A patron of SkyCity Casino’s Auckland outfit accused the gambling operator of trying to expand its membership base by demanding visitors to join its loyalty programme. The visitor, who insisted to remain anonymous, complained to local media that staff members demanded that he register for the casino’s rewards programme before he was permitted to enter the casino floor.
The man claims a member of the casino’s personnel stopped him at the entrance and demanded to know whether he was a member of SkyCity. Upon giving a negative response, the man was informed the casino’s policy required visitors to sign up for membership in the rewards programme before they are permitted on the premises.
The visitor declined to register for the programme and proposed they scan a QR code as part of the NZ COVID Tracer. The latter is an official government application that enables users to keep track of the places they have visited by scanning official QR codes. This allows authorities to easily track people who have been in contact with potentially infectious individuals.
All businesses, hospitality and gaming venues included, are required to use such QR code posters in order to assist the New Zealand government in its efforts to trace infected individuals. The man insisted he could provide a government-issued ID along with his contact details. The patron was informed by one of SkyCity’s staff members that the casino’s policy involved collecting customers’ contact details by requiring them to sign up for the loyalty programme.
The employee allegedly told the outraged patron they would deny him entry unless he complies with the casino’s policy. The man eventually agreed and headed to the lobby where he went through the registration process. There, he provided his identification documents, filled some paperwork, and had his photo taken for the database.
The Measure Aims to Limit the Number of Customers on the Premises
According to the outraged patron, the casino is trying to expand its membership base and uses contact tracing as an excuse to do so. However, a member of SkyCity’s personnel told local media the facility indeed uses QR code posters and requires all visitors to scan them. They also have to sign up for the casino’s Premier Rewards Programme as an extra measure before being permitted on the premises.
In fact, such information is published on the official website of the casino, which states that the venue will reopen to Premier Rewards customers at noon on August 31. The website also says that from September 4 till September 6, the venue will be exclusively open to Gold, Platinum, and VIP Black Premier Rewards customers. Those who have a Sapphire and Ruby Membership will be disallowed from entering the premises within this timeframe.
A spokesperson of SkyCity Casino denied the allegations of the outraged patron in a statement, explaining that the policies at hand are not about increasing the number of the programme’s members. They aim to limit the number of visitors on the casino floor instead, the spokesperson said.
- Author
Olivia Cole
