The Benefits Of Casino Gambling

Casino gambling has expanded more rapidly than any other form of gambling in North America (Hsu, 1999). The basic objective of casino marketers is to invite patrons into the casino, to induce and maintain playing activity while in the casino, and to promote future casino visits (Eade, 1997). Thus, understanding why customers attend in large numbers to casinos has greatly assisted marketing strategists in their success. From a “situational characteristic” perspective, casinos are marketed as vacation destinations for those who would otherwise not have opportunities to be pampered and surrounded by wealth. This is reinforced in casino marketing, which also uses “incentives,” such as free drinks and VIP service (Eade & Eade, 1997). In the United

The atmosphere in a casino is one of excitement and activity that can produce a “psychological high” (Eade, 1997) and that can be entertaining enough on its own. The excitement of gambling in itself may also be enough to lure players repeatedly to improve their skills in the hopes of winning, for there are those who frequent the casinos simply to win. Further, a number of authors (e.g., Griffiths, 1993; Hess & Diller, 1969; White, 1989) argue that environmental sound effects are gambling inducers. Constant noise and sound in casinos gives the impression (1) of a noisy, fun, and exciting environment and (2) that winning is more common than losing (as you cannot hear the sound of losing!). However, these are very general effects that merely create an overall impression. Slots are the most lucrative merchandising opportunity in many casinos and the bulk of promotion is spent on them. According to Greenlees (1988), the variables that are crucial to slot machine success are floor location, coin denomination, and payoff schedules of the machines. In casinos, restaurants are often positioned in the center so that customers have to pass the gaming area before and after they have

Nonetheless, casinos continue to offer table games to their customers. In addition, many advertisements for casino include images of table games. One reason is that casinos continue to offer the less profitable table games is that the presence of table games might make the casino seem more sophisticated or glamorous. It is hard to image anyone traveling a long distance for the opportunity to play a slot game; but high stakes poker or blackjack may attracts customers from around the world. In addition, the casino knows that some players want the added excitement of games that involve some skill (e.g., blackjack, poker) or a strong illusion of skill (e.g., craps). By including both types of games, the casino can appeal to a larger customer base. Slot machine popularity may also be attributed to other factors, including the number and variety of machines and games available. Part of the reason is that slot games are easier to play (require no skill), the potential for large prizes, and offer very low minimum bets (as little as 5 cents per spin). These factors reduce consumer resistance to making an initial