It’s happened to most of us: You stride into the Luxor, Mohegan Sun, or Tropicana brimming with confidence and your wallet full of cash. You plan to enjoy a little enjoyable, sensible gaming and maybe a couple rounds of drinks. But hours later, you’re standing at the ATM wondering what happened to your money. In the real world, casinos use everything from sounds to physical design to trick customers into spending more money than they should.
Casinos change your hard-earned cash into colorful, fake discs called chips that you place on the tables and in the slot machines. It’s much easier to bet big with chips than actual dollars, and the losses don’t hurt as badly. Casinos also take advantage of the sunk cost fallacy by encouraging gamblers to follow their bad bets with even bigger ones, a practice that’s often called chasing your losses.
Another way casinos lure customers in is by offering free rooms at their hotels, free meals, and other rewards. This gives customers the impression that the casino is providing them with essential needs like sleep and food, which creates a false sense of security and makes them more likely to gamble.
In addition, casinos use social media to encourage customers to leave positive reviews and testimonials. Displaying these on your website and social media pages can build trust in your brand. You can also use beacons and other proximity marketing strategies to boost your reach in the area where your casino is located.