The Casino Floor: Layout Secrets and Player Psychology

Casinos are not only designed to be grandiose venues for patrons to come and play casino games. They also must be optimised to keep players engaged, with comfortable gaming zones that can sustain long gaming sessions. There are plenty of myths about casinos, and while some of them are true, nowadays a lot of the tricks of yesteryear are not used anymore.

Everything, from the placement of the machines to choosing each game is meticulously calculated and designed to perfection. Sometimes, the mazy aisles of slots and the darker areas can throw you off your guard. Without knowing it, you can spend hours on end in a casino, and chances are, the longer you stay the more you will lose. So here we will analyse every single detail of casino floor design, and how to maintain awareness during your gaming.

Casino Design Tricks and Psychology

Landbased casinos want to keep players active and build a safe gaming environment where patrons can confidently spend long periods of time gaming. They must clearly define gaming zones on the floor space, dedicated to different types of games. Gaming machines can be zoned together, as can popular table games or exotic casino games. But there must be a clear and easy structure for players to find what they are looking for.

The majority of games in a casino are slot machines. Casinos will often have countless aisles of slots, and place a lot near the entrance. Slots are the games that catch most people’s attention and can bring passersby into the casino. In the past, casinos would form complex mazey aisles to make it more difficult for people to leave. Patrons would have to walk past a greater volume of gaming machines before they could exit the casino. The idea was that the casino could tempt them into spending more on their way out.

However, nowadays casino designers focus more on creating quality gaming experiences. Instead of narrow, dark and mazey aisles, they tend to make more open spaces. Cashiers desks are not placed deep in the heart of the casino and difficult to find. Instead, the onus leans more towards making a place where patrons feel comfortable, and not trapped. After all, casinos want their patrons to come back, and not just make a quick buck off them in one gaming session.

Creating Designated VIP Gaming Experiences

Private gaming sessions and the ability to book VIP rooms can give casino owners the edge over their competition. Players can easily request a bespoke gaming experience, and they don’t need to be flashy high rollers either. The high rollers are generally the players who get this treatment without the need to ask. Casinos don’t only employ dealers, security staff and pit bosses, but they also have casino hosts. These are concierges who assist the VIP players and help to build an ultimate gaming experience for them.

VIP players can request special games at tables, ask to have the table limits changed, and even ask for security personnel to help them carry their money. If you aren’t a high roller, you can still book a VIP experience, but be warned that they aren’t cheap. You can book special rooms for private tournaments, or even request to join exclusive gaming sessions.

Setting the Stage: Designing the Atmosphere

Casinos would feel quite dead if they were simply packed with machines and tables. Decor and themes are crucial to helping create a special atmosphere for any visitors. The most popular themes are somehow tied to mystery or grandeur. They can be historical, such as ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Classical, or use turn-of-the-century Victorian design elements. Some may use 20th-century themes such as the golden age of Vegas, Art Deco elements, or even vaudevillian decor.

Then, there are casinos that use very different themes. Such as nature-themed casinos, with exotic environments and colours to stand out. They can also use Asian or orientally influenced designs to achieve a more distinct look. We have also been to casinos that have themes that are best described as Sci-Fi or futuristic. These ones rely very much on neon lighting, digital art and sleek cutting-edge technology to create a modernistic theme.

Adding Perks to Keep You in the Casino

All of these extras can make you want to stay in a casino longer. But casinos can also be more direct in their intentions. For example, a lot of the bigger brands and franchises will have loyalty programs for their patrons. When you enter, you can create a membership at the casino and then receive all types of premium offers and goodies. Bonus spins, free play, and invitations to special events are just the tip of the iceberg. The casino resorts may include their other leisurely facilities as an extension to the loyalty perks. For example, discounted hotel stays, complimentary meals at casino diners, and even shopping coupons or discounts.

You can claim comp points through your gaming, or in your other expenditures at the casino resort. And that can translate to bonus spins or more free play. These perks feel like rewards, and they can go a long way to making players feel more comfortable in the casinos. They also incentivise your gaming and give you targets that will make you want to play more.

Casino Design Myths

Mazey slot aisles are not the only design trick that has slowly faded out. We have also heard of casinos pumping air onto the gaming floor, to maximise player engagement. Or, that casinos keep “loose” slot machines near the entrance to bring players in. These may have occurred in the past, when the regulation was not as strict as it is today.

Nowadays, casinos have to be more transparent and fair in their offering. They cannot rig their games or use deceitful tricks to prompt players into spending more money. Their games must all be provably fair to play, determined through countless simulations to test their algorithms.

How It Plays Psychological Tricks On You

The casinos are quite clearly designed to keep you in, but that is not abnormal at all. Shopping malls and retail stores use similar types of arrangements to keep people inside. In shopping malls, they can do this by making long streets of shops, elevator positioning, and even reducing the number of exits to make you walk inside for longer. In stores, you have similarly mazey aisles and convenience products placed near the cash desk, so you can spend more on your way out.

Spending long periods of time in a casino can be dangerous. As you begin to get tired, and your dopamine regulation alters, your mind can play tricks on you. And, you don’t have tools such as reality checks or deposit limits as you do at online casinos. Therefore, you have to pay extra care to how much time and money you are spending in the casino. When you start to feel tired or worn out, then you should leave the casino without hesitation.

Maintaining Awareness and Playing Responsibly

Understanding all the ways in which casinos can trick you into playing more is crucial to playing smarter. It is more difficult to keep tabs on your gaming then when you play at an online casino. You have to set your limits, stay aware of your surroundings, and take breaks to ensure that you don’t fall into any psychological traps.

Take your phone with you or bring a watch, so that you can stay aware of how long you have been playing. Set aside money that you will play with before you enter the casino, and stick to the plan. If you prepare in advance, there is no reason why you shouldn’t have fun, and maybe even leave with a little extra cash in your pocket.