In this month alone, at least four states – Florida, Hawaii, Michigan and Pennsylvania – have made fresh overtures towards the casino sector for allowing entry or expansion. With tourism numbers down and the economy still sluggish, no doubt there will soon be more states lining up to roll the dice.

For destinations looking to gamble all your chips and sell your soul to a casino mogul, there’s a few things you should know first – about how Sin City has refined casino marketing into a fine art. Here’s a few examples:-

Encore Carpet

Sleep Deprivation:- What’s Sin City’s secret sauce that stops bleary eyed gamblers from calling it a night?

From the flashing neon outside and the garish lighting inside to the free flow of alcohol and the magic carpets, everything is meant to be a wake-up call for a gambler about to quit.

These magic carpets don’t fly, but the extravagant color patterns and designs assault the senses and keep casino customers wide awake all night long.

No exit

No Exit:- Once you’re inside, they want you to forget the world outside. So there’s no windows or clocks to remind you of the time of day (or night).

CityCenter’s ARIA casino is an exception, designed to utilize natural light to reduce energy consumption.

They make it easy for you to enter, but not so easy to exit. Casinos in Vegas have many entrances and escalators leading in from all sides, but only a select few leading out.

Airport slot machines

In-flight Entertainment:- If you’re in Vegas or on your way, you can run from the slots, but you can’t hide. McCarran Airport has over 1, 234 slot machines all over the terminals.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. even bought two L-1011 planes which it intends to modify and outfit with baccarat tables, to be used by gamblers being ferried by Sands from Asia to its Las Vegas casinos.

Not to be left behind, even the waters in Las Vegas aren’t immune. The Hard Rock Resort’s swimming pool offers a floating craps table.

Comp City

Comp Clubs:- To reel in a big whale, casinos will offer the world in comps, from free group transport (see above) to hotel suites with butler service, shopping trips, exclusive event tickets and club access, and even loss rebates – where the casino gives you back a percentage of your loss. 

Comp Clubs are a more down-to-earth rewards program which reward casino play for regulars – Sin City’s version of loyalty club memberships. Basically everything else you can get for free, provided you spend enough on casino play.

There’s Harrah’s Total Rewards, MGM Mirage has the Players Club, etc. The Las Vegas Advisor rewards book is a good place to find out what’s on offer.

Everything you see in Vegas – from the monumental exteriors to the fantasy worlds inside, from cheap hotel rooms to comps, all of it is focused on maximizing opportunities for gambling, ensuring that visitors stay and play longer, and keep coming back for more.

Photo credits:- No exit – intergalactic hussy; Encore carpet – David G. Schwartz; Airport slots – Jérôme; Comp City – Max Rubin