Do Casinos Pump Oxygen?

Do Casino's Pump Oxygen?

• DO CASINOS PUMP OXYGEN?
• WHY WOULD WE BELIEVE CASINO'S PUMP OXYGEN?
• KEEPING PLAYERS AWAKE
• IMPROVED COMFORT
• COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
• THE INTRIGUE OF CASINOS
• WHY CASINO’S DO NOT PUMP OXYGEN
• HEALTH & SAFETY REGULATIONS
• PRACTICALITY & COST
• THE TRICKS CASINOS USE TO KEEP PLAYERS ENGAGED
• STRATEGIC LAYOUT
• LIGHTING AND SOUND
• COMPLIMENTARY DRINKS AND SNACKS
• SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION

DO CASINO'S PUMP OXYGEN?

No, casinos absolutely do not pump oxygen into their gaming floor. This is a myth that has existed for decades due to commonly held misconceptions about the environment inside casinos. While casinos do invest heavily in advanced air filtration systems to produce an environment with good air quality, they do not increase oxygen levels.

The truth is that if casinos were to do this, it would be extremely costly and hazardous to health due to the increased fire hazard that this would produce. However, while casinos do not pump oxygen into their gaming floors, they do use other techniques to keep their players comfortable and engaged – more on this later!

WHY WOULD WE BELIEVE CASINO'S PUMP OXYGEN?

For a myth to have been believed for so long, there must be some reason to believe that it may be true. In this case, there are four main reasons that people can believe in the myth that casinos pump oxygen; to keep players awake, improve comfort, gaining a competitive advantage and the intrigue that surrounds casinos and their history of clandestine tactics.

KEEPING PLAYERS AWAKE

This is often cited as the primary reason that casinos would pump oxygen. The belief is that, by pumping oxygen, casinos will benefit from their players being more awake and alert. Obviously, the longer that players stay awake, the longer their gaming session may be – and the higher the potential profit for the casino. Conversely, fatigued players are more likely to leave, cutting their session short and leaving the casino.

IMPROVED COMFORT

Gambling Meccas, such as Las Vegas and Macau, do not have bans on smoking indoors. Therefore, for many, the casino floor can be an uncomfortable, smoky place. There is a belief that if casinos pumped oxygen into their gaming areas, the environment would become easier to breathe in and, therefore, more comfortable – encouraging players to stay (and bet) for longer.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Think of those gambling destinations such as Vegas and Macau, and how many casinos are packed into such a small area of land. These are billion-dollar businesses, all vying for the attention of the same customers. In such an environment, even a small advantage can be seen as incredibly valuable. These casinos are perceived as being businesses that will do anything to get an advantage over their rivals, so the theory that they pump oxygen to gain an advantage (whether real or imaginary) fits that narrative.

THE INTRIGUE OF CASINOS

Casinos and their owners have been front and centre in pop culture for decades. Casino-themed movies such as Ocean’s Eleven and Casino have added to the mystery that surrounds them and increased the belief that they will have no hesitation in employing clandestine tricks to manipulate player behaviour. Thanks to this intrigue, largely born from works of fiction, has led many to believe in the somewhat fanciful notion that casinos invest money to pump oxygen into the gaming floor just to secure a few extra dollars.

WHY CASINO’S DO NOT PUMP OXYGEN

Now that we have established that casinos don’t pump oxygen you might be wondering why they don’t do it. The logic seems fairly sound: oxygen helps us stay alert, if we stay alert, we aren’t tired, and if we aren’t tired, we are more likely to keep on betting on our favourite slot or table game. In truth, this logic is somewhat flawed, but there are two other practical reasons why casinos do not pump oxygen.

HEALTH & SAFETY REGULATIONS

Simply put, oxygen is a huge fire hazard. Pumping additional oxygen into an enclosed space, such as a casino floor, could significantly increase the chances of a catastrophic blaze. With increased oxygen levels, fires can begin much more easily and will burn much, much more intensely. This would be against safety codes and fire regulations that every casino must abide by to stay in business.

PRACTICALITY & COST

Even if it were to be proven that pumping oxygen could give casinos some sort of marginal financial gain, this would be completely wiped out by the cost and maintenance of doing so. The infrastructure required to safely pump and manage something at this scale would be prohibitively high. Whilst casinos are generally quite profitable, there are few, if any, that would find such an investment economically viable.

THE TRICKS CASINO'S USE TO KEEP PLAYERS ENGAGED

OK, so we are all pretty clear that casino's do not pump oxygen and why this urban legend can be easily rebuffed. However, we are not saying that casinos are whiter than white! Indeed, casinos do employ several tactics, some of which are clandestine, to keep their players playing…

STRATEGIC LAYOUT

Think about the last time you were on a casino floor. Did you see many “Exit” signs? How about windows? Could you see a clock? Did you find it easy to get from the jackpot slots to the closest way out? It would be a fair bet to say that these were few and far between – and that is 100% by design!

Casinos will often be designed in such a way as to be more reminiscent of a maze or labyrinth than your local shopping centre! Windows are rare and clearly defined exits are hard to find, which creates an environment where it is easy to lose track of time and keep on playing.

LIGHTING AND SOUND

Casino floors are a unique place. The music is upbeat and the lights vibrant…all day, every day. Again, this is by design. The casino floor is designed to create a stimulating, exciting atmosphere with carefully chosen elements to elevate your mood and increase your energy levels. Whether is 2pm or 5 in the morning, the casino is designed to be as upbeat as possible for as long as possible, to keep you as engaged as long as possible!

COMPLIMENTARY DRINKS AND SNACKS

This is a big one, and it’s one that casinos have gotten into trouble for in the past. Many casinos will offer complimentary drinks and snacks to their players to keep them comfortable and happy. Of course, alcohol also lowers inhibitions which may encourage players to play longer than they should, perhaps betting more than they should. This is common practice, but is it ethical?

There have been cases where casinos have actually lent money to players who were clearly intoxicated – sometimes as much as $500,000! Indeed, in the state of Nevada it is actually illegal to allow a drunk person to gamble, so how then is it OK to give them free drinks while they gamble? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION

It is a complete fiction that casino's pump oxygen in order to keep their players playing more. However, there are many “tricks of the trade” that they do employ to keep you playing for longer. Of course, if you want to avoid these all you need to do is log in to Lottoland Casino and playing from the best environment possible – the comfort of your own home!