You stride into the glitzy doors of a casino, wallet in hand, with a plan for some fun, enjoyable gambling and maybe two rounds of drinks. Hours later, you are still in the building, barely aware of what time it is or how much money has passed through your fingers. This is the casino’s design: Every sound, scent, and physical aspect of a casino is geared toward making it impossible to leave.
Whether it’s the sight of flashing lights, the sounds of coins clinking in slot machines or the smell of cigarettes, casinos are designed to be intoxicating. Even when you’re losing, the experience is exhilarating. Casinos are built to look like euphoric dreamscapes and hypnotize gamblers with their bright colors, glittering lights and pulsating music. And if the music is too loud, you can always duck into one of the many bars and restaurants for a quick drink to take the edge off.
But it’s not just the atmosphere that keeps gamblers coming back. Casinos are run by businesses that have deep pockets and a desire to make as much money as possible. So they use every trick in the book to keep patrons spending money on games of chance and avoid any legal trouble with the government.
For example, the windows are tinted so that it is difficult to see what time of day it is. This makes it hard to gauge how long you have been at the casino and forces you to keep gambling. Casinos also use lighting to manipulate their patrons’ perception of time, keeping the interiors lit the same way both day and night. In addition, the colors of the carpets and ceilings are designed to mimic daylight, further tricking gamblers into thinking it is a proper time of day to be awake.
Another way casinos manipulate their guests is by using comps and rewards programs to lure players in. This includes free hotel rooms, shows, food and drinks, transportation, limo services and even airline tickets. The idea is to make the player feel as if they are getting something for free, thus increasing their chances of gambling more. This is called the “sunk cost fallacy.”
As a result, when a player does hit the jackpot on a slot machine or a poker game, the sound of cheering fills the room and other patrons are quick to follow suit with their own celebrations. But the reality is that everyone else’s wins do not affect their own chances of winning.
And if that’s not enough, casinos are positioned strategically within shopping malls and near other entertainment options to encourage people to spend their free time gambling. And with the influx of online casinos, they are gaining popularity in a number of countries around the world. Moreover, many of these sites feature games from top software providers such as NetEnt and Pragmatic Play, thereby boosting their reputation. This has made them a hot favorite among many players.
