I used to play very big, not to the point where I got the million dollar Villas at say Bellagio, but to where I could pull down the penthouses at Bellagio and one or two other top Strip casinos simultaneously, to where I'd get a standard room in a casino I wasn't staying at while playing just to use its bathroom because I didn't want to go to the public bathroom.

I took a very long hiatus (well over a decade) from gambling because real life intervened, and I was no longer interested in putting all the energy into gaming, even though I did manage to quit ahead.

I started up again in 2018. Four trips later, mostly spent at Encore Vegas and the Cosmopolitan, I find that Vegas is not comp'ing as readily as they used to. Granted I am not playing at nearly the same level (back then I'd average a few thousand a hand, nowadays more like a few hundred (on my latest trips, I'd say more like a thousand average a hand though), but my credit lines are as high or higher than they were back then ($50K) and I WILL play up to a few thousand dollars on a hand when I am press/winning), but anyway - some of my observations are:

1. Back then, getting RFB (room food beverage - comp'ed) status wasn't as difficult as it is now. Nowadays they will comp the room/suite pretty readily, but want to wait until after they see your play to decide whether to comp the food.

2. At some resorts, like Encore, they want to nickel and dime you for things like "resort" fees, which practically did not even exist back when I used to play big. They don't seem to want to comp these "little things" every trip.

3. Back then they would comp all spa charges off my bills. Nowadays, okay, I get it, I'm not a whale (or even mini-whale), so her $600. treatments and massages are not always going to disappear off the bill (although lately - they have!), but how about comp'ing off these average $40. - $65. "day passes" to the spa, which are softer than soft. Back then no VIP PAID to go to the spa just to take a steam / sauna, it was always comp'ed off. "Spa use" charges are pretty soft.

4. They don't seem to like you to stay (at least not on a room/suite comp) as long as they used to. Back then I would think nothing of staying at the Bellagio penthouse, or the 2nd largest suite at the Venetian, for two weeks at a time. Nowadays, after I've stayed over ten days they start talking about how my line is only $50K and that's all they may win from me (not that they are going to get that from me anyway, I have gone home a winner after every single trip since returning to gambling in 2018), and joking about giving me a "Nevada resident card" if I stay any longer.

5. Trying to get extra rooms for friends/family, nowadays not only are they tighter about it, but they want you to be present in the hotel during their check in. Back then, I'd call my host and he'd hook up whomever I wanted with a free room, and if it was family, he'd put them on RFB status even knowing I wasn't coming into town. Again, I get it, I'm no longer playing as big as I used to, but obviously my play is good enough to get a free suite for three weeks straight in Vegas (which is how long we stayed last trip between Encore and Cosmopolitan), so what's the big deal about throwing in a couple standard room nights for friends/family even if I am not present.

Again, granted we are talking about different levels of play - I played 10x harder back then, than now, but then again, nowadays we are staying in much smaller suites, and I'm not ordering comp'ed $800. shots of cognac for friends - we're living relatively modestly in Vegas in suites under 1000 square feet, and not eating $200 - 300. meals nightly.

Has anyone else, who is an old timer with gambling noticed the clamping up? Maybe I notice it the most because I LEFT for so long, and am now back, so the differences are right in my face.

Another big difference is that back then, they'd only seem to get annoyed when I won BIG (six figures), nowadays they seem to get annoyed at me just for leaving a winner, since it is happening so consistently. No one is SAYING anything, they all clap me on the back and say Job Well Done, but if they're so happy, why do some of the well wishers look like someone just stuck lemon juice in their beer?