How has casino music changed over the years?

When you’re sitting at home on the couch playing a game of Blackjack on your phone, have you ever wondered about the music? Of course not. You’re far too busy trying to work out what the dealer’s next move is. But did you know that the music itself could be dictating your next move?

Since the very beginning, music has been used in casinos to not only create an ambient backing track to proceedings but to keep players engaged and focused on the games that they are playing. The way it has done this has varied over the years.

To give you an indication, the very first casinos were established back in the 19th century – so the music used back then is very different to the music used now!

Below, we’re going to take a look at that early music and how it has changed over the last couple of centuries, shaping itself into what we know today. So strap in, put down that game of Blackjack, and -read on!

The Early Days

For all casino players in 2023, whenever you switch on your phone, you’re treated to creative combinations of live games, as well as hundreds of other slots and mini-games to boot. Back in the early 1800s, however, things were a bit different.

If you were to step foot into a casino, you’d ordinarily be met with just a handful of games to play – which included Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, and Poker.

All of these are pretty tense, strategy-based games that demanded focus, which tended to make the atmosphere of those old casinos a little serious and intimidating. Music, then, was used to liven up the room and create a feeling of excitement over tension.

The 20th Century

As casinos developed, the music developed too. The biggest change, however, happened in the early 20th century, when the music of casinos began to follow the musical trends of the 20s and 30s.

Big band sounds came roaring into the venues, along with swing music, jazz, rhythm and blues, and even bebop. Then, later on, in the 40s and 50s, casinos were playing versions of all the big hits that audiences loved – incidentally, all the hits that millennials should listen to today!

As of this period, casinos were also one of the most popular venues to visit, which made owners want big, loud music to cover up irritating sounds of clanking coins and victorious or exasperated cries.

It certainly got the job done. The music was loud enough to cover up the loud, bustling atmosphere of the casinos whilst also providing a fun and lively vibe to keep the players happy. But when it came to providing a backing track to the games themselves, there was a key problem.

As mentioned before, by the mid-1900s, there were multiple games to play in casinos, but there was only one live band to accompany them. The music, therefore, was one note compared to the multiple energies that each game offered.

The Late 20th Century To The 21st Century

In many ways, this problem wasn’t solved until the introduction of online casinos in the mid-1990s. When it came to providing music, casino owners were no longer tied down to one band and one style. They could instead curate music that could change depending on the game that the user was playing.

For instance, if a gamer is playing a retro-style slot, the music presents itself in a retro style, helping to bring the game to life and play to the player’s senses. This can similarly help players to focus on the game at hand and feel more engaged in what they’re doing – which subsequently raises the chance of winning.

In a way, it appears that casino owners have realised that, with the dawn of mobile gaming, there is more chance of players being distracted in their own homes and not getting the most out of a game – or even losing the game because of those distractions. The music, therefore, is more carefully chosen to match the game itself while also keeping to a specific rhythm and tone to encourage engagement and focus when it is needed.

Photo by Adrian Trinkaus on Unsplash