Whether you’re a seasoned casino gambler or brand new to the scene, there’s no doubt that casinos can be a thrilling experience. From the sounds to the physical design, every aspect of the casino is designed to lure you in and keep your wallet filled with cash. But how exactly do casinos manage to trick you into spending so much money? Business Insider has a list of nine tricks that casinos use to make it difficult for you to walk away.
Casinos make their money by convincing patrons to spend money repeatedly on games of chance, with the house always having a mathematical advantage. In addition to the game odds, there are often other ways that casinos make money, including a commission (or “rake”) in games where players play against each other, and special inducements for high rollers, such as free spectacular entertainment, reduced-fare transportation, luxury hotel rooms, and even free food and drinks while gambling.
In the past, legitimate businessmen were reluctant to invest in casinos because of their seamy image and connections with organized crime. But when mobsters moved in and took control of many casinos, they were able to improve the image of the business by investing money in restaurants, luxury rooms, and elaborate surveillance systems. In fact, some of these casinos have so many cameras that they look like a maze of blinking eyes in the sky. The cameras are adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons by security workers in a room filled with banks of security monitors.