Let me preface this review by stating that I am by nature not a complaining person. I most often try to make the best of whatever situation I'm in, and to overlook the bad in favor of the good -- to do otherwise is to invite misery wherever one goes. Read my other reviews and you'll see what I mean.

My wife and I live about 25 miles from Maryland Live, so for the time being, it's the most geographically friendly casino to us. That's about the only way this place is friendly. We spent some of our tax refunds by visiting Maryland Live twice this past weekend.

The first night, Friday, was the better of the two. The casino floor was surprisingly uncrowded for a weekend night, but the same things I didn't like about the place (when we first visited this past fall, after it first opened) are still there: 1. Long lines for ATM's, because there aren't enough of them, and the ones that are there are often out of service. There are LOTS of ticket-redemption machines, which look like ATM's but aren't. 2. Slot machines with minimum bets, for example, a nickel machine requires that you bet no less than a dollar on every play. We found a two-cent machine that requires a minimum 80-cent bet. What is the point of having two-cent machines or nickel machines, if they're going to require twenty or forty times those amounts for every play? ALL the machines are like this, regardless of denomination. 3. Not much winning going on. We've visited four times now, and each time we set a limit as to how much money we're willing to lose. We've lost that amount every time. 4. Paying for drinks on the gaming floor. I've been to several casinos in my life, and never, until visiting Maryland Live, have I paid for a drink on the gaming floor. To make it worse, the drinks are watery and served in small (maybe 8 oz) plastic cups. This really doesn't make a customer feel welcomed at a casino.

This past Friday night, since I didn't feel like gambling, I headed over to the Ram's Head bar for a drink (thus to avoid the small, watery $5 cups on the gaming floor). There was a very good local cover band playing hits from the 90's. They were entertaining, but they don't live up to the billing on the Maryland Live web page: "Catch your favorite artists and bands, front row and center." A look at the entertainment calendar on the Maryland Live website doesn't show a single artist or band that I would consider one of my favorites. There's a great abundance of "tribute" bands, and bands covering music from certain decades. There are a lot of karaoke nights (relying on the guests to provide entertainment?) and at least one night a week, there's a DJ. Coming up in March, there is only one nationally-known band, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Most of the shows are free, but some are not, and Maryland Live needs to do better at pointing out the shows for which customers must pay for tickets.

There are only two bars in this huge place, other than those in the restaurants attached to the perimeter of the casino. Even though the casino floor was relatively uncrowded, it was tough to get a seat at either bar, but I managed to find one at Ram's Head. I wanted a drink. I was sitting AT THE BAR, not standing behind a few other people, but seated at the bar, and it seemed I was invisible to the entire bar staff. I made eye contact with a bartender -- surely this person would ask for my order, but no, she just walked on by. This happened many more times before someone finally asked me what I wanted. I was not the only one being ignored.

Restrooms are few and far between, as are signs directing one to them. At one point I found myself on a very long walk to find relief.

So that was Friday night, which was tolerable. Then came Saturday night -- we came back because my wife really enjoys the slot machines. Saturday night presented all the problems mentioned above, but the place was so jammed full, every problem seemed worse. It was almost frighteningly crowded. People look everywhere but where they're walking, so there are frequent pedestrian collisions. There didn't appear to be one available slot machine. The staff at the doors were still letting hundreds more people in -- we began to wonder just how many people they were planning to cram into the place. It was hot, smelly, and just unpleasant. Imagine Chuck E. Cheese for adults (although I did see some people pushing kids in strollers -- how does that happen?). Getting a seat at one of the two bars was impossible. I managed to lean against the corner of the Ram's Head bar, but again, I was invisible to the bar staff. In the two hours we spent there, I was not able to get a drink at all.

My wife reported she lost $100 in less than an hour, and we were both just done with the place. It's a shame -- there is great potential there, but in their greed to pull in the big bucks, Maryland Live is really sacrificing customer service, comfort and enjoyment. It's not hard to imagine that when other casinos open in Maryland (in nearby Baltimore and Prince George's County), Maryland Live will begin losing customers in droves.

Let me preface this by saying, although I utilize and read reviews like this often, this is the first one I have ever actually written in my life. I have spent hundreds of hours in casinos....turning stone, atlantic city all over, vegas, mohegan sun, charles town, 5 or 6 other casinos overseas...you get the idea. THIS CASINO IS THE WORST IVE EVER BEEN TO. I am hoping my review can save even a couple people from what I assure you will be a bad/costly experience.

To be fair I will tell you the three things I enjoy about this casino. 1) its poker room. Lots of tables and tournaments all of the time. 2) smoke free atmosphere 3) proximity to my home in DC

Unfortunately, these positives are vastly outweighed by the cons (many of which I've come to assume are standard attractions in todays casinos to maintain customer satisfaction). I won't go into any details of what may have impacted my view on an individual level, but rather what I noticed are deeply insufficient characteristics of the casino for every customer.

1) highest minimum tables I've ever seen in any casino, including international. I play higher stakes so this didn't bother me, I was just more shocked than anything.
2) poor comps
3) poor entertainment. On some nights they even have karaoke which literally drives people out of the place
4) worst overall service. I won't pick on any individuals, but from top to bottom (bartenders, dealers, pit bosses, service desk reps) it was very below standard of what I've seen
5) terrible payouts
6) no where to stay (have to get a hotel offsite)

I could get into more detail but I just wanted to get my point across....if you are closer to charlestown or AC, you should definitely go there for a better experience. If it weren't for their monopoly and poker room, I wouldn't be going anymore. When MGM hits national harbor in mid 2016, I would be shocked if they don't run maryland live out of business. At the very least they will provide way better customer service.

Between $3000 getting pick pocketed while in the casino.

The whole New Year's Eve fiasco very similar to the slot tournament fiasco and the black card parties planning is very poor with MD Live Events.

The $60000.00 in losses with a horrible to no payout ratio within the last year Not to mention the rest of the money I've thrown at Live throughout the year unrated.

The rate of play min $25 a hand in NJ would include a no mid shoe entry unlike MD Live where the tables are designed to be opened for people to get screwed by the house & rarely opened $15 tables.

I don't even want to get started on the high price of liquor.

There are not any perks to being a black card member at Live unless I play $1000 a hand or similar to be at executive tier. The same so-called black exclusive gifts are equally available to gold player's that play $100/ make 1000 points that day.

Pit bosses don't enter in my play properly there are thousands I have not been rated on.

The atmosphere as a result of the clientele is not enjoyable.

The customer service in general from all departments especially the food service & food quality in general is not good at all.

I had a card dealer hacking in my face as she was on the clock sick.

I feel like the drive to DE or AC is more worth it as of late.

I know MD Live is making its $50 million a month & what I throw at it is chump change in managements view.

But if I throw the same amount of money in jersey as I do at MD Live. I'd never hear I'm in the hole with comps the win ratio wouldn't be as horrible as it is in Live.

The food quality would actually be edible & food staff would be more professional & not follow me with a rag wiping the buffet as I serve myself or I won't have to get a supervisor to make sure the pasta or omelette line is open as the worker is playing at the pizza counter ignoring customers. Just to name a few.

The black tier perks will actually feel like perks, lines would actually feel like high roller lines & I won't have to ask workers to do their jobs instead of talking about their personal love lives and tend to the general line only ignoring VIP line members.

Black tier exclusive events shouldn't feel as segmented as they currently are there, I currently feel as if my last name has to be Fetherline to be invited to any worthwhile event.

Not one proper prime rib event has happened since I became black tier member. The last 2 events your 2 choices are fish which I don't eat and only raw steak which I only eat cooked I had to wait 45 mins just to get a drink order not the drink add an hour and that's when food came out.

The overall experience in general shouldn't have me feeling ripped off, worthless, & angry as I currently feel about service when being a MD Live Patron.

This casino is the WORST!!!! From the parking garage to the tables.......Every time I go, I lose!!!! Better off in WV or AC...better yet even DE.....freaking 25 dollar tables @ min PLEASE.....

Why does MD government have a monopoly on the gaming industry? Because they control every aspect, they passed slots based on 87% payout. What they did not mention was that 80% goes back to MD. So that explains the low payouts at any MD casino. Time for this monopoly to be broken up. Ma Bell was broken up, and they provided the best service to customers, never to be replicated again, thanks to Uncle Sam. Why should we allow this monopoly to exist? They provide service to no one, just raping customers with little to no chance of winning.