Idea to get FF miles from credit cards at casinos
 

I live an hour from Atlantic City. Can I use my credit card that earns miles to buy chips from a casino, and then cash all the chips in (without playing them)? That seems like a great way to earn miles while screwing the casino over.
Only problem is I might be tempted to bet a few at the roulette wheel ;)

I have never heard of a casino that accepts anything but cash or approved check for chips. Given that the casino would have to pay 2-5% to the credit card company and that a number of table games have a house advantage smaller than that, the casino would be losing money.

You might have a better chance at an internet gambling site. I think they are illegal in this country and I know nothing about their trustworthiness.

I think you'll find that most credit cards treat casino transactions such as you mention as cash advances (well, that is what they are, after all) and charge fees and interest accordingly (and usually award zero points).

won't work
 

I have heard ( no first hand experience) of success with this on Cruise Ships from several people.

As far as in person at A.C. B&M cainos, not only will cage charge you an exhorbinant fee (via a third party vendor that pays casino a commission), but your C.C. will treat as a cash advance and offer no grace period on interest charges.

When in Laos, I was able to "charge" U.S. dollars at a local travel agency to a mileage based card for a 6% commission.

i.e. , I signed for $318 and recieved $300 USD, not local currency,

I did this because plastic and even local currency payments are "penalized" by vendors and there is a strong partiality for US Dollars ( heaven forbid there is a crease or wrinkle in the bill).

I did not bring enough cash.

so I did this but I cringed at the 6% fee.

back to your original question, I think that any manner of "free" miles is not achievable in any meaningful critical mass.

If you want to sweat out deliver issues and run to the bank do a search of "US MINT" this may get you up to 20,000 "free" miles. I don't feel its worth the hassle.

Another manner, -- that I personally consider unethical is the "costco" loophole.

Only way I have seen to get cash from a credit card at a casino have been the cash advance machines. I bring my gambling cash with me so I have no experience with the machines but it states it charges a fee and I assume it processes as a cash advance, usually not eligible for rewards. The closest you are going to get to free miles is the presidential dollar coins.

What about using a mileage-earning debit card or a credit card that has an account which was overpaid?

An overpaid credit card account would still incur the cash advance fee (often 3% of the purchase amount) if the card has one (all rewards cards I've seen have them).

A debit card that earns miles might work, subject, of course, to the daily limits.

I am fairly certain there are laws prohibiting gambling with credit card. I know in my state you can't buy lotto or scratch tickets. I'd bet the same goes for live games and slots in Vegas, AC, and other places.

The cash advance machines in the casinos at AC have astrononical fees! I would never use one.

Never heard of that one... What is it? Maybe some of us don't consider it unethical... ;)

(I personally don't have a Costco Membership so it will not apply to me, it's just curiosity).

This DOES work on a cruise ship. You don't actually use your credit card in the casino, but your "sea pass" or whatever that cruise line calls your room key/on board charge card. At the end of the cruise all charges are posted to your account and your credit card on file is charged one time for your total for the entire cruise...drinks, trips, spa, games, casino. Your credit card company just sees a charge from the cruise company and no cash advance fees are charged.

A quick Google search turns up The Costco Loophole

In the glory days of online casinos this worked like a charm. It's gone now.

It depends upon the cruise line. On Princess, they charge you a surcharge at the casino.

Mike