Why Don't Casinos Have Windows and Clocks?

The next time that you walk into a casino, look around and see if you happen to notice anything missing. The average person never notices that casinos do not have two fixtures that are common to almost every room in America. Very few realize that casinos have neither windows or clocks. If you take a moment to think about it, you might, just might, be able to figure out why.

There might be some of you that are reading this article that think that casinos do not have windows as a way to cut down on heating and cooling costs. It could be that they realize that it is easier to keep a constant temperature in the building if the sun is prevented from coming in windows. While this could be a good reason, it is not the actual reason, and does not say anything about clocks.

Some of you might be thinking that the reason why casinos do not have windows or clocks is because windows and clocks take up wall space. You might think that this space could be better used for slot machines instead. While this is a good reason as to why, you would be incorrect.

I have heard people say that by not having windows or clocks, casinos give a metaphor for forgetting about the outside world. These people claim that whatever can been seen through the glass of a window is the outside world, and that you go to a casino to forget it, and try to win to realize your dreams. While this is close to the truth, it is not the reason why casinos do not have windows or clocks in them.

The real reason why casinos do not have windows or clocks is so that you never truly know what time it is. Granted, you could look at your watch, but that does not give you the same affects as looking out a window. This now leads us to have to gain a basic understanding of one of the inner workings of the brain.

Take a moment to try to remember back to high school science class. The brain can be very , "light orientated." The brain learns quickly that when the lights are very bright (i.e. the sun is up) it is time to stay awake. When it is dark (i.e. it is the dead of night) it is time to sleep. If the brain is constantly exposed to light on a constant basis, a person will not get as tired in the evening.

Studies have shown that people that are exposed to more lighting, you will stay awake for longer hours. Granted, you might be tired, but you will stay awake for more time than if the light were to get dimmer. This leads to the answer as to why casinos do not have windows or clocks.

If you do not know what time it is, chances are good that you will play a longer time playing slots or betting at the table games. The longer you play, the greater the chance the casino has of taking your money. Even if you are currently winning, the casinos know that statistically, they will eventually get that money back, plus more.

As for clocks, we have trained ourselves that when the hour is late, it is time to go to bed. There have been many occurrences when I have been in Las Vegas where friends have headed off to bed because they see that their watch is displaying an hour where they usually go to bed. They are not tired, but they have trained themselves to go to bed at a certain time. They then find themselves spending hours in their hotel room waiting to go to sleep because they are not tired yet.

The next time that you are in a casino, ask your friends if they notice anything missing in the casino. Chances are good that they will not realize that casinos do not have windows or clocks. Chances are also good that when you point this fact out, they will not know why. Have fun sharing this information.