The casino industry is a complex, competitive market. The gaming floor is just the start; casinos often offer luxurious hotels, cutting-edge restaurants, and event spaces to entice guests to stay. It’s important to understand these marketing trends so that your casino can thrive in the future.
Gambling has been around for millennia: archeologists have found wooden blocks used to play games of chance in 2300 BC China, and dice showed up in Rome in 500 AD. While there are some casino games with a small element of skill (like poker and video poker), most are pure luck. The house always has a mathematical advantage over players, which is referred to as the “house edge.”
In order to maximize profits, casinos design the casino environment to influence behavior. For example, they arrange slot machines in intimate, windowless rooms to create a maze-like layout that keeps people playing. Then they provide a variety of perks to entice big spenders, including free food and drinks. These perks are called comps, and they can be worth more than the gambler’s original stake.
In addition to leveraging your unique offerings and amenities, focus on improving discoverability. This includes optimizing your website for the terms that people are searching when they are in the area, such as “hotels near me” or “casinos in Vegas.” Also consider partnering with local businesses to promote your casino through cross-marketing. Consumers are much more likely to trust the opinions of their friends and neighbors than those of a brand.