The casino industry is keeping with the times as it steadily replaces fossil fuels for renewable energy sources in order to protect the environment. In this article, we will tell you how physical and online casinos implement renewable energy in their day-to-day operations.
The Online Casino Industry
Overall, the online casino industry has lower carbon footprint than the physical casino industry, and this is especially true for online casinos with fast withdrawals which promote payment methods such as PayPal that are known for their environmental commitment.
Naturally, online casinos use less energy for their operations because they don’t have to power big buildings 24/7, and they have fewer staff members working at a time.
Still, there is a lot of hidden energy use in the online casino industry since the websites rely on powerful servers to work impeccably around-the-clock, and online transactions may use significant amount of energy.
Online gambling operators are aware of the aforementioned issues and they are working tirelessly to combat them.
Online casinos require powerful data centres that store information and share applications which contribute to more greenhouse gas emissions.
Nowadays, engineers and environmental specialists work together to optimise data centres by employing energy-efficient technology and by tying the grid to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy. In cases where the online casino does not own a data centre, the owners might instead reach out to hosting providers which use renewable energy sources.
Another great way in which online casinos lower their carbon footprint is by investing in carbon offset programs. There are many such programs which fund reforestation, landfill management, and renewable energy implementation.
In terms of online transactions, online casinos now encourage the use of environmentally conscious payment methods.
As previously mentioned, PayPal offers not only fast withdrawals, but also an eco-friendly way to fund your casino account. The company has the ambitious goal to reach net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2040. PayPal is already using renewable energy for all of its data centres which is quite impressive.
Generally, online payment methods, or eWallets like PayPal, Skrill and Neteller which are popular in online casinos, provide better and cleaner alternative to traditional payment services.
As a customer, you can contribute to the green movement by choosing payment services with known environmental sustainability policies.
Unfortunately, while cryptocurrency is convenient to use in online casinos, it uses the largest amount of energy out of all casino payment methods, so it’s best to be avoided until the blockchain implements more energy-efficient protocols. On the other hand, it has the capacity to do that in the future and to become powered solely through renewable energy.
The Physical Casino Industry
Land-based casinos are also making significant progress in terms of renewable energy use. The best examples for eco-friendly physical casinos can be found in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Las Vegas is an oasis in the middle of a desert, meaning that there is abundance of unused land which can be utilised for the building of solar panel farms, and that is exactly what famous casino companies did.
In 2021, MGM Resorts International launched their 100-megawatt solar array which produces up to 90% of MGM Resorts’ Las Vegas daytime power. MGM Resorts owns 13 properties on the Las Vegas Strip, or 65 million square feet of buildings, which run mostly on renewable energy today. The global casino provider aims to reach a 50% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Other notable casino owners are expected to follow MGM’s example in the future. Wynn Resorts have also stated their goal to reach 50% renewable energy consumption by 2030. The two Wynn properties on the Strip have already reached 49% renewable energy procurement in 2022.
Land-based casinos in other American states and countries have also pledged to go green. Caesars Entertainment, for example, installed four solar energy canopies in Atlantic City, NJ, two at Caesars Atlantic City and two at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City.
Elsewhere, the Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, known for their top-class casino entertainment, is known also known for their commitment to sustainability. Solar panels are installed on all of their buildings and the resort is additionally harnessing wave power.
Not only that, but Resorts World Sentosa also works to conservate rare species of flora in its own forest, many of which are designated as threatened. The existence of the forest itself provides clean air to guests and employees and reduces harmful carbon emissions.
Besides using renewable energy, land-based casinos around the world have adopted many green practices to combat climate change and pollution.
For instance, many have banned single use plastics which might seem small, but it actually made a big difference. Additionally, various casinos have switched to LED lighting and have implemented other energy-efficient policies.
Some also have strict protocols concerning water use by introducing faucets and toilets designed to minimise water consumption. Another green practice that many casino resorts employ is sourcing food locally to cut down transportation needs and consequently decrease their carbon footprint.
Final Thoughts
It seems like the casino industry is more environmentally conscious than thought before. Land-based and online casinos alike try to implement more green energy in their operations, while also adopting other environmentally-friendly policies like waste and water management, among others.