LAS VEGAS » Time was, gamblers didn’t even want credit card companies maintaining a record of their time in Las Vegas.

Now, visitors want loyalty points from mainstream hotel chains for the days they spend holed up in Strip casinos.

Casino corporations MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment Corp. have both announced partnerships in recent months with major hotel chains (Hyatt and Starwood, respectively).

The independent Strip casino the Cosmopolitan is also partnering with a hotel chain, striking a deal with Marriott.

The partnerships give the hotel chains a presence in one of the country’s biggest tourist destinations. They also add to the casino companies’ growing legitimacy in the hospitality industry.

MGM owns 10 properties on the Las Vegas Strip, including the MGM Grant and Bellagio. Caesars owns nine, including Caesars Palace and the Flamingo.