By far the biggest casino news so far this year has been the announcement of the revamped MGM players club program, to be known as MGM Rewards. The changes dripped out pretty quickly and in Las Vegas the players club desk are already sporting new signage.
But despite a lot of things we do know now, there are still things we don’t (or at least so far I haven’t seen anything official; this post will get updated as I come across the answers).
Here are some of the biggest questions still remaining. Many revolve around the tier credit earnings, but there’s a few other things too.
Tier Credit Earnings in Las Vegas vs. Regional Properties
In the previous Mlife program, you earned tier credits five times faster in Las Vegas versus in regional properties. With the changes to now not have a set earnings rate for tier credits, it remains to be seen whether you can still earn tier credits faster in Las Vegas, or if changes will neutralize that.
Tier Credits on Specialty Slots vs. Other Slots
Another quirk of the old program was the lower earning pace on specialty slots vs. other slots. Specialty slots were often games with giant progressives, licensed games and some of the most popular games on the casino floor. Whether that dichotomy will still exist in the new program is uncertain.
Screen Point Counters
One question that popped up that I hadn’t initially thought about is whether the screen point counters will still keep a running tally of how many points you’ve earned on a machine. I’ve seen this done both ways in programs where they don’t give you an explicit breakdown of how much it takes to earn a tier credit.
Mohegan Sun at Virgin Las Vegas tells you on screen when you’ve earned a tier credit, but Mohegan Sun in Connecticut does not. I did notice some different behavior on the point counters during my latest visit to Las Vegas that I don’t recall seeing in the past, so some of these changes may already be tested. As of this trip, it still showed how many points were being earned, but points an tier credits may earn at different rates.
Guaranteed Perks vs. Qualified Perks
The fine print I have been able to review so far does indicate some perks will only come from qualified play, not tier matching and other such scenarios. This makes sense given the cost to the company. Presumably a resort fee waiver will be different than a celebration meal or a travel credit, but the exact breakdown of everything will be more evident with time.
Does 2021 Play Qualify for Perks
Many players earned their tier in 2021 for 2022, and some are taking advantage of the extra month offered to complete the 2021 year tier. For perks that are only granted for qualified play, will players who qualified in 2021 get it for 2022? Or will only 2022 play earn these perks? Presumably we’ll know on or around February 1, when the new program launches.
Arguably it’s safe to assume it’s 2022 play that begins qualification because these perks did not exist in 2021, but Caesars’ method is you get it the year you earned it, and another round the following year, if you earned it through qualified casino play. So we shall see.
Using Comp Dollars
Express Comps will be renamed MGM Rewards Points, and earning them is going to be more consistent given you can earn them at table games nationwide and earn for non-gaming spend.
But one thing that’s always been weird about MGM’s program is that where you can spend them is inconsistent. At Borgata, you can use them at some shops, but that’s not the case in Las Vegas. With the other changes being made, could we finally see a more accessible redemption setup, or will it remain frustratingly limited? Will there be a consistency to using them now, or will the rules still differ by market?
Are there questions you still have about the program? Share in the comments and I’ll post answers if/when the information is available.
What happened if you had express comps? I don’t see them on the new website ? Did they expire 1/31/21?
Hi Shalena! Express Comps were renamed MGM Rewards Points and were converted at a 1:1 ratio. The previous expiration policy of six months of inactivity for Sapphire remains, but the one year expiration for Pearl and above was eliminated (now they last indefinitely). If you don’t see your balance under MGM Rewards Points, it’s probably a good time to reach out to their support team.
The site for the MGM Rewards Mastercard (https://www.mgmresorts.com/en/mgm-rewards/mgm-rewards-mastercard.html) says that points earned through the MGM Rewards Mastercard may be redeemed for Slot Dollars or MGM Rewards Points to use toward rooms, dining, etc. It looks like all of my Mastercard points are showing up in my MGM Rewards account as Slot Dollars but I would rather have them redeemed as Rewards Points. Can these Slot Dollars be converted to Rewards Points? If not, how do I ensure my Mastercard points are converted to MGM Rewards Points going forward?
Hi Joe! I don’t have any direct knowledge about the card, but have seen second-hand reports that players have successfully been able to get card points flipped from Slot Dollars to Rewards Points, at the MGM Rewards Desks. I suspect this roll out happened faster then the card partner or MGM was ready to handle this aspect of things; normally a toggle or option is offered on the credit card portal side to decide where you want your points to go. I’d suggest reaching out to the card company in case that’s on the way or already exists, or if they can set it up for your account on their side.