Treasure Island’s $200 Free Play Promotion Might Cost You Hours in Line

^{Be prepared to wait for your $200 free play at Treasure Island since the promotion only runs three days a week until September. (Photo: courtesy of CNW Group / Accor)}

Treasure Island is giving Treasury Players Club members $200 in free slot play, available to both existing and new members who sign up for the casino's rewards program.

The voucher can be used on slot machines, video poker, or video keno. It can't be used on electronic or live dealer table games, which is a shame because Treasure Island has more 3:2 blackjack games with minimum bets under $25 than any Vegas Strip casino.

There's one catch to the promotion: other people.

As you'd imagine, players flocked to Treasure Island to claim a free play voucher. But the casino appeared unprepared for the number of people who wanted in on the promotion, with only one or two people working at the rewards counter. 

Multiple reports said there were hundreds of people waiting in line. Wait times ranged from just under one hour to three hours.

How the Promotion Works

A representative from the Treasure Island players club confirmed to Casinos.com that the promotion will officially run every Monday through Wednesday at 11:59 pm until Sept. 7. If the current week's line looks unmanageable, there should be another opportunity the following week. 

But it wouldn’t be a surprise if the promotion were shortened due to its popularity, as the Rio Hotel and Casino canceled a similar free-play promotion last year.

Once claimed, the free play must be activated and used within 24 hours. A player must simply load the free play into a slot machine, complete the required $200 of wagering, and then cash out any remaining balance.

If you already have a Treasury Players Club card, you may be able to skip the counter line entirely by using a kiosk. Check your promotions on the kiosk, select the free play offer, and it should load automatically onto your card. If you don't have a card or can't find it, you'll need to visit the players club counter directly, open daily from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Is This a Good Deal?

On the surface, this is a good deal, but the reality of the situation is how much your time is worth.

Visitors on vacation often cite time as a major reason not to leave the Vegas Strip for cheaper gambling with more player-friendly rules and odds. If time is important, this might not be the right promotion. That said, it might make sense to pop your head in to see how bad the line is that day.

Locals might have to drive to and from the Strip and spend time in line waiting for the free play before playing it. This could be a four-hour process altogether, which significantly reduces the per-hour value of the promotion. 

Although existing Treasury Players Club members use kiosks as a shortcut, there are reports that they went down on the promotion's first day.

Proceed with caution: Similar to Rio's promotion last year, Treasure Island has the right to cancel this promotion at any time.