How Do Casinos Cater for Colourblind Players?

When you consider that 8% of the male population and 0.5% of the female population are colourblind it is odd to think that games of all shapes and sizes have not been catering for such a large proportion of society.

In both land-based and online casinos, many games rely on players being able to decipher the difference between different colours. The main issue that colourblind people face in a casino of almost any variety is that most games convey vital information – regarding game dynamics and wagers – via colour.

This is especially true with chips, as both online and offline casinos can often depict their value solely by way of being coloured differently. Even slots can be guilty of not catering to the colourblind customer, with many reel symbols and bonus rounds relying on a player’s ability to distinguish one colour from another.

What Can Be Done?

It’s one thing to be able to identify the issues that colourblind casino players face, but quite another to actually find ways to rectify them. So, what can casinos do to make their games more accessible to this portion of players with unique needs?

A good starting point is to run screenshots of an online game through what is known as a colour blindness simulator. Programs such as Coblis and Pilestone enable games designers and providers to see whether their game layouts and dynamics are compatible with the needs of colourblind players. This can then provide ideas on how to better design games in the future.

Some of the things that can be done to improve a game’s accessibility include providing different textures or patterns on land-based casino chips as well as using clear words and acronyms to depict information rather than colours.

Croupiers and live dealers can also be specifically trained to be more aware of the needs of colourblind players.  After all, some casinos are going to great lengths to accommodate physically impaired visitors, so why not do the same for the visually impaired as well?

Casino games can still cater for colourblind players without having to do away with their vibrant designs

Why Inclusivity is Crucial for Casinos

Whether it is online or offline, the casino industry is a crammed marketplace, so having games that unintentionally exclude meaningful proportions of the player base can be the road to ruin for a provider or platform.

One in twenty-five people – the percentage of people who suffer some form of colour-blindness – may not sound like much in the grand scheme of things, but casino bosses are aware of what a meaningful percentage it is to lose on a daily basis. It is for this reason that they must do more to accommodate colourblind players whether at live casino table games or online slots.

Another thing that both land-based and online casinos should be aware of is legislation which dictates that their respective realms must be accessible to all potential customers. Fail to comply and they could feel the wrath of those whose job it is to ensure gaming facilities play by the rules of a state, county, or country.