Don’t let money linger on rewards card

Published 12:01 pm Thursday, July 10, 2008

While I enjoyed the article on the opening of the Tulalip Resort and Spa (“High stakes for tribe in high-class new hotel, June 27), I wanted to bring your attention to something. It is a little known fact — trust me, I have done my own mini survey — that the rewards card issued at the casino needs to be watched very carefully. The card is used in the slot machines at the casino. You add money directly on to your card from a machine located on every bank of slot machines. Your winnings are also added to the card. Here is the problem. When you sign up for the card, the casino representatives fail to inform you that if you don’t use your card again within 30 days, any money left on the card will simply disappear. My husband recently discovered he had “lost” $200 off his “rewards” card. In trying to reason with a bevy of casino employees, he was told that this was a policy of the casino and nothing could be done. Although some seemed a little confused about the policy. It seems extremely peculiar to me that not one of the patrons I spoke to at the casino that night as well as co-workers, neighbors, family or friends was aware of the casino policy. To some $200 may not seem like a fortune, but to others it might be everything. I can say with certainty, we will not be guests at the new resort as the casino has already rewarded us enough. Please pass this on so others won’t be caught in the casino trap. Thank you.

Beth Hopkins

Edmonds