When playing slot machines, players often find they have change in their winning total. Instead of cashing out the pennies, the Cosmopolitan Casino in Las Vegas is allowing players to donate their change to a good cause. The process is simple, and it helps the local community as well as national organizations.
Donating to Charity
The casino on the Strip provides the option to donate at cash out, when players are getting their payday from gaming. So far, the program has raised over $26,000. This amount was raised in a six-month time frame. From January to March of this year, the organizations receiving the donated funds include the American Heart Association, Goodie Two Shoes, HELP of Southern Nevada and SHARE Village.
The HELP program provides opportunity for the homeless from centers to work readiness programs. The SHARE Village option helps veterans’ transition from being homeless while Goodie Two Shoes provides children in need with socks and shoes, among other items.
The process of donating is simple, so players will be more encouraged to do so. Guests can visit the ATM to cash out at the casino and then on the screen will be asked if they want to donate any change. If the player chooses to make a donation, they can select the charity to receive the donation.
A Growing Program
The option to donate first became available back in 2017 when the M Resort Spa Casino launched the program. The Cosmopolitan was the first venue to offer the option on the Strip, beginning the program back in July of last year. The donations at the property average around $0.21 per person and over 124,000 donations have been made since the program began.
Players have really taken to the program, delighted to be able to donate their change and help a variety of charitable organizations. Many players have been recommending the casino to others just because the Cosmopolitan offers the donation option.
The Cosmopolitan takes the donations one step further and will match up to $10,000 in guest donations each quarter. Since the program started, around 12% of guests have donated. The majority of the charities chosen for the program by the Cosmopolitan are locally operated.
The program is one that is working to help charitable organizations and something that players are open to. With the success that the Cosmopolitan has seen, the hope is that other casinos will begin offering the option as well.
Allowing players to donate change is a way to build solid donations for nonprofits that comes at a super low cost to players. Most players are easily willing to donate the pennies within their prize money and with the specialty program, donating has never been easier.
It will be interesting to see over the coming months the amount of donations that roll in within this quarter. During the next quarter, the charities connected to the program should be changed out for new ones, providing funds for even more local charities.
