Myron - Before you consider this a "ruined" hobby, let me address your concerns with some facts and other information.

1. I don't know how "recently" you were here in Las Vegas, but five of the casinos you mentioned are, once again, using their "own" slot cards. Caesars Palace, Bally's, Paris, Flamingo and Las Vegas Hilton, although still Park Place Entertainment casinos, are now using PPE cards with their own logo on them, and have been for over a month. Flamingo started using theirs in April, and LV Hilton and Caesars have been using their cards since March. Venetian is separate from all the other corporations you mention, and is still issuing, and using, their own card(s). New York-New York and Bellagio are now currently using the MGM/Mirage card, as is MGM and Treasure Island.

2. However, there is also an "upside" to all this consolidation. Mandalay Bay Group (Mandalay Bay, Circus-Circus, Luxor, Excalibur, Slots-A-Fun, etc.), although using one card(The One Club) has had at least 13 different variations of that card. MGM/Mirage has had 3 variations. Park Place had 2 variations before they stopped using a common card and went back to "semi-individual" cards.

3. No collector that I have ever known, or met, has ever "forced" anyone to buy cards with someone else's name on them. Cards that have already been issued in someone else's name can be found "laying around" any casino in the US. If you need a card from a casino, just go there and apply for one. Then you will have one issued in your own name. If you see some just laying around, pick them up (you are helping the casinos keep the area neat and clean) and use them for trading with other collectors. Most of the 1,600 cards in my collection were obtained through trading. When a new card comes out in Vegas, I get as many as I can to trade with collectors in Atlantic City, Biloxi, Colorado, and everywhere in between.

4. Which brings me to my last point. Believe it or not, Las Vegas is NOT the only city in the world with casinos. There are over 600 casinos in the U.S. of A. that issue players cards (slot cards). And, don't forget the foreign casinos and cruise ships. The "Slot Card Price Guide" lists close to 4,000 different cards available to collect, and adds another 40-50 each month. Granted, some are older, harder to find, and may cost a "few" dollars, but they are out there.

This is not a RUINED hobby, but a young and growing hobby that will be around for a long time. Perhaps if you joined PACK (200 members), MSOCK or the Slot Card & Room Key Chapter (150 members, and growing, and still only $5 per year) of CC & GTCC (about 3,000 members), you'd see what I mean. I hope I have laid your fears to rest. Happy collecting.

Dave Johnston,
Secretary/Treasurer, Slot Card & Room Key Chapter of CC & GTCC
CC & GTCC LM-2314-43
SC&RK Chapter CH-046
Great Lakes Chapter GL-026
SlabFREE Chapter SF-141
P.A.C.K. - 106