The biggest casino operators just figured out something important: modern travelers don’t want to choose between a spa vacation and a gaming getaway. They want both, preferably with some cool tech thrown in.
The global casino hotels market size was estimated to skyrocket in the following years, and they’ve already started making some impressive things – gaming floors with meditation pods, cryotherapy chambers, and virtual reality.
Look at Resorts World Las Vegas. The $4.3 billion resort has a 117,000 square foot state-of-the-art, fully cashless casino floor with a stunning 27,000-square-foot spa and wellness center. So, in the morning, you might try their VR meditation experience – and by lunch, you’re at the blackjack table. The whole place runs cashless through your phone.
For those times when you can’t make it to Vegas or Monaco, new casinos in Canada bring similar excitement online. They might have even better bonuses, huge game libraries, and fast, crypto-friendly payment options – basically everything you’d find at a physical resort, minus the spa. But you can also play during your flight to the resort or from your hotel room between treatments.
The wellness boom pushes much of this change, though. Resorts now compete on who has the most advanced wellness tech – high-tech wellness resorts attract luxury travelers.
Some properties push boundaries even further. Spain’s Santuario LeDomaine uses virtual reality tech to deliver guided meditations that focus the guest’s mind on the treatment to come while guiding their breathing. SHA Wellness near Cancun combines brain diagnostic tests with Tibetan singing bowls. Four Seasons properties have started adding VR meditation pods where you can “travel” during treatments.
But of course, gaming tech has improved as well – at Resorts World Las Vegas, you don’t need to bring cash. Everything works through smartphone apps now. Through a single app, you can check into your hotel room, access an interactive map of the casino, book a restaurant reservation, and even join a virtual queue for a popular table game – no more carrying chips around or waiting in line at the cashier.
Interestingly, women have become a big force behind this integration trend. Research shows that more than 60% of female casino patrons want a destination resort experience, and not just gambling. They’re looking for properties where they can gamble a bit, get a massage, shop, dine well, and maybe catch a show – all without getting in a cab.
