[TakeMeToTheRiver]

You are correct -- but only in part. A better analogy is to look at the poker room as a loss leader (although they don't lose money in the poker room). The poker room brings in business. Many poker players bring friends or significant others who understand enought about poker to be afraid to play poker with people who are very likely to play better than them. So what do the friends and family do? They play blackjack, they play slots, they play craps, they pay to see expensive shows and eat in expensive restaurants. In addition, many poker players are still degenerate gamblers (count me in) and, after taxing their brain for eight hours playing poker, like to "relax" with a drink at the craps tables.

People who walk in alone, play poker and walk out, will not make the casino a whole lot of cash. But poker is a draw now and a poker room brings in players and they in turn bring more business to the rest of the firm.

So you are wrong in part -- if a poker player "demands" an accomodation that is not financially significant, you go ahead and give the customer what he wants. If a poker player "demands" a free room or a five star meal, you say "no dice" or -- better yet -- "go play dice."

Edit: Continuing your analogy to the restaurant -- if the guy that buys coffee a few times a week also comes in twice a year for a five course meal and expensive wine, you make damn sure he is happy with his coffee. And even if does not come in for the big ticket meal, you make sure he is happy because he is still giving you significant business over the course of the year and may come in for a few expensive drinks after work and may tell his boss about the nice place he buys coffee... and his boss may have the Christmas party there next year. You don't hire another waitress just for this customer, but you tell the waitress to be more attentive and stop flirting with the cook.