Casino Interior Design Trends & Ideas

Some people go to casinos to gamble, while others go for other purposes such as to watch live performances or attend conferences. To convert non-gamblers into game players, casino owners come up with inventive ways of structuring the layout of their facilities to get visitors out onto the casino floor. Some of these strategies include:

The Maze

This widely used casino layout’s core focus is making it challenging for players to leave once they’re on the floor. It uses haphazard curving arcs of machines and tables to its advantage as players must pass them by on the way out. The goal here is to entice them to stop and try their luck one last time. Exits are often obscured, and various gambling opportunities are always in view from every angle to keep players engaged.

In addition to the strategic placement of gaming machines and tables, the maze layout typically offers few to no clocks or windows, which keeps guests unaware of the passing time.

The Playground

The 1990s brought a shift away from the maze layout and introduced the playground casino design, which emphasizes influencing players’ emotions and appealing to a broader audience.

With airy, open gaming rooms, the playground uses skylights, European style and a focus on luxury to attract guests. The goal of this layout is to get players to relax and feel pampered and sophisticated, putting them at ease so they’re more likely to stay at tables and machines longer and place larger bets.

Rows vs. Clusters

While mid-twentieth century casinos are most well known for their endless rows of slot machines and table games, modern casino design looks to clusters, where groups of people can congregate. The psychology behind this design choice is simple — people are curious. Groups of onlookers draw more potential players into the excitement, and seeing someone else win encourages others to try their luck.

When people consider energy efficiency and sustainable design, casinos are rarely the first thing that comes to mind. However, the industry is shifting toward more environmentally-friendly business practices, and doing so is easier than ever due to innovations in technology and materials.

Green building materials, acoustic management solutions, lighting fixtures and display options, such as LED video walls, not only improve the guest experience, they also drive down energy costs and lead to a positive reputation with environmentally conscious guests.

Casino design can readily embrace accessibility by incorporating a few basic additions:

• Ramps in place of stairs can become an architectural theme, adding graceful lines to casino floors.
• Making pathways wide enough for mobility aids and adding access points to machines and tables accommodate a range of differently-abled players.
• Closed captioning and auditory aids, as well as a variety of sensory levels in different parts of the room can help all guests enjoy themselves.

Attracting players — and keeping them betting — is the primary goal of every casino design. Let’s see how psychology plays a part in helping casinos achieve this aim.

Time Is Not a Distraction

Time flies when you’re having fun, but casino design intends to purposefully keep you unaware of it. Bill Friedman, the renowned casino manager who perfected the maze layout, famously removed clocks from his casino designs to keep players from keeping track of time. Even today, you can only discern the time of day in most casinos if you carry your smartphone or wear a watch.

A Winning Atmosphere

Friedman recognized that winning — or the impression of winning — keeps players seated at game tables and machines. His designs feature labyrinthine pathways through the casino floor and encourage players to look on and join in on the fun. More people gathered around an area signals success, which ultimately draws in more potential players.

Opportunities Everywhere

Friedman also believed that the players’ focus should be solely placed on the casino’s games. As a result, the machines and tables themselves become the decor. The way they are arranged is important as well, with each table or machine looking toward another and every path on the casino floor leading to a new game for potential players to try.

Serenity and Luxury

The playground casino design takes a different approach to attracting players. This technique aims to relax guests by providing airy, luxurious areas to linger in the hopes that they’ll be comfortable enough to play for longer periods and place more substantial bets.

Music in the Background

Many industries, such as retail, hospitality and entertainment (specifically theme parks) use specially chosen music to create their ideal environment. Playground casino design is no different, often incorporating upbeat music into the guest experience. The right balance of elegance and energy keeps players in a betting mood.

Lingering Fragrance

Back in the ‘90s, researchers found that casino patrons spent 45.1% more money in areas that were infused with pleasant aromas. Today, many casinos feature their own signature scents for this and other reasons such as to project a cohesive brand image or to simply mask unpleasant odors.

Innovative design strategies bring casinos into the modern era, but safety, efficiency and operations are mainstays. Here are some fundamental considerations to take into account when designing a casino:

Safety and Security

This is the most important factor in a casino’s layout. Primary considerations include the simplicity of emergency evacuation, the positioning of fire exits and the practicality of guest and employee movement. Digital and print signage to mark exits and wayfinding cues is critical.

Proper lighting and acoustic management can also be important for safety and security purposes. Additionally, security systems for monitoring game tables and currency exchanges require a robust centralized hub and state-of-the-art audio video equipment and controls.

Operational Efficiency

In casino design, efficiency — more than time — is money. Similar to maintaining security systems, managing operations systems is an important part of keeping your facility running, and requires industry-leading communications and monitoring solutions.

Customer Convenience

Players will leave the gaming floor more quickly without easy-to-find amenities. Nothing is worse than breaking a winning streak to search for a restroom. Customer comfort is vital to customer happiness, and going above and beyond by including adequate wayfinding, lighting and sound management enables players to optimize their gaming time.

Interior Design

Blending convenience, efficiency and security with aesthetics that match your vision is the final step in casino design. A unified design strategy is critical to creating an effective and profitable gaming floor.

In addition to providing a wide range of games and services, modern casino-goers expect facilities to be visually appealing as well. These are a few of the most popular trends in casino design today:

1. Incorporating Natural Elements
   Casinos are increasingly looking to nature for design inspiration. Incorporating elements such as stone, wood and plants helps to create a calming and peaceful interior.
2. Including Crypto CurrencyIt was only a matter of time before Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies entered the casino. Compared to conventional payment methods, cryptocurrencies provide many benefits, such as higher security, quicker transactions and reduced rates. It should come as no surprise that more casinos are attempting to capitalize on this expanding trend, and adding relevant signage can help your casino stand out.
3. Coming up With Unique IdeasCasinos constantly try to differentiate themselves from the competition — and incorporating unique design ideas is one of the ways to achieve this goal. Beautiful flowers, a tumbling waterfall or eye-catching sculptures can not only lend a unique touch to your space but also serve as conversation starters for your guests.
4. Going GreenAdopting eco-friendly initiatives is advantageous for the environment as well as a casino’s bottom line. There are several ways for facilities to lessen their environmental impact, including installing solar panels, incorporating sustainable sound panels, using water recycling systems and choosing energy-efficient lighting.
5. Utilizing Luxurious ElementsNowadays, casinos serve as much more than places for visitors to sit and play games. Many curate a resort-like experience with everything from world-class accommodations to gourmet food on offer. As a result, patrons expect to experience these types of top-tier facilities and amenities during their visit, meaning that many casinos are using portions of their budget on opulent extras.
6. Going Digital
   Like many other industries, casinos are leveraging digital technology to enhance the guest experience. From virtual reality experiences and dynamic video wall displays to internet gaming platforms, there are several ways for casinos to create a technology-first environment.
7. Enhancing Security
   Since casinos deal in high-stakes business, owners must take all necessary precautions to safeguard their property and their guests. Investing in cutting-edge security systems and internal audio and video infrastructure is a great way to do this.

With the growing rate of technology and digitalization, casinos need to adapt to new design trends and ideas. Incorporating traditional elements and adding new signage and digital enhancements can help your venue stand out. If you’re looking for innovative ideas for casino interior design or advice on how to use technology and displays in your facility, contact DGI Communications for a personalized game plan.