Those melodic sounds you hear the moment you step into a casino are no accident – and neither is the music soundtrack that accompanies them.
Casinos are designed to delight the senses, specifically through the use of bright lights and slot machine sounds all tuned to the key of C (although this is more applicable to older machines than modern ones). And an increasing number of casinos now feature musical accompaniment, giving visitors even more of a sensory buffet.
But simply piping top-40 hits onto the casino floor isn't going to cut it. And with the competition for gambling dollars as fierce as ever, the effort invested into selecting the right soundtrack for the gaming crowd has never been greater.
Nathan Green is the co-founder and CEO of New Level Radio, a company that helps casinos, hotels, and retail brands shape their atmosphere through custom music and messaging. He spoke exclusively with Covers about the science of casino audio, and why it has become so important in recent years.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Music is a core psychological tool casinos use to influence mood and guest behavior
- Casinos carefully avoid low-BPM, melancholy, or lyrically negative tracks
- Custom soundtracks are now central to casino branding
- The future of casino audio is hyper-personalized
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The psychology and impact of casino audio
For casinos, it's all about setting the mood – and Green says ambient music goes a long way toward accomplishing that.
"Music absolutely influences how long a guest stays and how they feel while they’re there," Green told Covers. "The right soundtrack can energize the room, make people feel comfortable, and encourage them to linger. On the flip side, if your playlist doesn’t fit the demographic, market, or energy of your property, you can lose a guest within minutes."
And similarly to how slot machine sounds are chosen deliberately, plenty of consideration goes into the songs you hear at a casino.
"As a general rule, songs with a low BPM can drag down the energy and shift the mood in the wrong direction," Green explains. "You also want to avoid tracks with negative or melancholy themes because we have seen that they can be a “downer” and subconsciously pull the guest’s mindset down. High-tempo music, regardless of genre, tends to keep energy levels up and engagement high.
"That said, you have to keep in mind that what works in a lively bar or slot area might not fit in a high-limit lounge, so every zone needs careful consideration."
One of the more intriguing elements of casino soundtracks is that they tend to include censored versions of songs with questionable lyrics despite being adult-only venues.
"Even though most casinos are 21+, guests still expect a professional and family-friendly environment," Green told Covers. "Many casinos attract a demographic in the mid-50s-plus range, so explicit lyrics can alienate them, and they will choose another location.
"Having clean, edited versions of songs is crucial. It keeps the guests' focus on the experience, not the language coming from the speakers."
Customization and brand identity
Not all casinos are the same, and that's reflected in a variety of ways – including the choice of music soundtrack.
"Every casino property should strive to have its own unique sound that identifies with its brand strategy," Green told Covers. "A brand like MGM Grand attracts a very different audience than a destination in rural Wisconsin, so their playlists and messaging should reflect that. The demographic of the casino should be the driving force behind what the audio sounds like.
"When done right, you can walk into a casino and recognize its brand almost immediately."
Green stresses that casinos need to consider every factor when determining which songs to play, and when.
"We treat every area as its own environment, with its own guest behavior patterns that might need different styles/genres of music," he explains. "The slot floor might need upbeat tracks, while a high-limit room might call for a smoother tone.
"We look at traffic patterns, time of day, and who’s actually in the space. From there, our curators handpick music that feels natural for that audience, always keeping the brand’s tone consistent across the property."
Green goes onto say that there are certain songs you'll never hear at a casino with which he's involved.
"There are definitely some tracks we steer clear of, like (Kenny Rogers') The Gambler or (Beck's) Loser. In general, it’s smart to avoid 'downer' songs with low beats per minute, and anything that focuses on losing money. The room feels better when the music keeps the mood upbeat."
Future trends and present leaders
Casinos continuously look for ways to gain an edge, and customizing the gaming experience has traditionally been one of the easiest ways to do so.
So what does the future of casino soundtracks look like?
"The future is all about curated, individual experiences," Green said. "Most properties already offer similar amenities like dining, spa, hotel, and entertainment, so the sweet spot is to provide a guest with a personalized and memorable experience. This could be something like allowing a VIP player to choose their favorite playlist in the high-limit room, or having a personalized soundtrack when they enter their suite or spa.
"If you create a "moment" for your guest and make them feel like the experience was designed for them, you will have a guest for life."
As for the present, Green identifies a handful of casinos that lead the way in terms of providing the best audio experience.
"Many casinos stand out and do a wonderful job," he told Covers. "Some of my favorites are Mandalay Bay, Wynn, Palms, and The RIO. Each of those properties understands that great acoustics isn’t just about volume or clarity but how sound interacts with the guest’s entire sensory experience."
