'how casinos have created a new kind of crowd'
August 6, 2012 11:57 AM   Subscribe

The Touch-point Collective: Crowd Contouring on the Casino Floor - 'Historically, casinos have been eager adopters of technologies that help them to gather knowledge about their customers. The knowledge-gathering repertoire of the modern casino has shifted from telephone surveys, focus groups, and rudimentary datasets to complex feats of reconnaissance and analysis enabled by player tracking systems, data visualization tools, and behavioral intelligence software suites. Many surveillance techniques first applied in casinos were only later adapted to other domains—airports, financial trading floors, shopping malls, banks, and government agencies.' There are some large, embedded .avi files in the page, be careful.

Wikipedia on Gilles Deleuze.

'It's actually the data produced by individuals that becomes valuable in today's capitalist society.'

Gizmodo: The Ugly Carpets Of Vegas Are Hideously Clever Social Engineering At Work

A casino in Las Vegas is an excellent example of a surveillance-oriented environment. Totally designed with security, comfort and de-individuation in mind.

Wired, 2001: Seen City: 'From surveillance cams to facial scans, in Las Vegas the whole world is watching.'
Wired, 2001: The Surveillance Society: 'Cell phones that pinpoint your location. Cameras that track your every move. Subway cards that remember. We routinely sacrifice privacy for convenience and security. So stop worrying. And get ready for your close-up.'
posted by the man of twists and turns (12 comments total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
 
The Ugly Carpets Of Vegas Are Hideously Clever Social Engineering At Work

The single "fact" presented in that article was then debunked by a second anecdote. Great work, Gizmodo.

Upon rereading the article to look for a link to the real story, I realize it was actually an ad for an art show. So now we have businesses using the (claims of) predator tactics of other businesses to sell you things.
posted by DU at 12:14 PM on August 6, 2012 [2 favorites]


What I want to know is, why do the casinos use those gag-inducing room scents? There were a few that were so bad, I just turned around and walked out. They smell like a cheesy 1970's porn flick. Boom-chicka-bow-wow.
posted by MexicanYenta at 12:29 PM on August 6, 2012


That's the patrons, a roomful of true gents. Aqua Velva meets Jovan Musk.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 12:33 PM on August 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


The link auto-downloads some AVI file to desktop too
posted by growabrain at 1:01 PM on August 6, 2012


The title of the Gizmodo link is contradicted by the content of the article. It seems that it's just to cover up wear and stains and not Social Engineering at all.
posted by Splunge at 1:03 PM on August 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


That'll teach me to link to a gawkermedia site.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 1:06 PM on August 6, 2012


See also slot-machine researcher Natascha Schull (previously) on the design of casino "games" for customer extinction.

(She also spoke at a conference I ran in 2008 - here's the video)
posted by mark7570 at 2:19 PM on August 6, 2012


At the bottom of the psychology of casinos story from wired it gives a bio blurb for Jonah Lehrer. Yes! That Jonah Lehrer!
posted by bukvich at 3:27 PM on August 6, 2012


What I want to know is, why do the casinos use those gag-inducing room scents? There were a few that were so bad, I just turned around and walked out. They smell like a cheesy 1970's porn flick. Boom-chicka-bow-wow.

What I want to know is how you know what a 70s porn flick smells like?
posted by Thistledown at 3:42 PM on August 6, 2012 [2 favorites]


Bubblegum air freshener, water based lubricant, latex rubber, chlorine, sweat and pizza.

Don't ask.
posted by Splunge at 4:45 PM on August 6, 2012 [2 favorites]


It seems that it's just to cover up wear and stains and not Social Engineering at all.

That's just what a social engineer would say...
posted by headless at 6:24 PM on August 6, 2012


For people that have actually frequented a Las Vegas casino. I will ask you now. Without looking at a photo. What do you remember about the carpet?

I know what I remember. It's sticky in certain places. And most likely to remain that way. Why? Because casino rooms don't have down time. The high roller areas like the high stakes poker or blackjack places get cleaned. I recall he Borgata when the roped off areas were getting a serious steam clean. But the areas around the nickle slots very rarely, if ever get a good cleaning. Of course they have to do it eventually. But what would that entail? It would be roping off the area. And that would mean machines that were not in service.

I've seen machines taken out of service. That also means that the players are comped ridiculous amounts of free food. But never cash.

The carpets have to take the feet, spilled drinks, dropped food and vomit of thousands of people. Although they take vomit very seriously.

Then you see a crack team of carpet cleaners show up as well as security to make sure it's safe. And really, do you want a chain vomit problem in a casino?

But essentially the carpet has to be outdoor carpet. Pretty colors. And able to last forever.
posted by Splunge at 10:17 PM on August 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


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