Now that digital casinos are the prime way in which we choose to gamble, there’s an increasing number of people who have no recollection of the golden age of land-based casino gaming, when an outing to the casino meant a full night out with friends, soaking up the culture, energy, vibe and everything that the venue had to offer.
As digital casinos added astonishing new levels of convenience to the gambling experience and started to eat into the market cap that land-based casinos had enjoyed for generations, it was a case for many to go back to the drawing board and try and freshen up the experience to still appeal to the public, even in a digital age.
This took many new forms, from new payment methods to sweepstakes casinos, which completely reshaped the traditional model of a casino, allowing bettors to use in-game currencies instead of their real cash.
These brands of casinos show that there is a successful framework outside of traditional setups, and customers don’t always need to place real money bets for the brand to be a success.
They’re ideal for people looking to save money or build their knowledge as economically as possible. Sweepstakes casinos are also able to highlight that by emphasizing the culture of the casino, and the enjoyment of playing games, the issue of monetary loss becomes secondary.
There’s a strong ethos underpinning the industry, and a culture that acts as an extra layer of appeal, and sweepstakes casinos are able to highlight that perfectly.
The strength of recommendations and a good review
Alongside convenience, which is the most significant driving force behind the success of so many businesses, word of mouth and organic advertising can really help to sell quality of service.
Casino gaming benefits from strong customer reviews; just like any other service industry, online casino reviews help to build a picture of what the provider does well, and areas where they could improve.
While casino culture may have initially dropped in popularity, there were still more than enough patrons for facilities to stay open as viable businesses.
Many casinos spotted the opportunity and used the internet as a tool to expand, streaming live tables from inside their own casinos or using the technology to host other types of gambling games.However, the casino culture is a vibe that, when done right, earns far-reaching praise.
Some of the world’s top casinos in Monte Carlo, Vegas, Macau and Morocco are world-renowned for their size, design and atmosphere, and it is the embodiment of this culture in these venues and their impressive stature that is helping some elements of casino culture make a resurgence.
Cultural and social attitudes
Even though the hysteria of smartphones and mobile gambling has settled, online remains the preferred way for millions to gamble.
However, for those who enjoy playing casino games, socializing, reveling in the atmosphere in the casino and socializing with others are unique selling points.
Despite the digital casino sector’s best attempts, using a whole range of mediums, such as VR, chatrooms or in-game microphones, being able to capture and transfer the authentic casino culture from land-based to digital has proved to be one of the most challenging and elusive obstacles.
Gen Z gamers are the first who have grown up surrounded by the internet; even millennials mostly didn’t have access to the internet until their teenage years.
However, Gen Z has witnessed everything the internet offers, and there’s been a recent trend of the younger generation ditching smartphones and purchasing retro phones – or dumb phones, as they refer to them.
This attitude appears to be bubbling away under the surface. While the smartphone industry isn’t noticing any significant decline in their profits, this could be symptomatic of the fact that Gen Z wants to spend more time away from their phones and to have authentic, genuine connections with friends, be it in their day-to-day lives or a social setting – such as a casino.
Incorporating digital developments
Land-based casinos didn’t change their model for decades, because they didn’t need to; before the internet, they completely monopolized the casino gaming industry – there was simply no alternative.
So, while the internet might have spelled trouble for land-based casino operators, it was the bettor who benefitted from this sudden emergence of strong competition.
Some land-based casinos fell by the wayside, failed to adapt and left themselves open to losing business to the modern advancements of the internet, mobile phones and digital-first casino gaming adaptations.
However, those that were able to move with the times employed a number of tactics to ensure that they maintained their core audience, whether this involved shifting some of their tables online or allowing their customers to register for services or land-based discounts online.
It soon became clear that there was enough space in the industry for both types of casinos to co-exist, as long as land-based casinos could reinvent and modernize their approach.
Land-based casinos have continued to put culture at the focal point of their operation.Modern developments include having their own mobile apps or registering their reward points or programs on a mobile app.
Social media advertising has also helped to bring people in to land-based casinos via video editing and design, which is something all types of businesses use, whether they’re a law firm, a restaurant or a club.
Reviving old models
Emphasizing the unique elements of casino culture, especially those elements you can’t get anywhere else, is imperative to the sector’s ability to bounce back.
Although online casinos have successfully rolled out VIP and high-roller packages and bonuses, land-based casinos are still considered the gold standard, especially those luxury resort and hotel venues in gambling havens such as Las Vegas.
For instance, the top Vegas casinos will fly in their affluent clientele, usually free of charge, and put them up in expensive suites – again, usually free of charge. They’ll set them up in their own area of the casino, with their own live table dealer, and provide them with credit and complimentary food and beverages.
Final words
Although there have been snippets to suggest casino culture is still alive and kicking, mobile and online casino gaming is still the dominant power in the industry. Land-based casinos do have a certain clientele, and the culture will always attract a significant minority who prefer to gamble in person.
Often, the aura and atmosphere of a physical building, rather than placing bets online, whether it be via smartphone or tablet, laptop or PC, has the most pull.
Casino culture hasn’t ever truly disappeared, but there’s no disputing that it has had to make way for the new kid on the block.
Although land-based casinos have adapted and can still offer a quality service, there’d need to be a significant shift in attitude for casino culture to reach the levels it achieved between the late 1970s and the early 2000s.
Ensure compliance with the varied local laws and regulations pertaining to online casinos, which change from region to region.