Casinos Turn to Consumer Friendly Policies to Draw Crowds
Las Vegas casinos, after years of adopting business models designed to suck up maximum money in minimum time, are finding that the recession is best foght by returning to older strategies. Reducing room rates, comping more shows and meals, and now setting slot machines for a better return are back in vogue in the world of casino gambling.According to a report by the Las Vegas Sun, a team of marketing experts at the Casino Marketing Conference and Player Development Summit said returning a higher percentage of the money played in machines keeps patrons playing, which results in higher long-run results.
“Casinos have become far more interested in getting the money as quickly as possible to satisfy Wall Street,” said panel member Michael Meczka. He said players notice even a 1 percent change in a machine's hold, creating a perception of loose slots.
“But the big difference is that gamblers will play longer, have a better time and be more likely to come back,” Meczka asserted.
Meczka finds himself in a group of gaming experts inculding Online Casino Advisory senior analyst Sherman Bradley, who believe decisions made to increase the rapidity of game play and money flow are noted by consumers, who are both insulted and angered by the changes.
Such policies as installing automatic shufflers, training dealers to be less personable, and using push-button slots all seem to increase number of games played per minute; but each strikes players as cold, causing them to seek friendlier atmosphers, say Bradley.
“I view those as short-sighted answers to a long-term problem,” Meczka said.
Bradley noted that the superior return percentage on online slots, which run as high as 99 percent as opposed to Vegas settings around 85 percent, is a big reason belive love online casinos.
