Why Keno Became an “Old Person’s” Game
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No Skill Involved
To be blindingly obvious, the keno crowd is getting older simply because the game is not attracting younger players. For some reason, Millennials don’t want to play the games enjoyed by the older generation. They would rather play more skill-based games like poker, e-sports and other sports betting. Keno is the exact opposite of anything that could be called “skills-based”. All you have to do is guess which numbered balls will be drawn at random for a glorified hairdryer.
These are the common keno rules:
You can put between 1 and 15 numbers on your card.
You choose from 1-80 when selecting each number.
The more numbers you pick, the higher the payouts you win.
The only true skill in keno is figuring out how many balls you should select to improve your odds (Pick 5 & better are often best). You can also research different casinos to see which ones feature the highest return to player (RTP).
Because this is really just another version of the lottery, most young people prefer something which requires a bit more input from their end. They are no longer satisfied with games of pure chance. If there’s a possibility for them to have at least some partial say over the outcome of a game, then they feel more involved and the whole experience is more satisfying.
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Not Featured at Online Casinos
In the world of online casinos, the main push is towards slots and live dealer table games. The next priorities are with virtual table games and scratch cards. Keno is almost at the very bottom of the list of gaming possibilities. In fact, it probably will not even have its own heading, instead, you’ll find it listed under “specialty games” or “other categories”. You might have to dig around to find it. Though some online casinos might spice Keno up a little by offering multiple skins, it pretty obvious that casinos don’t see Keno as a big money-spinner, to the point that more and more casinos and online jackpot sites are dropping the game from their online selections altogether.
Extremely Slow Game-play in Land-Based Casinos
Keno is not a good business. The reason is that it’s by far the slowest game in the casino. Parlors normally only manage to complete 4 – 6 contests per hour. The whole process of playing Keno is “relaxed” to say the least. First, the casino needs to wait for enough players to play. Then you’ll all need to fill out cards before the draw is held. The actual draw itself needs to be announced as each ball is released into the air tube. Winning tickets are collected later and the prize money shared out. The whole game-play of Keno is a long drawn out mess. To compare it to say, blackjack, Keno is all bits and pieces. Whereas blackjack has a smooth flow as hands are dealt and collected quickly.
Terrible Keno RTP
Many people who still enjoy Keno are from an age gone by. Back in those days, there was no information on gambling strategy. You just played and hoped to win. So you had no idea of the awful RTP that the game offers. Today, more and more players are aware of such things as RTP and so are looking for the best bang for their buck. And Keno it isn’t. Most modern Keno only offers an RTP of between 70 – 90%. If you go for the “pick one or two” options, then it’s even worse as they usually only pay back around 80%. In fact, all the picks are horrible and when young gamblers see an RTP of, say, 75%, they turn on their heels and are gone. Compare these awful numbers to a slot machine, which normally has an RTP of around 95%.
Also, another problem with Keno is that you have no control over the outcomes. There’s not much you can do to alter the odds. All you can do is try and find a casino with a higher payout for the prizes.
Keno Hasn’t Evolved with Modern Gaming
It’s true that there are some casino games that have survived centuries without much change. Roulette and Blackjack spring to mind. And that’s because both these games still offer the player an exciting and rewarding experience. Keno is a game that is about to fall into obscurity. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t really lend itself to innovation. You can’t add fancy graphics and animations to Keno as you can with slots. Though game developers have had a bash at bringing Keno kicking and screaming into the 21st Century, at the end of the day the whole gaming experience is still rubbish.
Keno: Old Person Stigma Is Already Prevalent
Unfortunately, it may already be too late to save Keno from the clutches of frail old hands. It’s been their favorite game since time began, and they won’t stop playing until they drop. So the game already has a stigma and it’s probably a little too late to change. If you venture into any casino that has a Keno parlor, you’ll find it’s still populated by oldies, with no one under 45 years of age insight.
And the sight is enough to ensure that no young people will even try to play. On the other hand, youngsters are looking for a different type of thrill when t comes to casino games and gambling.
Though Keno isn’t quite on the same level as Bingo is, especially in the US, it’s getting there. After all, if you’re after an old person vibe, just head on down to the local church hall on your Zimmer frame.
Keno Is Becoming a Nostalgic Choice
Back in the day, your typical casino was literally running on small change. Now it’s all ticket driven machines because they offer many more advantages to the casino. But you can still find the odd coin-operated machine in many casinos. And the reason they keep them is that there are players who like to play them for nostalgic feelings. There’s an older demographic who still like to re-live their days in Sin City when they used to visit in the ’70s and ’80s. To that end, we can see that one day, Keno could become another coin-operated slot machine. It’s already on its last legs in many casinos so making a move towards becoming an old-time slot machine makes sense.
Keno: Conclusion
When it comes to games for oldies, then nothing comes close to bingo. It’s like the ultimate in oldie gaming. But Keno is there snapping at its heels. Unfortunately, the game offers very little for the more advanced gambler as it’s purely a game of chance. And a very slow one at that. With a horrible RTP, it’s another reason to avoid playing in the casino. There are just so many other options with a better RTP and the requirement of some skill to effect the outcomes, that Keno is sealing its own fate.
We predict that Keno probably only has maybe 5 – 10 years lifespan before being consigned to the landfill of casino history according to the latest lottery news.
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