The gambling industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors because it supports universal entertainment among patrons. Despite the rapid growth, one of the industry’s challenges is its limitations in terms of inclusivity and accessibility.
Though many casinos accept players from different parts of the world, the number of operators supporting people with disabilities is quite limited. Similarly, the sector is male-dominated, and there’s a need for more female inclusiveness.
We explore the various possibilities that operators can consider to venues that accept the typical and marginalised people to boost accessibility and broader inclusiveness in this article.
The Current Trend of Social Exclusion in Gambling
Currently, there’s an ongoing disparity in the gambling industry that segregates certain people and limits their access to games and other features. First, there’s the economic division that categorizes players into casual and high-rollers. The new online casino trend creates an environment where low-income individuals are excluded from high-end casinos.
People with disabilities are also plagued with various challenges, including limited physical accessibility in many casino venues. For instance, some disabled players experience mobility impairments because entrances, tables, and gaming machines are not built to cater to them.
There are also stereotypes around gender that affect women and non-binary people. Women are often excluded from gaming because of the general belief that they don’t know about gambling.
Many women also feel unsafe at physical locations due to the possibility of being harassed by men. Though online casinos are currently addressing this challenge, there’s still a lot to do.
The lack of representation among non-binary individuals is also evident in marketing and policymaking. These individuals face discrimination from men and the broader society when gambling.
Casino Design Solutions to Boost Diversity and Inclusion
If you’re building a new casino or restructuring an old one, you can adopt an architectural approach that makes your brand inclusive for everyone. That way, everyone can be a part, regardless of race, gender, or social standing. Here are some design approaches to consider:
Accessibility Features
Businesses can adopt various accessibility tools to make the gaming experience convenient for people with disabilities. Creating at least one wheelchair-accessible entrance and making enough room within the lobby can allow seamless movement for an ambulant disabled person.
Besides creating an inclusive environment, the Federal Disability Discrimination Act mandates that public and private establishments have disabled-friendly areas that are easily accessible.
Incorporating features like subtitles and on-screen readers to cater to visually impaired and hard-of-hearing patrons is another effective measure. These can help them navigate the game machines and screens more conveniently.
Cultural Sensitivity
Another way to improve fairness and player satisfaction at casinos is to create a well-rounded environment with games and services spanning across different cultures. Operators can incorporate different languages into your games to help non-English speakers comprehend better.
For instance, the gaming screens and content can be translated into multiple languages that players can choose from to improve readability.
Slot machines can also foster cultural diversity by providing games with diverse themes from around the world. That makes them believe there’s something for everyone, regardless of their backgrounds.
Staff diversity can also enhance inclusiveness. Having notable staff like dealers, customer support professionals, waiters, and pit bosses from different backgrounds and races will create an environment where clients from various parts of the world can belong.
Gender-Neutral Spaces
Casino games are no longer targeted to men alone. Nowadays, everyone plays slots, poker, baccarat, and roulette. The games also feature gender-neutral and sexualizing designs to embrace all kinds of folks.
Including many of these non-discriminatory games in the lobby can create a brand everyone can reckon with. Moreover, hiring a mix of men, women, and non-binary people will help gamers understand that the doors are open to everyone, regardless of their gender.
Conclusion
The struggle for inclusivity and accessibility at casinos has come a long way. Numerous brands have put various measures in place to make the environments conducive for everyone. This article has also provided effective design tips to help more people embrace casino gaming.
