How Design Influences Player Experience in Modern Venues

Stepping into a casino can feel like teleporting to another dimension. Everything from floor to ceiling is designed for more engagement and most of all profitability. For people to flock to a casino every detail has to be strategically placed for the maximum enjoyment of the players and visitors alike.

Behind the big show are teams of architects, audio and visual engineers, psychologists, security experts, entertainment professionals, and businesspeople working tirelessly on improving the experience creating a cycle of instant gratification.

The search for that one little flash of happiness has been keeping casinos in business for decades. If you’re looking to try your luck without all the glitter, try Stake.com, and in case you’re still not sure how brick-and-mortar casinos work, here’s a little perspective.

Casino Layout: The Maze

If you feel like your head is spinning when walking into a casino – it’s not you. The floor design is created in such a way as to make you disoriented wanting to grab the first available slot machine to sit and start popping money. However, this approach, known as “The Labyrinth Effect”, is far more complex.

First off, games that are visually attractive with vivid colors and blaring sounds are always placed near the entrance for two reasons: to attract new people in, and to keep the ones who hesitantly stepped in. Once you’re in, there’s no way out. Well, technically there is, but you’re going to work hard until you find it passing by endless slot machines all the way to poker and blackjack tables. Restrooms are right behind them too, in the back of the casino.

Also, high-stake tables are towards the back of the room, while low-stake slot machines are generally put out front to entice the ones who are still debating whether or not to try their luck. Resisting the temptation that you just might be the next lucky winner while being blasted with the sound of coins clinking could be an impossible task.

This is exactly the point, so you might consider trying out slots online where you will be spared of all the bling, but can still enjoy your favorite games.

Some newer venues took a different approach. Instead of creating the maze, they give you “an experience” where you can enjoy art, like famous paintings hanging off the walls of the casino, or even putting up sculptures for visitors to enjoy. With this technique, the usual casino charm is transformed into an event that is a delight for all senses.

The role of art extends beyond traditional casinos. For the ones who are interested in trying an online casino without bells and whistles, try Sweet Bonanza with no deposit required. Just like in the physical casinos, visual elements and animations can create a captivating environment.

Colors and Sounds

Colors play a significant role in players’ behavior. Warm tones like red and gold entice the feeling of wealth, luxury, and consequently good luck giving you that warm fuzzy feeling of comfort while playing. It entices people to take risks more easily.

Slot machines are also booming with vibrant colors, lights, and sounds piquing curiosity among passersby. Cooler shades, like green for example, are reserved for the areas that are used for breaks, or chatting while having a drink.

Now that we mentioned it, the drinks play a big role in getting players to sit longer at the tables. Cocktail waitresses would be circling around tables offering overpriced alcoholic beverages with big smiles and warm personalities in this make-believe tale of big wins and easy money.

Comfort is a huge part of the casinos’ entertainment machinery. Snug, homey chairs give players a sense of safety and luxury. Tables are usually round or semi-round in shape giving the players a feeling of closeness and companionship. Smiles and jokes are exchanged just like you would if you were playing with your buddies on a Sunday night.

Lighting

Depending on which theme the casino is going for, lighting can be an important piece of the puzzle. The type of lights in a casino can also influence the casino’s overall design and the experience game players have in the space.

Some can solely serve the basic purpose of illuminating the space, while others can be decorative in nature. If the casino wants that old Hollywood charm sprinkled with luxury, it usually goes with big chandeliers and decorative lamps. More modern designs require a brighter atmosphere with bright light on the ceiling and on the walls.

Certain effects are associated with specific emotional responses. For instance, if lights are bouncing off the gold details around the room, the feeling of being in the golden pot at the end of the rainbow will be overwhelming giving off a sense of affluence and abundance.

Hospitality and Rewards

A casino is only a part of the gaming industry. The whole package extends beyond just playing slot machines or sitting at the table. Hotels, restaurants, boutiques, and live bands have been incorporated into the experience.

To keep players as long as possible, above the casinos are luxury hotels with lavish rooms and VIP suites that are often offered at discount prices, and free meals. Restaurants have the world’s best chefs preparing everything you can possibly imagine, for the complete enjoyment of their customers.

High-end shops are there for the entertainment purposes of the non-players, like families of the players, so that casinos can actually be labeled as a family trip.

The rewards program is there to encourage players who, unfortunately, lost their bets. Getting cash back on loss is something that can be found in casinos only. It shows players that they are valued, cared for, and understood by the casino which is willing to pick them up when they’re down on their luck.

Again, the psychological play that this has on humans is immense. Having an enterprise looking after your best interests is not easily found, so players are surely more likely to come back. The system is simple, the more a player is willing to risk, the bigger perks he or she will get.

The Ambient

Keeping a casino a few degrees cooler than an average temperature can help patrons to stay alert and focused. The fresh air flow is keeping players stuck firmly to their chairs, encouraging playing more hands. Also, sweet and warm aromas are used to relieve the stress and inflate the feeling of relaxation.

Clocks and Windows

You will never see clocks hanging from the walls of the casinos for obvious reasons. Losing track of time is essential for staying put and playing to the last dime. To stay awake, there’s entertainment like music, drinks, and cool fresh air blowing throughout the room.

It’s not uncommon for people to stay in the casino for days, checking into rooms to get some quick shut-eye and quickly strolling down to the casino again. Not once will they stop and look at the time, with some hard-core players even losing track of days.

Windowless venues have the effect of being in another realm while playing. At the beginning, we mentioned being in another dimension of space and time, and that is exactly what walls with no windows will do to a psyche. In order to sit and play for days on end, one would have to forget about the outside world and focus on cards, or playing machines only.

After a few hours, people lose a sense of time of day – something like being in a high-security prison. This is perfect for this kind of business. They wouldn’t want people to have a feeling of missing out on something, playing needs to remain the main priority. Without windows, which is also something used by shopping malls and big retail stores, it’s easy to get caught up with the task at hand.

The Illusion of Control

Letting go of control over your life is not something that’s appealing to a lot of people. So, casinos came up with the idea of giving the players a sense of control while keeping them enchanted with all the perks.

To overcome a basic human desire to have at least some control over one’s fate, casinos gave players the illusion of choice. For instance, when walking in the casino there is a lot to choose from – tables with different themes and all sorts of slot machines. So, this is your first choice. Then, you have a feeling of decision-making whether or not you’re going to take another card or fold.

Further, you can choose a slot machine based on the amount of money you want to risk – are you a big roller or not? And so on. In all, players don’t have to have a choice, just giving them a sense that they do is enough for them to keep rolling that dice. Perceived control creates a false sense of influence over the outcome.

Player Always Wins

Two things are in play when it comes to disguising the losses. First, you will never see the money. Players play with different colored chips depending on the amount, not the real paper money. This separation, and annihilation of feeling that one is actually spending money is crucial for people to keep on gambling.

Mentally it’s easier to put a chip on the table than to pull out cash. By the way, one of the reasons why credit cards were invented, but that’s a different story. Anyways, some casinos give special personalized cards to play with, that are preloaded from their bank account first. So, again, no money involved.

Another strategy to keep players feeling positive and engaged is to celebrate every win no matter how small. For example, slot machines will blare sounds even if the player won a couple of bucks and the investment far supersedes the win. A win is a win, true, but it’s a bit deceiving. Still, people would be enchanted and mesmerized by the sound of winning thinking and hoping that they might be the next lucky guy.

Attracting the Crowds

To provoke interest in certain areas in the casino, some have come to the idea of concentrating the crowd around high-stake tables. It creates a sense of urgency and business attracting people closer to the tables. Also, these players must win from time to time, celebrating loudly and gathering more spectators and potential players. 

Busy areas signal popularity and success enhancing the overall energy and appeal. People tend to imitate the behavior of others, so this is a great way of pushing hesitant players a few inches closer to the table. Seeing the joy of winning, and the popularity it brings at least at the venue, can be all the boost that some people need to sit and take a chance.

Winning on slot machines or roulette is a rare occasion that casinos use to the extreme extent. It needs to be seen and heard across the floor, so that everyone can get that sense of what it’s like to be a winner. This raises the confidence among players and uplifts their spirits to keep sliding those chips creating the impression that winning is a common and achievable occurrence.

The use of influencers has become a common practice in casinos. With huge followings, social media personalities use their influence to popularize gambling. Posting pictures and videos of winnings, cause they usually win, will surely attract some of their fans to try the same. Some casinos go a step further inviting celebrities for a game of poker, drawing even more crowds.

Some are just curious or want to snap a photo of the A-listers, but that’s not the targeted group. The true, huge potential lies in the ones who are willing to imitate the behavior. It’s in human nature to want to be part of the crowd, to be recognized for your success, and popular among people who mean something to you. Casinos are just there to give you whatever it is that you’re searching for.