Feng Shui can dramatically impact your gambling experience in multiple ways. Color, directional elements and symbols such as the laughing Buddha may all help increase luck during casino sessions.
Each person has an auspicious direction associated with their birthdate that should be prioritized when gambling for maximum luck and good chi.
The Main Entrance
Casinos are increasingly adopting elements from ancient Chinese feng shui into their designs, from carpet patterns resembling long noodles to gold to bring luck and the lucky number 8. Feng shui practitioners also offer advice regarding office layout, staff uniforms and avoiding exposed light bulbs.
Macau’s City of Dreams casino building, with its curvature symbolizing an open hand welcoming in all the luck it brings, also adds red tones to represent prosperity and wealth. Feng shui experts at this casino also added red tones to signify wealth and abundance.
Although some may dismiss feng shui as mere fantasy, designers understand its principles can help draw in and retain gamblers. Barber references one project where two curves met at a garage entrance to attract players; any sharp point could create “poison arrows,” potentially harming gambling establishments. A laughing Buddha statue believed to bring good luck when rubbed against its belly is also widely used within casinos.
The Game Room
Feng Shui, an ancient philosophy which promotes harmony within yourself and the surrounding environment, involves arranging items so they bring good luck while eliminating negative energy. When applied to casinos this means avoiding mirrors which may compromise confidence levels or placing a good luck symbol (like Jin Chan or Chan Chuy) near your gaming table.
Feng shui is a staple of Asian gaming rooms, and Westar Architects recently used an expert in this field to help design one specifically for one of their client gamblers using information like his birthdate and zodiac sign to design it accordingly.
Feng shui influences can help increase your jackpot winning odds, but gambling ultimately relies on strategy and knowledge of the game – for some superstitions simply aren’t an option. Even for those who take an alternate approach, adding some feng shui influences into their casino experience may help create more confidence and luck when hitting the tables.
The Lounge
Feng shui may seem like superstition or pseudoscience, but its history goes back 2,000 B.C. According to this ancient Chinese practice, living and working spaces must align with natural forces and energies for better health, relationships and wealth. Feng shui has gained increasing attention over recent years and Dougall says more casinos are employing this form of design for casino interiors.
He gives as an example a high-limit room at the Venetian that was created by his firm for a wealthy gambler and highlights how its design, from swirling carpet patterns to its color scheme featuring red and gold hues, all adhere to feng shui principles.
Asian gamblers tend to be more superstitious than Western ones, according to him. Some Chinese players were particularly offended by MGM Grand’s massive lion-mouth entrance and refused to walk through it, eventually having it changed for one that is more auspicious. Furthermore, many Chinese travelers travel with personal feng shui consultants in tow.
The Table Games
Dougall notes that some may dismiss feng shui as mere superstition or pseudo-mysticism; she asserts it works and should be utilized by casinos in creating welcoming spaces and encouraging players to play longer and stay. Dougall suggests using classical feng shui in designing spaces so as to welcome guests and ensure players feel at ease enough to remain.
Feng shui in casino gaming may not always be obvious; when MGM Grand revamped their Las Vegas casino in 1998 to take on a new look, one sign that attracted customers through the mouth of a lion deemed inappropriate feng shui by Chinese visitors had to be removed as part of this transformation process.
Lightswitch designed lighting to support these additions for optimal feng shui results. According to Dougall, casino feng shui should reflect both its brand and culture; mimicking competitors will only hurt long term.
