At first glance, one may find little obvious common ground between the thriving horror fandom and the world of the casino aficionado – but scratch below the surface and one soon finds that there’s more than a little they share in kind.
The Suspense
Without a doubt, the main thing horror and casino fans share in common is that they have a passion for suspense. The source of this thrill is distinct for each, but the effect is one and the same.
When it comes to horror fans, the suspense and ultimate payoff comes by way of the many and various types of scare honed in the craft of the genre. These range from the classic jump scare, to the masterful slow and building sense of unease – culminating in a shocking realization.
Naturally, when it comes to casino titles, the suspense is rooted more in the experience of participating in a game. What people love about games and sports in general is that, unlike fiction, the action is wholly unscripted. That possibility, that anything can happen is what makes them so engaging.
Different games combine different elements of randomness and skill. Typically casino games strike a fine balance between the two, with an accomplished player being someone able to make the most of the way the chips fall and utilize strategy and psychology to bluff their way to victory.
There’s also, of course, the matter of the wagers involved. While the experience of betting is not a motivator for some, most casino fans are at least partial to a flutter – and the act of placing a bet, with the prospect of increasing your winnings or losing your pot, is just a further irreducible element of what makes the suspense of casino gaming so enjoyable to them.
Partial to a Good Deal
One of the hallmarks of the horror film community is a commitment to discovering forgotten B-movies that have attained cult classic status. Often the process of encouraging these horror gems – whether it’s 1987’s Street Trash or 1977’s legendary Death Bed: The Bed That Eats – requires one to dig deep in the bargain bins of their local thrift stores, not least because many of these works exist only in VHS form today.
The upside of these excavations, save the opportunity to watch some gems of horror movie history, is that the process is notoriously cost effective. Horror fans are fully accustomed to getting a good deal on their passion as a result of this, and it’s not unusual for someone to emerge with a stack of films for as little as $10.
Here, fans of digital table gaming can sympathize. That’s due to the fact that the online casino sector has long sought to make itself a more affordable and accessible offering when compared with its brick-and-mortar counterparts. To this end, it’s not uncommon to find so-called penny casinos that offer exceedingly low wagers and buy-ins in order to play. But even the most well stocked online casino can confer meaningful savings, thanks to the phenomenon of bonuses.
For a number of years, the sector has presided over the rise of dedicated platforms, such as CasinoBonusCA, whose focus is squarely trained on collating leading online casinos and furnishing its patrons with competitive sign-up offers on them. As such, whether you’re looking to sample a horror-themed slot with the benefit of a bonus on free spins, or play the ace of spades in a blackjack room, there’s guaranteed to be promotional deals out there to suit your needs, and save you money.
A Feast for the Senses
Both horror movies and online casino games are designed to be visually and audibly engaging. While they utilize these elements in fairly distinct ways, fans of both will acknowledge that a well-considered approach to the aesthetics and theme of their respective experience can have a huge impact on their enjoyment and immersion.
When it comes to horror movies, the mise-en-scène is one of the central components necessary to craft the mood the director wants to create. A big part of the difference between a schlocky B-movie and a true masterwork is its ability to encourage the viewer to suspend their disbelief. By buying-in, the full power of the horror is able to be delivered unmediated.
With online casinos, the focus is primarily on creating a visually appealing and engaging atmosphere that encourages a sense of fun. Online casinos have increasingly distinguished themselves from brick-and-mortar titles in this respect due to their having far fewer restrictions on what they can, and cannot do use to help visually flesh out the experience. In fact, modern online casino titles are effectively video games, with all the bells and whistles they entail.
