Casino Tricks and Psychological Gimmicks
As with any business, casinos exist to make money by encouraging customers to gamble and spend more than they initially intended. Consequently, they have many tricks and psychological gimmicks designed to help them achieve their goals.
Using dazzling lights and sounds, casinos create a manufactured state of euphoria that makes people feel happy and joyful. This euphoria reduces their ability to think clearly and rationally, making them more likely to continue gambling even when they know the odds are against them. Casinos also employ a psychology trick known as near wins to keep players engaged. This tactic involves allowing players to win small amounts, often by chance, to encourage them to keep playing.
Casino is one of Scorsese’s most violent movies, but it doesn’t show violence simply for shock value. The director uses it to illustrate how scumbag mob members can be to one another, which isn’t a new concept but it’s presented in a very compelling way.
One of the most effective tricks is hiding essential facilities like toilets, restaurants, and cash machines deep within the casino floor to force players to pass by slot machines and tables repeatedly. This makes it more difficult to exit the casino and increases the likelihood of spur-of-the-moment decisions to gamble even longer. Casinos also eliminate visual cues like windows and clocks to prevent players from realizing how much time has passed, a tactic that can make hours feel like minutes. Moreover, they use scents to further enhance the gambling environment and make players feel more comfortable.