The promotion of casinos throughout history has been sporadic.
Due to changing laws and social attitudes on gambling, companies have had to tread carefully with their promotions.
This has led to some interesting tactics before a more cohesive approach arrived in the modern age. In this article, we discuss how casino promotions have evolved.
The Roulette Wheel and Early Promotions
One of history’s greatest promotions for a casino would also be one of its greatest inventions. Originally, the roulette wheel was designed as a perpetual motion machine by Blaise Pascal. It was later given a zero by Francois and Lois Blanc and used as a method of gambling, designed to attract and promote King Charles III of Monaco’s new casino in Monte Carlo.
After this, promotions for casinos were seldom seen in public. Between 1983 and 1993, you may have been one of the many people who played casino games on a home computer and experienced one of the more unusual promotions in history. One popular gaming series at this time was Trump Castle, available on the Amiga, Apple, Commodore and MS-DOS systems. The title was a tie-in to the Atlantic City Casino of the same name. While a stroke of marketing genius in itself, the real appeal lay in the best bets offer that came with the game. This entitled the buyer to $250 worth of credit in the actual casino.
There have also been numerous promotions casinos have used to advertise themselves and their products in the oddest of ways. Users online describe being given everything from branded gloves to play slots with, to frozen pies. Quite where customers would store frozen pies in a casino, especially in the heat of a Las Vegas summer, remains to be seen.
Las Vegas. Photo credit: Pixabay
Modern Online Casino Bonuses
In the modern age of online gambling, casino bonuses are quite limited in what they can offer due to regulations. However, in the competitive field of online casinos, this has made them very lucrative and appealing to players.
Most casino bonuses tend to evolve around two factors: Matched deposits and free spins. The first gives you a certain amount depending on the credit you place into the account. So if the bonus is a 100% matched deposit and you place $100, you will get the same amount in credit from the provider. This is usually capped. Free spins do exactly what they say and let you try slot titles for free, spinning the reels without using credit. They are subject to wagering requirements, so if you land that progressive jackpot you may still have to spend a bit to get it out. However, they are great for trying new titles and getting used to different rules.
Most casinos will change their offers regularly. This can be to capitalize on calendar-based events, such as the festive season. They may also increase them at times of year when spending tends to dip in a bid to boost sales.
Promotions will probably change again, as tastes and regulations adapt. For those who like to play games online, there has never been a better time for casino promotions. You don’t need to travel to Monaco or Atlantic City either but can collect them from the comfort of your home.
Article written by Ben Spencer
