It’s pretty well known that there are some unspoken rules of casino etiquette including tipping cocktail servers and how to press the buttons (AKA: do not be a slapper), but when it comes to deciding to if you want to chat it up with a slot neighbor, that can be a little more tricky. Read on below for some of our observations about talking with fellow players and let us know in the comments if you like to talk with new people around you or if you prefer to enjoy some alone time.
While how chatty I am really comes down to my mood, I am an advocate for chatting with those nearby…. As long as their mood is right (more on that later). I enjoy the celebration of a great bonus, commiserating over a let down, and figuring out the tells of a game with someone who likes it just as much as me. However, with the more recent changes in floor configurations, celebrating with your neighbor can be a little challenging. This is because of the shift from standard rows of machines, which allowed for better line of sight, to more of a pod formation. While this circular rotation is great for groups that come to the casino together, it is less conducive for friendly chatter between players that meet on the floor.
When conversing with the player next door is easy, one the biggest pros is being able to hype each other up while taking in the ups and downs of a shared title. If your neighbor is in a slump, you can encourage them or explain how to trigger the different features. The positive energy can also be infectious! Celebrating big wins is almost always more fun when you have a friendly neighbor to show the screen. Plus, another benefit to embracing the social scene when you head to a casino is making your bankroll last just a little bit longer. If a friendly neighbor gets the bonus, you can sit back, sip on a drink, and cheer them on as the money rolls in all while your credit amount takes a breather. All in all, players that realize sitting next to each other does not equate to a competition are the most fun.
Inversely, there are definitely some cons that can come along with taking the risk to talk with fellow gamblers including negative attitudes, “know-it-alls,” and jealousy. One of my most memorable encounters, for all the wrong reasons, happened when I was playing Smokin’ Hot Wicked Wheel at one of my Vegas hangouts. There was a player that was very clearly over invested in the accumulator pot at the top of the game. For ten minutes I listened to her grumble at the machine, saw her repeatedly go into her purse for another $20 in an attempt to get it to pop, and loudly slap the button for each and every spin. I did my best to grin and bear it but instead I tried to explain to her the accumulator didn’t actually mean anything. My intent was to have a conversation and explain how the game worked so she could relax a little and not feel captive to the game. Instead, the player aggressively began to tell me I was wrong and she knew exactly what she was doing. I watched her put in more and more money while she was getting more and more upset, but it wasn’t worth it to argue.
After that negative experience, I started to be a little bit more observational before diving into conversation with the player next door. First, I like to see how the person is interacting with the game itself. If they are slapping the button, chances are, we are not the same type of player and I avoid striking up a discussion. Another thing to look for when deciding to make small talk is if you can see how a person is interacting with the casino team. I want to chat and hype up players that are friendly and respectful to the people that keep the casino running. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I definitely do not want to play with anyone that is grumbling at their machines after each spin or comparing their wins to my own. I go to the casino for a good time and do not want bad vibes affecting my game play.
