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What is the secret to good design: form or function? Casinos are fairly unique; in many cases, they combine both.
Externally, it’s all about the form. They are often works of art that put your jaw on the floor; Venetian canals, Egyptian pyramids, Polynesian temples, giant guitar-shaped hotels, with volcanoes, fountains, canals, and swimming pools a quarter-mile long.
Inside, function is key. The casino layout – often disorientating, occasionally confusing, and always leading you into the path of temptation – is engineered to catch your attention and hold you there.
In short: the exterior seduces, the interior confuses.
Quick Insights
- Casino design is a deliberate blend of psychology and visual merchandising, subtly manipulating player behavior.
- Casino exteriors are designed as extravagant works of art, while interiors often use disorienting layouts to keep players gambling longer.
- Modern casino designs have shifted from maze-like layouts to open, luxurious “playground” environments.
- The absence of clocks and windows, combined with sensory elements like music and fragrances, creates a timeless atmosphere.
- Experts emphasize the importance of mindfulness and bankroll management to resist the persuasive tactics of casino design.
- The future of casino design focuses on green, luxurious, and Instagrammable experiences.
Everything Is Designed to Make You Play For Longer
Gambling is a business – a very, very, big business.
According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, Nevada has bounced back from covid big time, with a new annual gaming revenue record of $15.6 billion in 2024.
As for the bigger picture: when you combine both online gambling sites and their bricks and mortar counterparts, Statista data analysts estimate the global market is worth more than $471.40 billion in 2025.
Now, consider the golden rule of every casino, eloquently voiced by Robert De Niro’s character Sam Rothstein, in the Martin Scorsese film Casino:
“In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they lose, and in the end, we get it all.”
Casinos will do everything they can to keep you playing.
Online, the offering is limited to casino bonuses and special offers.
At the casino, clever design can make a difference. You’re heading to the cashier, chips in hand, only to find yourself squeezing past another blackjack table.
You need the wit of Theseus to find a way out.
Seduced by the Slots
The question is: is it deliberate?
Head online and you will discover many highly specialized architects and design firms that create complex casino interiors and layouts.
Obviously, none of them will confess to cynically manipulating players into spending more money in the casino, with cunning design.
However, they do talk of offering clients ‘an uncompromising commitment to profitability’, as well as delivering ‘innovative revenue producing facilities’.
They get it.
Casino design is both deliberate and effective.
A huge amount of research goes into the both the casino layout design and the casino tricks that keep you playing.
Bill Friedman & the Classic Casino Design
In 2000, former Las Vegas casino manager Bill Friedman published “Designing Casinos to Dominate the Competition.”
The book goes into great detail about the methodology of effective casino design.
How architects use disorientation, seduction, and familiarity to make players feel comfortable, slightly confused, and eager to keep spinning.
Of course, like all good trends, methods change and develop.
The traditional rows of slots have been replaced with clusters, encouraging social interaction and curiosity.
No Windows or Clocks
A few of the old tricks still persist.
It’s still very hard to find a clock in a casino; time is always the casino’s friend.
Shops, toilets, bars, and restaurants are all located within or around the main gaming floor. You’re never far away from a gamble, even when you’re taking time out at the bar.
Ehab Youssef a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Mental Health Researcher and Writer at Mentalyc, explains why this is no accident:
“Without windows or clocks, gamblers lose track of time, creating a timeless feeling that extends their gambling sessions.
“This design, coupled with a stimulating and comfortable atmosphere, effectively lowers inhibitions and promotes longer, more impulsive gambling.”
The Smell of Success
Casino design extends a lot further than no clocks or windows.
Music is critical and casinos often use fragrance as a seduction tool; largely as the result of a study by Chicago scientist Dr Alan Hirsch in the early 90s.
He discovered that gamblers spent 45.1% extra in pleasingly aromatic areas.
But does it all really work?
Are players subtly persuaded to play longer, thanks to clever design?
According to Dr. Jordan Calabrese, Medical Director at the Sana Lake Recovery Center, it is an effective tool.
He told Techopedia:
“It is a mix of very clever visual merchandising and psychology, to make the consumer feel like spending. It’s sales tactics you would see elsewhere and consider them unacceptable, but in the world of casinos, it is considered a natural part of the ambiance.”
The lack of natural light and clocks, combined with sensory overload and a clever casino layout make it easy to lose track of time.
You need to stay focused, advises Dr. Michael Kane, the Chief Medical Officer at the Indiana Center for Recovery. He explains:
“Casinos are designed in a very specific way to encourage people to stay longer and spend more money.
“Since you’re seeing all the flashy lights and hearing the sounds of winning, it’s easy to get drawn into playing more. Always remember: Casinos are carefully designed and optimized for maximum profits, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself betting more than you initially intended.
“This is why you should only enter a casino with a present state of mind where you won’t easily budge when faced with their clever strategies.”
It’s vital to practice good bankroll management and not get swept away by the buzz of the casino.
The Bigger Picture
Bill Friedman’s book is more than two decades old. Modern casinos are moving with the times.
Although gaming floor layout is still critical, contemporary designers are looking at the bigger picture.
Roger Thomas & the Playground Design
Wynn Resorts lead designer Roger Thomas has spent the past 20 years designing exclusively for Steve and Elaine Wynn.
The couple demanded he deliver ‘something no one has ever seen before,’ as well as always ‘thinking like the guest.’
Thomas is credited with creating a style called ‘playground design.’ Head to the iconic Bellagio Hotel and Casino to see a shining example of the genre.
He says:
“It’s not about entrapment. It’s about making people never want to leave.
“I asked myself: how can I create drama in this space? What’s going to make that feeling of joy? What’s going to make it joyful? What kind of mystery can we inflict? What should we not do here? What should we absolutely not do here? Let’s do that and create surprise.”
One of the problems identified by Thomas is scale: how do you make people feel more individual and comfortable in a huge Las Vegas hotel lobby.
“If I create a space, I want people to feel delighted and surprised and have an immersive experience that leaves an indelible memory. One that simply makes them want to come back over and over again.”
Although a less obvious strand of casino design psychology, creating a luxurious, unforgettable, immersive environment is highly effective.
You’re more likely to enjoy that flutter, if you don’t feel you are being hustled into it.
But when you are showered with bonuses and personalized offers, the sportsbook will be much more enticing.
Distorted Reality
Psychiatrist and Chief Resident, Dr. Abid Nazeer, at Symetria Recovery, believes that this false perception of your environment can distort reality.
He told Techopedia:
“Interior casino design is a case study in how an environment has a direct – dare I say manipulative – effect on one’s physical and mental reactions.
“From the constant luminous, flashing lights – even down to the color – and rhythmic music playing in the background, casinos offer an invisible promise of possibility, fun, and desired riches.”
Nazeer highlighted that casinos also utilize striking décor, not found in ‘typical’ settings, therefore creating an impression of an enhanced lifestyle and environment. He added:
“Just as a spa uses aromatherapy to compel a sense of relaxation, casinos also promote feelings of invigoration and energy with time-released odors as well.
“They are well versed in the connection of one’s physical perceptions, such as smell, to literal next steps, which encourages a person to feel a sense of security while in an establishment rooted in chance.”
Casinos know that if you are relaxed and feel comfortable, you’ll spend more and be less inclined to head back out to the real world.
The Bottom Line: What’s Next for Casino Design?
The future for casino design looks good.
The buzzwords are green, natural, unique, and luxury; an enhanced customer experience that packs a punch of wow that really takes your breath away. Casinos are still glorious temples of excess and entertainment.
Outside, the form has to be fabulous. Inside, the function evolves.
The goal is always the bottom line, but the route to profit has to be fun for everyone; Instagrammable, unforgettable, and packed with the coolest clout known to man.
FAQs
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References
- 2023 Nevada Gaming Abstract Press Release (Gaming.nv)
- The Friedman Management Group – Consultants in Casino Marketing, Design and Operations – Book – Basic Info & Order Form (Friedmandesign)
- Jacques Garcia Hospitality and Casino Design Projects Inspiration | Hotel Interior Designs (Hotelinteriordesigns)
- Casino Design and Casino Renovation by I-5 Design Build (I5design)
- The Michael Anthony Group (Themichaelanthonygroup)
- Steelman Partners – Industry leading resorts and entertainment architecture design firm. (Steelmanpartners)
- The Sweet Smell of Success : Aromas: In a test, gamblers put more money into slot machines in a pleasantly scented area. Will Las Vegas gain a new sense of power? – Los Angeles Times (Latimes)
- Gambling (Statista)
