Casino giants are finding new ways to cut costs and save money. The new tactics affect you, the consumer. 
 
 13 Action News first told you about MGM International Properties decreasing their shot pours . Now, we're learning about some new ways the casinos are trying to limit those comped drinks everyone looks forward to while sitting at the slot and poker machines. 
 
 Sitting at a slot machine or video poker machine, putting in a $10 bill or a $20 bill, slowly hitting the button, and waiting for the cocktail waitress to come around to take your order for your free drink - may soon be a ritual of the past. 
 
 "It's kind of what Vegas is known for," said the founder of vitalvegas.com , Scott Roeben. "They've gotten all the low-hanging fruit; now I think they are looking at the things that can have a huge financial impact," he said. 
 
 Roeben says the point is for the casino giants to save money. 
 
 "Casinos are being very aggressive about it," said Roeben. "The casinos are taking the discretion out of the hands of the bartenders to give comped drinks." 
 
 One way is with a red light, green light system. Pictures taken by Roeben at the Caesars sports book show three lights attached to the video poker machines. One light is red, one light is green, one light is blue. Once money is put in the machine, the light turns blue. Once you spend enough, or lose enough, a green light comes on, signaling to the bartender, you are ready for a comped drink. The red light flashes back on until you put more money in. 
 
 "You gotta pace yourself, and you've got be willing to invest a little to get that free drink," said Roeben. 
 
 Roeben says a slot voucher system is in place at the Mirage Lobby Bar. By that, he means, video poker machines print out vouchers that say 'You've earned a free drink' after you've spent enough. 
 
 "The machine decides if you're worthy of your comped drink!" said Roeben. 
 
 Roeben said this is going on at the Cosmopolitan too. He adds it's only a matter of time before an automated comped drink monitoring system is in place at every bar on the strip. 
 
 We reached out to the casinos for comment. The Cosmopolitan said they have various systems in place but wouldn't say more than that. 
 
 Caesars never got us a statement before show time. 
 
 MGM International Properties provided us with the statement below. 
 
 "We are pilot-testing a new slot machine feature at the Lobby Bar, which provides vouchers for drinks based on the time and length of slot play. The new technology has eliminated the guessing game for bartenders about how many drinks each guest is eligible to receive based on play. Further, it has made the number of comped drinks that players receive consistent for all slot players at the bar.” 
 
 LAS VEGAS (KTNV) - 

 Las Vegas observers predicted this was coming, and now its here. Caesars Entertainment, which operates nine Sin City resorts, has rolled out its “Red Light, Green Light” (our term, not theirs) comp drink monitoring system to all its Las Vegas casinos. 
 
 The color-coded light system, installed on the back of video poker machines at casino and sports book bars, tells bartenders when a guest’s play warrants a free, or “comped,” drink. 
 
 Las Vegas casinos have experimented with a variety of comp drink monitoring systems, the first being a voucher system at Mirage. The voucher system is now used in the lobby bar at MGM Grand as well. 
 
 Then, the Red Light, Green Light system appeared at the sports book bar at Caesars Palace. 
 
 Most recently, Cosmopolitan Las Vegas became the first Strip resort to implement a voucher system across all its casino bars, including its remodeled Chandelier bar. 
 
 The move by Caesars Entertainment to implement its comp drink monitoring system is a huge development in Las Vegas because the company owns so many casinos. Drink monitoring systems will now be the norm, and a company-wide roll-out at MGM Resorts resorts are sure to follow. 
 
 We personally verified the comped drink system is in place at these Caesars Entertainment resorts: Bally’s (including Sully’s bar and Casino Bar), Cromwell (Lobby Bar), Linq (includes Tag Sports Bar, Catalyst and 3535 Bar), Flamingo (including X Bar and Bugsy’s, pictured below) and Harrah’s. 
 
 Our alert readers have confirmed that the system is in place at Rio, Caesars Palace, Paris and Planet Hollywood. 
 
 Remarkably, the Red Light, Green Light monitoring system seems to have been installed at all these Caesars Entertainment resorts within just a two-week window. 
 
 So, here’s how the system works, as best we can decipher, anyway. See, Caesars Entertainment hasn’t made any official announcements about the details of the monitoring system. Implementing the new system under-the-radar was a strategic decision to avoid potential backlash, as one bartender confirmed. 
 
 When you sit down at a video poker machine at a sports book or casino bar in a Caesars Entertainment resort, and put $20 into the machine, a blue light comes on. That signals to the bartender that you’ve “activated” the machine. Yes, there are guests who sit at these machines and put a dollar in and expect free drinks. They’re the ones this system is trying to address. 
 
 Once you choose your game, and begin play, you’ll need to play “max bet” for 4-5 hands (in most cases, $1.25 a pop, or five times 25 cents), then a green light comes on. That green light means you get a comped drink. Good times. 
 
 As long as your green light is on, you’re good for comped drinks. This requires consistent play at max bet. There doesn’t appear to be a time requirement. You play, your light stays green, you’re hammered. 
 
 If you don’t play max bet, or if you play too slowly, you’ll get the red light. That signals to the bartender you no longer “qualify” for a free drink. You’ll need to meet the qualifications again before the liquor flows freely again. 
 
 That’s about it. Simple, but effective. 
 
 When we first learned of systems like this, we railed against them, but our position has evolved as we’ve learned more. 
 
 In essence, bartenders have always been the comped drink monitoring system. They watched the level and frequency of play and determined who earned a free drink. Now, it’s 
 
 automated. 
 
 When these systems first hit the casinos, bartenders weren’t thrilled. They felt it impeded their ability to give good customer service, and it also decreased their tips. 
 
 When asked during our most recent visit, one Bally’s bartender said, “They’re a blessing.” Now, the pressure is off the bartenders, and an automated system creates an environment where players know what’s expected, and the freeloaders know they can’t get away with scamming casinos for free drinks without a reasonable amount of play. 
 
 It’s worth noting bartenders say they have some discretion to veer from the rigidity of the Red Light, Green Light system for Seven Stars and Diamond tier loyalty club members. Those are some of Caesars Entertainment’s most lucrative customers, and it’s unlikely they’d nickel and dime them over cocktails that have a hard cost of mere pennies. 
 
 At the moment, the light system at Caesars Entertainment resorts can’t easily be seen by customers. They’re installed on the back of video poker machines, and most players don’t even realize they’re there. If you want to know which of your lights are showing, you can place your hand behind the light display to see the color reflected, or use your smartphone’s selfie mode to take a look. Or just ask your bartender. They’re not secretive about it at all. 
 
 One bartender suggested the lights should be clearly visible to players so guests could easily tell if they’ve earned another free drink. That suggestion, however, didn’t go over well with management due to concerns about the potential of a negative customer response. 
 
 The customers we’ve chatted with, though, understand the fundamental purpose of the comped drink system, and figure the only people it will impact are those who expect something for nothing. That arrangement has never actually existed in Las Vegas, despite many who mistakenly believe it did. They just didn’t understand how Vegas worked. Casino revenue has always paid for the free rooms, buffets and show tickets. People did the comping, not machines. 
 
 The implementation of the Red Light, Green Light comped drink monitoring system at all Caesars Entertainment resorts in Las Vegas marks a dramatic turning point in the culture and business of Las Vegas casinos. 
 
 It means we’re going to see similar monitoring systems in all Las Vegas casino bars and, in time, on all slot machines across the entire casino floor. 
 
 These changes, along with downsized liquor pours and paid parking, have sparked heated discussion among Las Vegas visitors, many contending Las Vegas casinos are compromising the destination’s perceived value for short-term financial gain. 
 
 Ultimately, though, painful as they may seem, the changes are smart business, and casinos 
 
 are for-profit businesses. Always have been, always will be. 
 
 Update (9/27/16): Caesars Entertainment has confirmed that the comp drink monitoring system has been implemented at all its Nevada casinos. A statement reads: “Caesars Entertainment has implemented the comp validation system statewide throughout our Nevada resorts. This system enables us to offer complimentary beverages to those gamers who choose max play at our video poker bar top units.” See more on this story from our friends at KTNV. 
 
 It ain’t glitzy, but it is the reality, so play on. 

 Caesars has installed indicator lights on the rear of video poker machines at sports bars in all nine of its properties on or near the Strip. Guests have to wager a certain amount on each hand for the "green" light to flash. Only then will bartenders serve free booze. Lower bidders have to pay if they want a splash of wine or a cocktail. 

 LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Say goodbye to the days of stretching a dollar as long as you can in a video poker machine to get free drinks. Caesars Entertainment has officially rolled out a comp drink monitoring system at all of its resorts in Las Vegas. 
 
 "The people it affects are the people who want something for nothing," said Scott Roeben, the founder of the popular blog VitalVegas.com. 
 
 Within the last few weeks, Caesars rolled out the system that makes sure you're spending enough money before you get your free drink. 
 
 "It happened overnight," said Roeben. "The bartenders are still getting used to it, the customers are definitely still getting used to it." 
 
 It's essentially a red light, green light system. 13 Action News first told you about it a few months ago when the system was just being tested out. Well, now it's all over the Strip and pretty unavoidable. 
 
 "Now it's an automated system," said Roeben. "The bartenders have a little flexibility but not very much." 
 
 Here's how it works. You put in $20 to the video poker machine to get it activated. A blue light will turn on. If you play a few max bets, your light will turn green. If you keep up your playing pace, the drinks will keep coming. If you stop or slow down, the light will turn red and the drinks will stop. 
 
 "If you slow down, turn and talk to a friend, there's a chance that your pace could be too slow and they will start you over again." 
 
 Roeben was initially ticked off about the change. 
 
 "When I first heard about it, I was really upset, I was riled, and I would rant on my blog." 
 
 But Roeben says, there's been a little change of perception about it. He points out casinos are not nonprofits and they must operate like businesses. 
 
 "I'm getting on board with it just because I realized I love big shiny things and how does a casino make more big shiny things if they're not making money," he said. 
 
 Caesars Entertainment released a statement about the new system's implementation. 
 
 "Caesars Entertainment has implemented the comp validation system statewide throughout our Nevada resorts. This system enables us to offer complimentary beverages to those gamers who choose max play at our video poker bar top units."
– Sammy Davis Jr. would never have let this happen. The Los Angeles Times reports the days of comped drinks for Las Vegas gamblers may be coming to an end. "It's kind of what Vegas is known for," Scott Roeben, founder of Vital Vegas, tells KTNV. But in recent months, two of the biggest casino owners in Vegas launched systems to regulate the free alcohol being handed out to video poker players in their bars. And according to Vital Vegas, that means it's only a matter of time until similar systems are put in place at bars all over Vegas before being rolled out to slot machines and beyond. Currently, the changes mean gamblers can no longer milk video poker games for cheap in order to drink for free, WGBA reports. MGM Resorts started things off by deploying video poker machines in bars at the MGM Grand and the Mirage that print out drink vouchers when gamblers have been playing for long enough. It says the new machines take the pressure off bartenders to figure out who deserves to have their drinks comped. But the major sea change appears to be happening at Caesars Entertainment, which installed colored lights on the backs of video poker machines in the bars at all nine of its Vegas-area casinos. If you bet the max—usually $1.25 or so—for four or five hands, the green light goes on and a free drink is headed your way. The red light will cut off the flow of gratis booze if you slow down your playing pace. "You've got be willing to invest a little to get that free drink," Roeben tells KTNV. (Synthetic alcohol promises the buzz without the hangover.)