Las Vegas Strip casinos are cracking down on a popular vice

The Las Vegas Strip has been at the center of Joe Biden’s fight against hidden taxes.

The president has pushed to eliminate unwanted fees, and the administration has pressured companies to disclose the full cost of their deals so consumers know what they’re paying.

Some industries have struggled with this effort. Cable TV and Internet service providers, for example, advertise low prices without mentioning non-optional fees such as broadcast network and regional sports network fees.

Related: Las Vegas Strip casinos are cracking down on a popular vice

Consumers would think that the first price is what they are actually paying, but that is not the case. Fees are added to their bills and cannot be waived.

In some cases, people pay double the advertised price once taxes are added. This is clearly unethical, but it is legal, and Biden fought to ban these hidden fees.

The entire cruise industry, at least in the US, has moved to include port charges, taxes, and fees in the displayed prices so that customers know exactly how much their cruises cost before they buy them.

That means showing a bigger number up front. But since these duties, taxes and port charges are mandatory and must be paid even for ports where you don’t disembark, it’s a true reflection of the true cost of your vacation.

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Most hotels on the Las Vegas Strip charge a resort fee.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Hotel taxes are a Biden target

Biden also asked hotels and resorts to show their full daily prices before anyone makes reservations. This means showing any so-called resort fees that customers have to pay even if they don’t intend to use any of the facilities that the fees cover.

“We will ban surprise resort fees that hotels charge on your bill. Those fees can cost you up to $90 a night at hotels that aren’t even resorts,” Biden said during his State of the Union address.

Resort fees cover things like pools, WiFi, gyms and other amenities. Nevada’s congressional delegation, which is largely from Biden’s Democratic Party, has a problem with his resort tax plans.

“I’m sure the president knows that Las Vegas resorts really are resorts,” commented Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nevada). applaud the efforts of the Federal Trade Commission and hotel operators to ensure price transparency.”

The remarks were first reported by Casino.org.

“I will make sure this administration’s proposals remain focused on eliminating surprise fees, not punishing our world-class hotels and casinos for the fees they already disclose up front,” added Democratic state Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto.

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Las Vegas Strip operator adds new fee

In many cases, reporting operators want you to book directly with them. This way they don’t share any fees with third party operators and make more money.

Usually, this is also a way for consumers to get better prices, but this is not the case with MGM Resorts International (MGM) properties on the Las Vegas Strip.

MGM Resorts appears to be charging $15 more per room, at night if the room was booked by a human. The fee will appear on the final receipt at checkout where it is called the ‘ICE Contact Center Fee’.” Casino.org reported.

The fee does not apply to people booking through the company’s online booking system.

READ ALSO: The best travel agents tell you how to get the best price on your cruise

Many on social media were outraged, seeing the change as an affront to older people who may not be as tech-savvy as younger consumers. Others see the change as an attempt to cut costs and lay off employees.

“@MGMResortsIntl trying to phase out their reservations department by charging $15 a night for every reservation you make with a live agent in their call center is disgusting,” @HeatherBenson75 tweeted. “They don’t care about their employees!”

MGM Resorts did not respond to Casino.org’s request for comment.

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