President of the US, Joe Biden, first expressed his concern over junk fees charged by casinos and resorts in October 2022. He has now shared the commitment once again through X, formerly Twitter, informing everyone that his administration is working to crack down on the practice of imposing junk fees on customers.
According to gaming news, Junk fees are basically a set of add-ons, like resort fees. This refers to the charge that casinos and resorts levy on customers for their stay at the location. It is generally not included in the charges they advertise publicly. Joe Biden believes this is a misleading practice that confuses customers who end up paying more than they want.
The February State of the Union Address also referenced the matter, emphasizing imposing a ban on surprise resort fees.
The junk fee is an issue that is being covered under the Hotel Fees Transparency Act. Just like every other Act, this one has also met with two sides, with one of them supporting the initiative and the other opposing it, asking the administration to let casinos advertise the price of ticket charges.
Those who support the Act believe that hotels and resorts have the onus on them to disclose the prices in the ads. These have to be in addition to taxes and other charges. Calling them misleading online pricing schemes, Joe Biden has doubled down on his efforts to combat the practice.
The Hotel Fees Transparency Act (S.2498) was introduced to Congress by Senators Jerry Moran and Amy Klobuchar, but there has been no advancement on the bill. Moran and Amy have introduced the Act by saying that it is very often that customers who make a booking over the internet later face surprise prices, which makes it difficult for them to compare the actual cost and understand how much they will have to spend for a single night.
This was said in a joint statement. The American Gaming Association, for one, has opposed the Act by saying that they are already open about the prices in booking policies. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat Sen. from Nevada, has said that while she supports the practice of being transparent with prices, hotels, and casinos cannot be asked to mention junk fees in the advertised prices as that is upfront in the policies.
Rep. Dina Titus and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto are in favor of her statement. They are saying that legislation should focus on ticket charges rather than the costs of casinos and hotels. However, Masto and Titus expressed their determination to keep the proposal focused on eliminating surprise fees without punishing hotels and casinos.
Meanwhile, followers of Joe Biden have sarcastically appreciated his post. They have highlighted that the post has come at a time when many people cannot afford groceries. They have also thanked him for taking a stand in the matter of resolving junk fees.
