I play in Vegas, Atlantic City and many other casinos in Illinois and have never experienced anything like this one. I played one machine tonight and spent $7,000 in it without getting anything bigger than a $400 hit. A $5 machine should pay more than $400. These machines are so tight!!!! STAY AWAY FROM THE GRAND VICTORIA

You're better off playing the lottery.

Years ago it wasn't a bad place, but now it's just silly. You bet 50 credits win 3 and so on. A few times I've walked in the door with $5,000 and all I left with is credit card and atm receipts from even more cash advances.

I'm not sure if it is new management or greed, but they make it very hard to win now. Nowadays I would say avoid this place!

Yesterday I made the 1st and only visit that I will ever make to this casino. I will also never support any Illinois casino, after what I have learned today.



I have never been treated so poorly in my life. I play tourneys, or blackjack tables or poker rooms, 2-3 days per week, and am always looking for a new place to socialize and play.



I am a 35 year old married, woman, who owns a successful business. I took my 24 year old friend, married, mother of 4 with me for her very 1st time ever in a casino yesterday.



First off, there is NO SIGN to alert you to the fact that Valet Service has a Fee. The sign for the charge is only posted at the valet window where you go to pick up your vehicle. (REAL NICE).



Secondly, As we entered the casino 3 security officers asked my friend to produce her ID, which is to be expected, however, then made her wait in another separate line, because she was under 30 years old. Then scanned her driver's license before they decided she could even enter the casino floor. WHAT? Nice way to single someone out so they feel degraded right off the bat. (I later found out by reading news articles on the casino guide website today that Illinois runs everyone under 30's ID to check for warrants! Then has security hold these people until the police arrive to arrest them!) WOW! What a way to treat your customers. Thank God we are law abiding citizens, huh?



Thirdly, once we actually enterd the casino floor, it took all of about 2 minutes total before we left, never to return again!



As we entered the casino floor, we stopped to look up and admire the beautiful chandeliers, which reminded me of those inside the Golden Nugget in Vegas, a security guard immediately walked up and rudely said "keep moving."



We walked around the gaming table area, only 100 ft long by the way, and stopped once at a slot machine so that I could explain to my friend how the machines worked, paylines etcetera, since she has never played before, and still hasn't had the chance by the way.



Again, security started staring, so we completed the one circle we made around the floor searching for a small minimum blackjack table that I could teach my friend on. There were none.



Smallest min bet was $50 on up. (WHAT?) The last table before we got back to the start of the circle only had 2 players, and I thought the sign said $200 min/ $5000 max so I paused, told my friend I may play this one. I only stepped one step forward and was still a good 3 ft behind the players, as I leaned right and then left to see past a guy to read the min/max bet sign, and began to reach in my pocket to take out the $5000 I brought to play with.



Before I could even get the money out of my pocket, a young overzealous security guard pushed past my friend almost knocking her over to get to me.



He stepped up behind me and rudely said " You can't stand here, keep moving!" I turned in disbelief to look at him and he said again "You have to keep walking!" So..... We did just that and walked to the guest services office to complain as we walked out of the Grand Victoria Rotten Attitude for good!



Tell me- when did a customer reaching into their pocket to play a high stakes blackjack table that should have been in a private room to begin with, become a security problem? WOW!



If anything, the Grand Victoria is putting players like me at risk by even having a table like that on the main casino floor, but instead of realizing I was a player, they suspected ME.



PLEASE DON"T SUPPORT ILLINOIS CASINOS!

Previous reports are absolutely correct. This boat is very pretentious; it wants to be much more than it actually is. The minimums are ridiculously high. The minimums are akin to a very nice place on the strip. I

I was in there recently on a Friday afternoon, 2ish, and there were no craps tables below $15! That is absolutely unnecessary. It's a riverboat in Elgin Illinois!! Their players club takes care of slot players however. The lady plays slots there, and she is always getting offers in the mail for free play or free food. Myself, particularly craps and vp, well I get nothing.

The gaming floor and atmosphere leave much to be desired. The walkways are absurdly narrow, the place feels like walls and walls of slots with a few table games in the middle. Their attitude toward their players is like that of a sports stadiums alcohol policy in that they know they have a captive gambling audience, and they'll charge whatever they want and as much as they possibly can.

The one redeeming quality about their table games, and the reason I gave them a two instead of a one, is that they offer good odds on craps. When you hit a hot table just right, you can make some money. However, with their absurd high minimums, you're much more likely to be run off quickly by a cold table, left to contemplate throwing more money at an angry pass line or wait for the lady and the RNGs with flashing lights.

I live close and visit this casino often. More often to just test the waters. For several years it has been tight, but as of late the machines are DEAD. Do not go there to gamble because you will surely regret it. Not sour grapes but the truth. Years ago this casino knew how to give a little to make a little, you saw jack pots on occasion. Today there are only one or two floor people working so if you win they are as surprised as you will be. Rumor has it that they are to be bought out. This may explain why this casino is grabbing what they can while they can. The parking lot used to be full as well as the parking deck. Now they are lucky if they have 50 people playing any weekday. Now I'm not talking about penny games, I refer to $1-5 machines.
Their buffet is medium, good steak house, machines need maintenance (they stick). I have had many great days there but not for several years now. I used to see huge jack pots, now they get excited with $1200. Pitiful is all I can say.
My word to the wise is go to a nice dinner show, concert or night in the city but stay away from this money pit and remember my words.
Best of Luck from one who knows.