The casino is more than just a place to gamble. It’s a full-on sensory experience, complete with bright lights and blaring music, champagne glasses clinking, and a palpable energy that just can’t be ignored. Stepping into one is like stepping into an alternate reality, and it’s no wonder casinos are so popular.
They’re designed to be exciting places where people can let their hair down, mingle with strangers, and try their luck at everything from poker to roulette. And although there may be some tutting when a losing hand is played, the overall vibe is upbeat and celebratory.
In a sense, it’s an expensive after-hours theme park. According to research from the University of Las Vegas, Vegas casinos took in more than $5 billion from visitors this past year. That’s a lot of money for an industry that depends on the dice rolls, spin of the wheel, and draw of the cards to generate profits.
To keep patrons spending, casinos often offer free drinks and food, reduced-fare transportation, and luxury living quarters to big bettors. And they use sophisticated surveillance systems to watch every table, window, and doorway to spot suspicious patrons.
But this approach to marketing isn’t necessarily the best way to reach new audiences. Instead, casinos need to focus on understanding their audience’s motivations and pain points, and how they can create a holistic gaming environment that meets those needs. This means everything from attracting e-sports teams to implementing VR and AR to reach millennial and Gen Z audiences.