It's Official. Caesars.com posts new, higher tier scores needed for "status"

It's now official. This evening Caesars posted on its website the new tier score requirements for Platinum, Diamond and 7Stars however there is no mention of Diamond being divided into three different tier levels.

The Caesars website for Total Rewards is here: https://www.totalrewards.com/TotalRe...age=trBenefits And you can see the tier scores needed.

Platinum was 4,000 now 5,000 up 1,000 or 25%
Diamond was 11,000 now 15,000 up 4,000 or 26%
7Stars was 100,000 now 150,000 up 50,000 or 50%

Missing from the Total Rewards site is any mention about dividing Diamond into three groups. Perhaps that was abandoned because of confusion, ill will, something else?

So what they've done is raised the bar for various comps by 25% to as much as 50%. And by raising requirements they will do two things:

1. Limit the amount of free things that certain casinogoers get
2. Increase the amount of "play" that is needed to attain a comp level.

Since Caesars is the largest casino company, it makes sense that other casinos will also raise their requirements for comps. It comes down to this: another way to cut fringe benefits and to save money.

What they're doing is what any business does when more profit is required. And by definition, all those supposed hot-shot big time players in LV and/or on LVA & videopoker.com who claim to "only play positive plays" yet boast about being big shot 7-Stars in a conglomerate having little to no +EV opportunities, are the main ones who'll fulfill CET's goals. But other than that, this new information is about as meaningful to most average players as the fiscal cliff stuff is to the average American.

Rob, I'm a bit confused by what you wrote, so I broke it down to "points." First you wrote:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rob.Singer

What they're doing is what any business does when more profit is required.

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You're absolutely correct about this. By raising tier score requirements they are shrinking the population of Platinums and Diamonds and 7 Stars, so they will be saving on comps.

Then you wrote this:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rob.Singer

And by definition, all those supposed hot-shot big time players in LV and/or on LVA & videopoker.com who claim to "only play positive plays" yet boast about being big shot 7-Stars in a conglomerate having little to no +EV opportunities, are the main ones who'll fulfill CET's goals.

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I don't know why you are mentioning those other websites. I don't think anyone who plays at Caesars properties ever claimed anything about positive plays (with the exception of what is going on now at Rincon with their $2-million promotion). I think this move is going to hurt a lot of loyal Caesars customers who have been lured in to playing at these properties to get better comps. Now many will have to play more to get the comps they were used to.

And finally you wrote this:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rob.Singer

But other than that, this new information is about as meaningful to most average players as the fiscal cliff stuff is to the average American.

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There are a lot of players at Caesars properties who value their "Diamond" cards because of the Diamond lounges, the special lines, the comps that Diamonds get. And these all became a bit more expensive to get.

Of course we could argue the true value of Diamond lounges and Diamond lines and Diamond gifts. I wonder if the new higher Diamond requirements will be accompanied by improved Diamond lounges? When Diamond lounges started out they had pretty good food and in recent years the quality of the free food was cut to nothing more than skimpy appetizers. I know that when the food at Caesars' Diamond lounge was cut it was because the restaurants on the property complained that their business dropped off because the Diamond buffet was like a meal.

Caesars once had a 7 Stars lounge (it's now office space) where they had a very elegant buffet throughout the day and evening. But that lasted only about a year because 7 Stars could sit there, get served free drinks, watch sports on the big screen TVs and have a great breakfast buffet in the morning, and other foods in the afternoon and evening. Heck, you didn't want to go to the casino it was so plush, and there were no crowds.

So the big question, again, is with higher requirements for Platinum, Diamond and 7 Stars do you get more for those tier levels? My guess is you will not.

Here's my question. Twenty years ago when there were no (or few) casinos outside of Vegas and AC, you were comped based on your play in Vegas. So if you went a couple times a year, or 6 or 7 times as I did, they took care of you based upon your history of play, particularly if you had a host. If you didn't play on a certain trip, then the next time you would have to earn the comps while there--they wouldn't be automatic.

When we expanded gambling all over the country, now you had to accumulate points to reach certain levels or you did not receive the comps. So if you didn't play locally and just wanted to still go to Vegas a few times, you had to wait in dinner lines, and check in lines etc even if your play was still at a higher level. Those few trips to vegas weren't enough to maintain diamond or similar levels. As a result, Caesars, with so many properties nationwide, became the best opportunity to maintain VIP status.

Since it will be harder for most to attain those levels at Caesars now, how do you go about achieving that at a property like Bellagio where there aren't other local casinos at which you can earn "points"?

That's a great question Regnis. I think the best answer is: Go to Vegas more often, play longer when you are visiting Vegas, or play bigger. Slot clubs are beneficial and bad at the same time. The best part about downtown Vegas is the ability for pit managers to write discretionary comps. Before I was Diamond with CET, I would frequent Four Queens. I would play craps for about an hour and then the pit boss would write me out a dinner comp for me and my girlfriend. I remember one time I was winning quite heavily and the pit boss and host came down and asked if I wanted to stay a couple nights extra for free. They also offered up their limo to tour Red Rock and take us out to Hoover Dame. I know CET has similar perks but your bankroll needs to be quite large for a weekend! If it weren't craps, I would be in the same boat Alan is in: There would be no reason to travel to Vegas because the games in California are better and the drive is considerably shorter.

Alan, I read over at vp.com that you can now earn bonus credits for extended play in any given day. With these added credits is it now easier to reach any given level?

I played at Rincon on Thursday night. I put on a bit more than 11,000 tier points, and this morning my tier score showed a bit more than 17,000 tier points. So I guess I got the 5,000 point match plus I think that the total on my machine was a few hundred points less than my actual level. That was the first time I played this year. My comp points did not change from the amount on the machine, as I recall, and if they did go higher after the system caught up it wasn't much of an increase. So I already have Diamond status for 2014 and more than 10% of what's needed for 7 Stars in 2014. My 7 Stars from 2012 carries over to 2013 automatically.

Also, with more than 10,000 tier points I already qualified for the first quarterly special gift and if I get to 20,000 I get the upgraded gift.

Hi Alan,

I am new to the forum. I wanted to ask a question about the 10K points. Is this the TR Insider points that you are talking about where you need 10K points per quarter? Also - do you think they will still have this now that there are bonus points?

Hi sassycat, welcome and thanks for posting. I got a mailer from Rincon Total Rewards that said there are Total Rewards "Insider" gifts each quarter. 10,000 tier points qualifies you for the standard gift and 20,000 points gets you an upgraded gift. Now, I don't know if this applies to other Caesars properties.

Rincon did have quarterly gifts before for Diamond and 7Stars players so this, in effect, probably only replaces those gifts. Gifts usually had a $200 value. Last quarter I chose Macys Gift cards, but in the past Ive taken $200 of free play.

So even with the new bonus points, this program seems to be continuing at Rincon.