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Age and Game Type Preference

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by Kickin, Apr 27, 2014.

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  1. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    I saw a comment in another thread where a poster predicted table games would go completely electronic and thought that would suit the young gamers well because there was no social interaction, just interaction with technology.

    I've read variations on that before and I just don't see it. I'm at the Borgata and all the people around my age and younger are at the tables. When I play VP at the long banks of machines I look around and it's all older people, and in my mid-30s I'm around the youngest. I see no one in their 20s. Same goes for slots for the most part, I see a mostly older crowd at them. Some younger people may be at a slot, but they don't look like the type that park themselves at them. It's really at the tables where almost all the younger people are gambling and yes, socializing.

    So I wonder, do people just gravitate towards machines as they get older or has the current crop of machine players always been machine players even when they were younger? What do you think and what have you seen?
     
  2. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    I've been gambling since i was 21 and I've always played machines. I played VP more then. I've only made one bet at a table. It was roulette and I couldn't figure out the minimum. I do notice that younger people are drawn to the electronic table games as well as the regular table games but not as much on the slots and when they do play flits, I notice they bet bigger and get frustrated quicker when they lose. I think people forget Gen X came up on video games and didn't ever stop playing them. The introduction of video slots was right up our alley.
     
  3. OhioStateAlum

    OhioStateAlum High-Roller

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    I'm in my mid 20s. My gambling is about 90% blackjack and 10% roulette. Never play slots or VP. I hate electronic blackjack. I don't know anyone my age that plays slots as opposed to the more social games. I'm actually not sure I would gamble anymore if it got to a place where there were no longer chips/dealers/interaction with other players.
     
  4. Hurr1cane310

    Hurr1cane310 Tourist

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    I am 25 years old and play a little bit of everything. I probably play VP more than most games just because I like the appeal of the big hit off such a low bet. However I will never trade in chips and felt for electronic table games. I love the interaction and the nostalgia.
     
  5. RiddickBull

    RiddickBull VIP Whale

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    I agree with this. When I was 18, I use to do a lot of sports betting and BJ/baccarat online (Bodog). One thing I noticed is that electronic games "cheat". You seem to never win.

    As for table gambles such as BJ, baccarat, craps, etc., people who play these games want to see the cards/dice so they don't feel "cheated".

    I'm in my late 20's and notice many of the younger crowd play BJ and craps. I rarely see young people play baccarat. Most are at least 35+. As for slots, most people I observe in HL room and normal floor are older people (40+).

    I think if they made all table games electronic, it would take the fun away. Imagine playing craps where you cannot touch and shoot the dice. Imagine playing baccarat without squeezing the cards. Imagine playing BJ without hand signals.
     
  6. thezue

    thezue Tourist

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    Yes, this exactly! I'm 37, have grown up with video games, and if there is one thing they've taught me is that they are rigged. I know there is a house advantage with the table games, but at least there is some input on my end that effects the outcome. At the same time, if I'm tanked and think it might be better without my input I'm going to go play some slots.
     
  7. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    I remember watching one of those Travel Channel type Vegas shows and a slot manufacturer was talking about designing slots that had more video game elements because now people have grown up on video games. But I wonder if that argument works the other way instead.

    I grew up on video games and still play them. I feel like that makes me less interested in playing video games in a casino. No slot's video game is going to be as good as what I can play on a PS3 or Xbox, nor would I want it to. I don't go to a casino for a video game experience. People hardly even go to arcades any more for that experience.

    I have no data to support it, but based on observation if I were put in charge of making gambling more appealing to young people I'd go in the complete opposite direction. I'd focus more on live games and try to increase the social element of them. Maybe find ways to increase the size of craps and roulette tables, two games I always see packed with younger people. Build out a bar/club vibe around the gaming area, things like party pits or the House of Blues casino at Showboat. Adding video game elements or social networking into slot machines to attract younger people just sounds like wishful thinking in my opinion.
     
  8. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    I think this depends on what is offered at your casino.

    A lot of your post is talking about who is playing slots and VP, but that doesn't really matter because slot players are slot players and table games players are table games players.

    If in Las Vegas you look to see who is playing the electronic versions of games like craps and roulette it is mostly younger players. Electronic baccarat is still almost always older people and the electronic blackjack games seem to still be a pretty even mix of younger and older players, but is likely trending younger.

    I don't think they are ever going to get rid of dealers entirely but in the longer run more and more of the lower limit tables are going to be electronic and the dealer run tables will be for higher limit players.

    But for the whole trend towards electronic gaming I think thats still too early to really judge what will happen:
    - the gamblers that are in their early to mid 40s were the ones that grew up at the start of the home PC era where hardly anybody had one and what was offered was pretty weak compared to most calculators of today (VIC 20, Commodore 64, Apple II, home PC)
    - the gamblers that are in their 30s, a lot of them had access to a home PC when they were in their teens either at home or through school and the internet was still in its infancy when they were in their late teens so a lot of them didn't get online until they were in their 20s
    - the gamblers in their late 20s will be ones who grew up when the internet was really coming along and were of age for the big boom of the smartphone and social media

    Its the ones that are in their teens and early 20s now who are the ones that pretty much grew up with computer access at even a very young age and by their early teens had their very own smartphone... and those ones probably still need another 5-10 years before the majority of them become a major demographic that the casinos will be going after.
     
  9. Busyman

    Busyman VIP Whale

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    I play no electronic games. I don't like them and I grew up on video games.

    I like blackjack, baccarat, poker, sportsbooks, and that's it.
     
  10. Busyman

    Busyman VIP Whale

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    I'm 39 and grew up with PCjr, VIC-20, Atari ST, C64, Colecovision (still have the ADAM computer), had just short of the very first video game system (Atari 2600 and Odyssey2), have a Vectrex....

    Hell I remember real floppy disks and used cassette tapes for storage.

    I agree with your last big time. The internet was a regular thing for the youngsters of today their entire lives.

    It takes older folk to educate them about table games. My mother taught me blackjack just before I went to AC my first time. Also taught me poker and bacc well before that.
     
  11. AllNetDad

    AllNetDad Tourist

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    I didn't start gambling until my early 30's. Just didn't have the money to spend in my 20's. I started out on Table games, BJ and Craps, but as I've grown older have gravitated to VP. Will still play Craps, but the majority of my play is VP. I like the speed of the game. Have tried digital BJ and bubble craps, but it isn't fun, and is actually too slow.

    As for my own observations, I don't see a lot of 20 somethings playing much of anything. For the most part they are only around on Friday and Saturday night heading for the clubs. When they do play, they seem to play for very short periods. That said, I do see a few younger players on both table games and machines. I believe it is still largely due to economics.

    Not sure about the future of table games. The current state of digital "table" games is horrible. No one really seems to care for them. I think much of the opinion that the next gen will prefer them is just a dig on their perceived inability to socialize face-to-face. This is, in my opinion, BS.
     
  12. jhpa

    jhpa VIP Whale

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    you played roulette and could not figure out the minimum? Dude, how hard is it to count to ten?
     
  13. jamesxnj

    jamesxnj VIP Whale

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    In the 80's when I was in my 20's there was no bartop VP in Atlantic City...All the bars were buy-your-own drinks so my table play was 100% just to gamble and get comped drinks. Now going to Vegas and AC is mostly all VP bars,I'm about 90% VP and 10% table games.That table % would also be more if they were still using 80's rules..

    Anyone else remember those early AC days? Closing at 6 am on Fri/Sat and the other days 4 am? Then open up again at 10 am..We used to go across the street from the Sands/Claridge to the Silver Dollar Saloon which was open all night and jumping when the casino employees got off work..stumble out of that place in freakin daylight.
     
  14. Dweller

    Dweller Low-Roller

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    I think it is some of both, some people move to slots and vp when they get older and some people were always slot and vp players. I agree with you that there arent too many young people playing slots and VP as compared to older people. On the electronic table games I see young people but they dont have too many of those machines and they let you play at lower limits. I dont think they will be able to make slots appealing to young people by adding video games either.
     
  15. vegasvic

    vegasvic VIP Whale

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    Personally I've never liked machines. Way too boring for me. Push a button and see if I win. Pass. Craps, poker, blackjack are what I've always played.
     
  16. aliasyoshi

    aliasyoshi Low-Roller

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    I am a 32 year old introverted scientist. I am a professor by trade and love that sort of interaction with my students, but I really am not a huge fan of people overall. However, in Vegas, I tend to play mostly table games or games of more social interaction (i.e. Sigma Derby). I will play some Shoot to Win craps, but mainly because the tables are full or I know I will only have time to play for a few minutes. I hope they never get rid of table games. They really are the most fun to be had in Vegas. :beer:
     
  17. aaisack

    aaisack VIP Whale

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    I'm 31.

    I play video poker, some poker, slots rarely and table games almost never unless I have a match play. I hate losing, so I stick to poker and full pay video poker. I'm successful at live poker, but it can bore the heck out of me at times. Electronic versions of table games aren't any more appealing to me than those with a dealer.
     
  18. Busyman

    Busyman VIP Whale

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    I will add that I absolutely HATE slots.

    It is the most boring crap ever. Yes I have played to shoot time away like waiting for the missus get out of the restroom but that's it.

    You will never see me seek out a slot machine in order to play just cuz. It's just a step up from just sitting there.

    Ironically, I hit for $1200 and $1500 while just playing by waiting.
     
  19. Buddha

    Buddha VIP Whale

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    We are 69 ... and we play 95% of our casino time on video poker.
    Many, many years ago, I used to play $5 Blackjack, while my wife played the slots. I soon learned that I could earn a lot more comps & room offers by playing video poker, and even my wife switched.
    We do occasionally play BJ and roulette when we do our matchplay coupons.
     
  20. dfalk

    dfalk VIP Whale

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    Same here, I probably would quit going to Vegas if they got rid of table games.
     
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