Caesars Entertainment Foundation Donates $3.1M to Nonprofits Nationwide

Posted on: August 2, 2024, 02:50h. 

Last updated on: August 1, 2024, 01:18h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Caesars Entertainment announced Thursday that the Las Vegas-based casino giant recently contributed $3.1 million to local and national nonprofit organizations through its Caesars Foundation.

Caesars Entertainment casino donation voucher
A gambler at a Caesars Entertainment casino shows gaming vouchers. Through its Caesars Makes Change program that allows patrons to donate their voucher slips, Caesars recently donated $3.1 million to nonprofits. (Image: Shutterstock)

The Caesars Foundation, the company’s corporate giving arm, provided more than $3 million in grants to national groups like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a nonprofit that it has long supported. The foundation also established a new partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, which closely aligns with Caesars’ pursuit of environmental sustainability. Arbor Day is a nonprofit dedicated to planting trees.

Much of the money contributed came from Caesars guests who donated through the Caesars Makes Change program. The initiative allows casino gamblers to donate their gaming vouchers to charity instead of cashing out. Many guests throw smaller vouches, often less than $1, into the Caesars Makes Change receptacles.

“We’ve always believed that we are better together, and the Caesars Makes Change program is a testament to that,” said Anthony Carano, president & COO of Caesars Entertainment.

Carano is the grandson of Don Carano, the founder of Eldorado Resorts. Eldorado acquired Caesars in 2019 through a reverse takeover valued at approximately $17.3 billion.

Caesars Beneficiaries

The Caesars release revealed that the Caesars Foundation contributed $1 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, with $827,110 going to the national organization and the remaining $172,890 going to local chapters where Caesars operates.

“Through the generosity of our guests, we were able to not only provide our Foundation grant to Boys & Girls Clubs of America this year, but we were also able to provide additional funds raised by our patrons, allowing Boys & Girls Clubs to continue to provide invaluable resources in communities across the country. We’re proud to offer the Caesars Makes Change program in our casinos nationwide to provide resources to organizations in the communities where we live, work, and play,” Carano added.

Caesars’ generosity has enhanced our ability to impact the lives of countless young people, fostering their growth and potential,” said Andy Bischel, president & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada. “Their commitment to our mission enables us to continue to offer life-changing opportunities to our members, setting them on a path to a Great Future.”

Along with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Arbor Day Foundation, Caesars made donations to:

  • The WASH Foundation (formerly Clean the World)
  • International Center for Responsible Gaming
  • Meals on Wheels America
  • National Park Trust
  • Public Education Foundation
  • Second Wind Dreams
  • IX’s Foundation
  • Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada

Change Adds Up

Many gamblers dispose of vouchers worth less than a dollar instead of waiting in a cashier or kiosk line. It’s illegal for another person to pick up a discarded ticket in most regulated gambling states.

Casinos benefit from keeping the change, and it adds up.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) reports that players tossed about $24.4 million during the fiscal year that ended June 30.  

Discarded vouchers hit a peak in the immediate aftermath of COVID-19 when the nation experienced a coin shortage and many casino cages were unable to pay small credits. Caesars piloted its Caesars Makes Change Program in 2021 and has since expanded the initiative across its US casinos.