Australian Casinos 2000 and Beyond

Introduction | Why Gaming Has Expanded so Rapidly | So, who is the current market for all these games of chance and why do they play? | What then does all this mean for the casino of the year 2000 and beyond? | Can this current formula survive the future in Australia? | What though of the internal product of the casino? | What other things will change? | Why is this? | Will this be allowed to continue till the eventual extinction of table games? Is a casino still a casino if it doesn’t offer table games? | Conclusion |

Historically gambling seems to be in our “blood”. A part of our very being and something therefore that with opportunity and access thrives. Unfettered, it may for some be such a basic driving instinct that it causes them significant personal problems. But for many others it is just adult play with direct tangible consequences. Thus as governments and society allows for increased access to all forms of gambling the entire industry will thrive. However the impact of this on large single site casinos may not be positive. The introduction of competition in the form of other gaming opportunities may change their dominance. For example, it is common knowledge the impact the introduction of gaming machines in other venues has had on both the casino here in Adelaide and in other jurisdictions where casinos and gaming machine venues co-exist. Without regulatory protection the casino offers the same product at the same price from a single central point of distribution. Thus proximity and convenience weigh heavily in the customers purchasing decision. This results in a change to purchasing patterns which favours the suburban venues.

Therefore casinos of today to be successful have to be so much more than a vulnerable single product provider. “Total Entertainment Complexes” are the catch-cry with gaming in some cases taking a noticeable backseat to retail outlets, restaurants, cinemas, themed bars, showrooms and in some cases theme parks. Yes, the casino is still the cash cow around which much of the activity revolves but it is also something of a silent partner. What is advertised is the ancillary facilities and products, not generally the core gaming product.