Beneath the opulence and free drinks, casinos are built on a bedrock of math, engineered to slowly bleed their patrons of cash. For years mathematically inclined people have tried to exploit the rigged system, using probability and game theory to beat the house. But even the most shrewd players will still lose money in the long run.

While it is important to understand the demographics of your audience, it’s equally important to know why they are coming to your casino in the first place. Knowing that they are in their 30s with a high income and college education may help you target them, but that doesn’t tell you why they are there. They could be on a business trip and looking to kill some time or in town for a family reunion or bachelorette party.

Using lighting and visual media to shape the environment is another way casinos use design to accomplish their goals. Aesthetics are important, but so is the ability to create a manufactured blissful experience that will keep patrons wanting to return. Adding scented oils to the ventilation system, playing soothing music in the background and lighting up the slot machines in bright colors can all help to set the right tone for guests.

Another critical aspect of casino design is security. Casinos have high-tech eye-in-the-sky systems that let them monitor every table, window and doorway in the building. The surveillance is watched by employees in a separate room with banks of security monitors. If a suspicious patron is spotted, security workers can adjust the cameras to focus on them and track them down.