Marketing to Casino Patrons – What Makes Them Tick?

A casino is a place that features a variety of games where gambling is the primary activity. While most casinos add a host of luxuries like restaurants, free drinks and stage shows to the mix, they all share one thing in common—they’re designed to give patrons a chance at winning.

But there’s something about the chance of winning that encourages cheating and scamming. That’s why casinos spend a lot of time, effort and money on security. Elaborate surveillance systems offer a high-tech “eye in the sky” that can monitor every table and every bet, while cameras hidden in the ceiling watch each player and each change in bets.

Casino is an unapologetically gangster-oriented film, and it stars two of Goodfellas’ goodfellas (De Niro and Joe Pesci, completing their collaboration that began in Raging Bull). But it’s Sharon Stone who spikes the movie’s energy, both building on and inverting her star-making turn in Basic Instinct. She’s a perpetual motion machine, exulting in her ability to hold and at times lead men (“smart hustlers like you could keep a guy awake for two or three days”) while lacking any sense of how to rein herself in.

As a casino marketer, it’s important to understand what makes your customers tick. Demographic information is helpful, but it doesn’t tell you why a particular group of people is choosing to visit your establishment. Understanding the underlying motivations and feelings can help you craft targeted marketing strategies that boost your bottom line.