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Inside the business of casino-theatre collaboration: profit and passion

When it comes to entertainment, we have more options than ever before to keep ourselves entertained. There are all kinds of shows to watch, movies to see and more forms of gaming than you could ever imagine. 

We almost have too much choice when it comes to our spare time. Do we go and see the latest Marvel movie at the cinema, or do we play the newest casino game on our online casino app? Do we watch the newest TV show or listen to a podcast? We can feel overloaded with options, there are so many out there.

But keeping on top of the entertainment game can be difficult, and many areas of entertainment feel like they’re teetering on failure all the time. Entertainment always sees peaks and troughs but some are faring a bit better than others. 

We’re going to be looking at two unlikely pals in the entertainment sphere: theatre and casinos. We’ll be looking at their similarities, differences and the ways in which we think they can learn from each other to keep on top of their game. 

Theatre and casino business similarities: audience

There are more similarities between theatre and casino audiences than you might think. They’re both a nocturnal pastime - unless you’re going to a matinee show, people tend to visit both the casino and the theatre at nighttime. A lot of people will go out for a dinner, or maybe some drinks and then head off to the casino or theatre to enjoy some well deserved respite. 

Theatres are exciting places to be with friends. They’re a place you can enjoy some great entertainment and enjoy an evening that’s a little bit different from the norm. These are the same reasons that people enjoy playing games at a casino. It’s a fun way to spend an evening with friends - and do something a little bit different from how we usually spend our evenings.

Theatres and casinos will therefore attract the same kinds of people, looking for a similar kind of entertainment. This is one of the reasons why a theatre in London has turned its hand to casino gaming, turning itself into the best of both worlds.

The Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square is one of the most popular casinos in the capital. Thanks to its stunning, central location, it’s one of the casinos that picks up the most foot traffic as it’s situated in the same place as a lot of the most popular hotels. 

Tourists will often stay in this part of London as it makes it easy to see all of the sights. It’s close to all the main attractions, as well as being ideal for public transport connections. The Hippodrome Casino is also popular with people who live in London as it’s near a lot of the bustling restaurants in Soho and Covent Garden. 

These are just some of the reasons why the Hippodrome has decided to turn its hand to the theatre game. It underwent a huge restoration a few years ago, and decided to add a theatre to one of its floors. This 180 seat cabaret theatre brings one of the city's main attractions inside another one. They were way ahead of the game when it comes to combining the theatre and casino audiences together. 

Theatre and casino revenue streams

Despite the popularity of theatres and casinos as entertainment services, there are still some issues when it comes to making a profit. As online casinos become more and more popular, the land-based casinos are continuing to see a dip in their revenue streams.

Even those who have theatres integrated in, the draw of playing casino games online continues to have an impact. There are some exceptions to the rule. Places like Las Vegas, where people are visiting in order to visit the casinos, are still doing well. But more local establishments are struggling slightly to get people in the room.

Casino and theatre marketing

One place that theatres could learn a thing or two from casinos is through their marketing. Having good marketing is always going to make a difference to your business, no matter what it is. And that’s where casinos, especially online casinos, are doing very well.

One thing casinos do very well are their bonus and promotional schemes. These keep people gaming as they feel like they’re getting a great deal. We have seen some theatres do this by trying to get more young people into theatres, but there’s always more to be done.

Another area where theatres are yet to catch up on are getting on social media platforms. A lot of theatres have some social media presence but amping that up could give them an extra boost. Online casinos are all over social platforms which has been key to their success.

What other similarities can you think of between theatres and casinos? Let us know what we’ve missed.