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Have you ever wondered whether casinos are watching us, how we play, how much we win, and how much we lose? This small piece of information is going shed a bit of light on this question. After all, it’s always useful to know who is collecting your data and for what purposes!
There are plenty of ways casinos can watch you. The easiest way is through cameras, some of which are equipped with a face recognition technology. All the casino area is under constant video surveillance to keep out cheaters; while also providing useful information, should any disputes eventually arise between the establishment and the players. Additionally to this, modern face recognition technology has been implemented in China, which associates all the people who enter the casino with their playing profiles.
Another way the casinos keep track of winners and losers is by using player cards. When you insert the player card into the machine, you automatically let the casino know how often you bet, what amounts you win and lose, as well as which games you prefer. This allows the casinos to study your gambling habits and thus predict your gambling behavior.
Some casinos also use digitally enabled chips that can be tracked once they are moved across the tables. The technology used in the chips has already progressed considerably; as in the past, it was only used to disable any chips that were taken out of the house or stolen.
Once we know how the casinos keep track of our winnings and losses, now the question is why they need this information. In this way, the casinos spot the biggest potential losers, who generate the most income for the gambling business. By identifying the most generous gamblers who continue to play even more when losing money, the casinos can warm up their interest by giving comps or free meals.
In China, where gambling is illegal, the growing middle class goes to Macau to gamble. In mainland China face recognition technology is mature; it is used at banks and other state establishments to give people credit for their behavior and law obedience.
Various technologies are used to track the gambler’s behavior, but the final goal is to build a data profile for each gambler. It is made in order to estimate the risk-taking decisions of the player and to know who has a higher propensity to take risks and place higher bets.
When you use any loyalty program, you are choosing to voluntarily give the casino your data. Once you swipe your player card at the tables and machines, you are letting the hosts know where you are playing, how much you bet, how much you lose, and what is your playing speed. When you’re about to leave, you can be offered a drink so that you stay longer.
The gambling industry builds its business on the people who lose, not on the ones who win. So, the more you lose, the more of a desirable client you are. How to identify that type of a customer and how to retain them? The marketing department of each casino strives to create more revenue and attract the most profitable clients. Additional promotional activities like hotel stays, cash-backs, and meals can affect differently high and low revenue gamblers. These investigations are made in order to help the casino avoid “unattractive customers,” instead putting more effort into attracting and retaining high revenue clients.
Many casinos in Las Vegas are issuing loyalty cards and reward programs, like M Life by MGM Resorts International and Total Rewards by Caesars Entertainment; with the purpose of tracking your gaming behaviour and enticing you to play longer and become a more frequent client.
Usually, the casinos do not specifically keep track of your losses; they are interested in both winnings and losses for their own statistics and information. They do keep track of winnings, in order to report winnings superior to $1,200 to the IRS. But there is no accurate way to track the winnings to be 100% sure of the total wins; as in some games, such as Blackjack, it is hard to track your initial bet.
Statistically, people lose more than win, and that keeps the casinos in business. It is easier to win in games of skill like blackjack or poker, while the games that do not depend on your skill are easier to lose. The slots are games of chance, so your chances against the casino are lower, and thus you tend to lose.
According to calculations made for the US, the total revenue from the casino games in 2018 was about $40 billion, which turns out to be $125 per person. After deducting people who are not of legal age and those who don’t gamble, the average adult loses between $500 and $600.
Yes, gamblers win from time to time. But it is hard to stop gambling once you hit the jackpot; and very often after a big win, gamblers bet all their winnings on new games and eventually lose it all.
Blackjack is considered the easiest casino game, due to its popularity and good odds of winning. The house edge can be as low as 1%, and that makes blackjack the easiest casino game.
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