Whether you’re building the ultimate online casino or a more modest iGaming website, your goal is to attract and retain players. The key to doing that is making people feel good about the experience. That includes the gambling, eating and drinking, entertainment and other casino amenities.

A successful casino also has to be a good place for them to spend their money, and that’s where design is particularly important. Traditional casinos have tight, maze-like layouts that encourage gamblers to stay and keep gambling—and it’s often difficult for someone who wants to leave to find their way out. And, because these designs tend to have dark color schemes and low ceilings, they block out the light from outside, which can depress gambling activity.

But modern casinos are trying to break this pattern with designs that make it easier for players to get in and out, while still retaining the ambience they’re known for. Some are moving toward open floor plans with fewer games and more room to move, while others have reworked their color palettes for a lighter, more inviting look.

But no matter how they’re changing, all casinos have one thing in common: They’re businesses that expect to make a profit. And they do so by exploiting a mathematical advantage built into every game—the house edge—that ensures that the casino will always win the long run. To achieve that goal, casinos frequently offer big bettors extravagant inducements like free spectacular entertainment and transportation, hotel rooms, and elegant living quarters.