Can casino layout and design affect you guide, Gambling resort, Gaming buildings advice
Can the Layout and Design of a Casino Affect You as a Player?
6 July 2022
Despite the best efforts of the last few years, casinos remain hugely popular. In 2019, 42 million people descended on Las Vegas alone. Even with travel restrictions, 2021 saw 32 million people return to the gambling Mecca showing that normality was returning swiftly.
Although casinos provide more entertainment than just gambling, the game floors are where the money is made. The casino industry is a strange beast in that there can sometimes be a lack of trust between the player and the house. Accusations of game rigging are made by sore losers, and the casinos are always on the watch for card counters and cheats.
After all, this is an industry where someone can win or lose a fortune in a matter of minutes. One area that isn’t always considered by the player, is the layout of the casino, and how this might be affecting their gameplay.
Is there any science behind the traditional casino?
The many games that are in a casino are designed to entertain guests and can include blackjack, poker, and slots. How these gaming tables and machines are positioned is not by accident.
Like any other business, casinos are designed to extract the maximum profit available. Of course, a certain percentage of takings goes back to the players, and occasionally, there will be a big win. This is important to keep individuals playing, and is part of the psychology behind casinos.
There is far more to it than just letting players win a certain percentage though, there is also the layout to consider.
Does the layout of a casino have any effect on its guests?
There are some breathtaking casino hotel buildings around the world. Clearly, architecture is important to many of the world’s more impressive casino operators, but what about the interior of these venues?
Are casinos designed to be deliberately confusing, or is this just the impression given due to the sheer size of some gaming floors?
It is unlikely that any designer would choose to make a layout deliberately confusing. Yet, there is a certain amount of truth in the assumption that casinos want to make it difficult for people to leave. It is said that many casinos use a maze-like design to draw players in and prolong their visit.
Firstly, there are usually no straight lines in a casino. So, it is difficult to see clear routes to exits or other floors. Curved banks of slots help to steer patrons to other areas where there may be games of interest.
There are also no windows or clocks in casinos. This is a deliberate design tactic to remove the player from the outside world.
There are some tactics, or tricks if you prefer, to keep players in the game.
What psychological tricks are used by casinos?
The layout is designed to take players past the maximum amount of gaming options possible. This increases the chances of the player spending a few extra dollars on something that catches their eye.
The design behind a casino goes deeper than just the layout though, there are quite a few other tricks employed by the industry, including the interesting use of scents.
Scent marketing is one hidden aspect of how the casino industry gets people to play more. Certain smells make shoppers spend more, and casinos understand this. So, aromas are used to trigger certain emotions such as loyalty.
Complimentary drinks are still given out in many casinos. Usually, this happens once a player has hit a minimum spend requirement. Alcohol impairs judgment and also alters mood.
Free rooms, complimentary meals, and other freebies make it so that the player never needs to leave the casino complex too. Another way of detaching players from the outside world is the use of chips. These aren’t just convenient, they are to stop the player from considering how much ‘real’ money they are spending, or losing.
Do casinos use design and architecture to attract players?
A great deal of thought and planning goes into designing casinos now. Competition is fierce, and some areas such as Vegas and Macau are saturated with casinos. They have to find a way to stand out.
The Bellagio, for instance, has its famous fountain show each evening which draws hundreds of viewers, they also have an impressive art gallery and world-class entertainment. These are all part of the design to lure people inside their casino resort.
Impressive architecture also plays its part. The SKYCITY building in Adelaide was designed to transform the skyline and provide an entertainment complex to draw thousands of visitors.
The design outside a casino, as well as the interior, plays a large part in attracting customers. The glamor of a casino resort and hotel can be presented in the architecture, and through first impressions such as the entrance hall, and the warm VIP-style welcome.
Do online casinos have any design similarities to traditional venues?
The similarities between online casinos and traditional gaming establishments fall into the area of customer retention, and the psychology behind it.
The average American spends $261 per year on casinos and lottery, and casinos are designed to try and keep players playing. One of the most popular gaming areas for digital and land-based casinos is the slot machines.
In either style of a casino, slot machines employ some science to encourage player retention. Music is very important, as this can affect mood and emotion. Sound effects and music can be used to encourage the player to speed up play, or to convey a win or bonus. This helps to elicit positive emotions.
Flashing lights are also crucial. The design of slots and their effects are completely intentional. The lights can help add a feeling of excitement when a person walks onto the gaming floor, and they can also make a player feel that they are winning even when they aren’t.
Can casino layout and design affect you as a player Summary
If you have ever tried to walk out of a casino but found yourselves playing one or two more games on the way, then the layout designer did their job. No business ever wants their loyal customers to leave, but few are able to employ such design tricks to keep them as a casino can.
From the moment you spot the stunning exterior of a Vegas casino with its unique architecture, to the point where you arrive at the gaming floor. Everything is designed to either draw you in or keep you there.
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