ever wondered what casinos do to keep their customers playing?
 |
| Source |
if you’re familiar with Quora, i want you to know it’s one of my favorite sites right now. it’s information haven! ever since i joined the site, i’ve been getting daily digests of super interesting questions and answers that almost always pique my interest.
and once i open a link, i could read on for hours hopping from question to question and learning more and more about really random stuff; from science, to social events, to personality development, etc.
earlier this day i stumbled upon a question about tricks casinos use to encourage gamblers to play more. it leaned on mind play so i became keenly interested! i didn’t compile all of them but i’m listing the most amusing ones for me! hehe
if you’re curious, here they are:
5 tricks Casinos use to keep gamblers playing
1. softer floor finish near the machines
architect Mark Bellingan explained that the flooring near the machines are generally softer than those away from them. the idea is that as you walk in the casino (hard floor) and closer to one of the machines (carpet finish), you will feel more comfortable as the flooring gets softer. and walking away may give you a slight discomfort as you step back into the marbled tiles.
you don’t generally attribute the discomfort to the floorings. it’s its psychological effect making it seem that it’s more comfortable near the machines. so you go back. haha
cool beans!
2. the “Near Miss” effect
it’s when you missed the jackpot at a three-reeled slot machine because the 3rd reel slipped a symbol past the winning pattern (and you watch in slow agony).
it’s when you’re one apple short of winning the ultimate jackpot on a scratch-off ticket.
it’s the feeling of almost winning… but not quite. and for pathological gamblers, it makes them want to play more because the feeling of a near miss and an real win is actually the same for them (says their brain activity)! so because they feel like they’re winning, they’ll stick to that lever (or coin) until they hit the jackpot.
some casinos take advantage of that subconscious effect by increasing near misses in their games to keep the customers playing.
sooo clever.
3. no clocks, windows, and temperature variances
so patrons lose track of time. you’ll never know what time is it (unless you ask i guess? hehe). temperature inside is regulated to avoid flunctuations. and you’ll never know if the sun has already set for there’s hardly a window to peek out from. they make it seem like time stands still. and if you did realize it’s getting too late, they’ll make it hard for you to leave because of…
4. a maze of a floor plan
you can’t find the exit, so what’s the use of leaving? as you fumble around for the exit way, you would have passed by at least 10 reasons to stay haha. tables and machines are strategically placed to catch your attention and lure you into playing as you head out.
5. loyalty cards, complementary stuff, and VIP treatment
excellent service, friendly greeters, courteous dealers, accommodating staff. the casino is filled with people who are set to meet your every need.
free food (so you don’t get hungry and decide to eat outsdie), free drinks (so you get drunk and play more haha), valet service, complementary hotel rooms. why leave?
the thing is, with the amount of comp service the casino offers, gamblers often think they’re being rewarded just by playing, so losing heaps may not seem like losing at all. to them it may even translate to the actual value of the many services they were offered inside. sort of like a win-win even if they really lost. >XD
—
and that’s it! there’re tons more like oxygen being pumped in the room, stimulating lights, and garish carpets… all to keep you wide awake and and thus spend more but, yeah, i focused on those i learned with an “ooooooooh”. haha
it’s fascinating how casinos are carefully designed to stimulate all the right nerves that poise you to play until you run dry. i think it’s sinisterly genius.