bill]

I went to play some craps today and while I was playing this guy walked passed the table and dropped some paper money on the floor. The dealers saw it and told him he dropped his money. Then the dealers started talking about finding money on the floor. So I asked the Box and the dealers, “What if I find a $100 bill on the floor. What do I do?” The dealers and the box said, “Pick it up. It is yours.” Then I asked them, “What if I find a Black chip on the floor. Is it the casino?” “No, it is yours. Finders keepers,” they said. So that’s the word from the horse’s mouth.

$5Bill