Casinos and the Environment: the green revolution in focus

All over the world businesses and industries are under pressure to ensure that they are acting in an environmentally responsible way. 

The same pressures very much apply to casinos and they have an increasing responsibility in trying to ensure that their carbon footprints are kept as low as possible.

So with a green revolution currently taking place in online casinos all over the world, what are the measures that land-based casinos are taking to ensure that they are being as green as possible?

Renewable energy helps light up the boards 

If there’s one thing that a casino needs plenty of its electricity. When you step into a casino it can often be a feast for the eyes and ears, game boards dazzle and slot machines often contain industry leading graphics and sounds. 

In an effort to curb how they consume electricity, casinos have turned to renewable sources to help power their properties. 

Solar panels are the most popular method of renewable energy and for casinos situated in hotter climates such as those in Las Vegas, casinos have turned to solar power to help provide power to the hotel in its less busy times. 

One of the most popular names on the Strip is the MGM and with hotels all over the world, it is estimated that MGM Resorts has a 100-megawatt solar panel that helps power 11 of its properties all over the world.

Wind power isn’t too far behind. With space in the desert for massive wind farms, casinos are working out how they can use the power of the wind to power their operations. The use of renewable energy certainly isn’t a flash in the pan or PR exercise. All of the casinos on the Strip have pledged that 50% off their power will come from renewable sources by the time that 2030 rolls around. With steps in place to try and hit those targets, Sin City could have a new name, Solar City by the time 2030 rolls around.

Although renewable energy is the most expensive and hardest green element to get right, casinos are taking massive steps to ensure that they are trying to reduce their carbon footprint.

Recycling is key

If you think of the biggest casinos in the world, visitors can often expect to find so much more than just gambling tables. 

If we use Vegas as an example again, the bulk of casinos on the Strip have restaurants, entertainment venues and even nightclubs inside them and usually this means that casinos are stocked full of packages and items that can be recycled.

Recycling is the easiest way for a casino to reduce their carbon footprint and it’s now commonplace that visitors and staff can discard waste into the appropriate recycling bins. It might seem like an exceptionally small step, but it’s estimated that every year casinos in Vegas produce five billion pounds of waste. If the bulk of this can be recycled, it will be helping the planet greatly.

Water sustainability is crucial

One of the most essential renewable steps that businesses all over the world are trying to take is how they conserve and recycle water. It is now common practice that water is recycled and returned back to their original source and once again casinos are helping lead the way.

Water is critical to a city like Las Vegas, located deep in the Mojave Desert, Nevada is America’s driest state and the super casinos on the Strip rely on water far more than in other casinos around the world. 

Nearly all of the water that Las Vegas relies upon comes from Lake Mead and the vast network of rivers that flow into it, if the water from Lake Mead were to run dry, Las Vegas simply wouldn’t be able to operate. 

Knowing that Lake Mead is the lifeblood of the Las Vegas casino industry, casinos have clubbed together and invested millions to ensure that water used in their casinos finds its way back to the Lake.

Not only is this constant recycling absolutely massive for the environment, but it will preserve the Lake and all of the wildlife that rely on it. Vegas is truly leading the way when it comes to water recycling and its example has provided the blueprint for many other businesses to follow. 

It isn’t just casino money that is green, casino games are getting greener

Whilst there are plenty of distractions and attractions at casinos, the reason why people still visit casinos is to try their hand at one of the many different games that can be played. Whether it be blackjack, slots or roulette, each different casino game needs different materials to make them work and these materials are usually responsibly sourced.

A casino will usually house thousands of different playing cards to meet the demands for blackjack and poker. Cards are now usually made of sustainable materials, which means that when they are no longer fit for use, they can be recycled and not sent to landfill.

It is the same with the millions of chips that casinos house. Formerly made of a harsh plastic, now chips are made from recycled materials which have helped casinos reduce their carbon footprints massively.

Packaging is now almost all recyclable and even the companies that provide the games are doing their bit.

Those that provide slot machines and the actual games they play tick the renewables box in two ways. Not only are the physical machines often made from recycled materials, but in their settings they have the ability to be run at lower levels of power. This is handy for casinos who can save on electricity if the game isn’t being played or when the casinos are quieter.

The green revolution has just begun

It’s no secret that casinos are some of the most profitable businesses in the world and due to the huge profits they make, they are under pressure to ensure that it gives back.

The easiest way to do that is by ensuring it looks after the environment and by taking the various different steps outlined above, it’s clear that they are well on their way to doing exactly that.

Although casinos do plenty to ensure their carbon footprint is kept to a minimum, you can bet more can be done in the future. There can be no doubt that the green revolution is well underway, but that revolution is only going to get bigger over the next few years.