More Than The Cards: The Casino Experience

Playing in a casino is an experience that isn't only for the hardcore gamblers who chase easy money, it is also for the affluent who want to have the best in life.

This is because casinos these days do not just offer tables for card games,Roulette, or the ever present slot machines. Depending on which part of the world you are playing in, a casino can offer the best hotel amenities or the feeling of being part of an elite club.

While there are no exact figures on how many people have gone in and out of a casino over the past years, around the world people are flocking to casinos. From Antigua, the Bahamas, London, Germany, Macau, Monaco, South Africa, Russia and to Las Vegas and Atlantic City in the United States casinos are doing an ever increasing business. Of course, elsewhere around the world, there are other casinos to play in, albeit with a lesser experience.

For the average gambler, proximity plays a major deciding factor on the choice of casino. However for the affluent but non-hard core gambler, it will always be the experience that counts.

Casinos have definitely evolved since the 1960s. Casino operators then were becoming aware that while card games and slot machines bring in the money, it is important to keep the occasional gamblers coming back for more gambling rounds.

This resulted in floor entertainment, free drinks, all-you-can-eat buffets and plush accommodations becoming more common in casino locations. This has widened the breadth of the casino experience, from pure gambling to an entertainment experience.

Not surprisingly, Las Vegas- once known to be the city of sin now touts itself as family destination as much as a casino destination.

In Atlantic City, New Jersey, the casino is very much part of the tourism landscape and shuttle buses bring tourists to the casinos 24 hours a day.

The high-end casinos offer high-end perks other than card games, Roulette, and slot machines. They certainly offer more than the all-you-can eat buffet and free drinks.

Some offer private rooms where, instead of waiting in line at the buffet table, gamblers can have gourmet meals sent to their room. Still, others fly in their clients with a private jet or offer a complimentary suite for staying the night.

However the perks of other casinos are in the intangibles. In old casinos especially, the attraction is in being able to rub elbows with the royalty. These establishments do not necessarily have all the swanky attractions of their contemporary counterparts, but they get by just by having famous people on their client list.