As an industry, casinos rely on emotion to get people in the door and then convince them to gamble away their hard-earned money for the chance at winning it all back and then some. Creating an emotional connection with guests, encouraging them to spend more and take more risks, and making the casino environment fun are all important aspects of casino marketing.
Gambling is a popular pastime that has been around for millennia. There is evidence of dice being used in China as early as 2300 BC, and playing cards were introduced into the European world in the 1400s. The popularity of gambling is not due to luck but rather to the fact that humans are wired to seek out and gamble on random events, hoping that they will turn out to have some kind of positive outcome.
While the idea of winning big in a casino might be exciting, the reality is that most people lose money. While some of this is attributed to a lack of knowledge or skill, most of the loss can be credited to the house’s built in advantage. Casinos have mathematically determined odds, known as the house edge that ensures they will win in the long run. This house advantage is most noticeable in games with a skill element, such as blackjack and video poker. In games that do not involve skill, such as baccarat and poker, the house earns money by taking a commission called rake.