When two big industries collide: music, casino

Music is something which occupies our everyday lives, whether it’s listening to the radio on the way to work, or trying to figure out a song from an advert. In the same way that a specific song can get our heart racing or express any number of emotions, playing a casino game can have the same effect. It could be the thrill of playing slots, the tension of a game of poker, or the fast-paced nature of roulette, we just love casino. So, imagine the two colliding – it could be a music-themed game, a celebrity spotted in Sin City, or even something else. Here, we take a look at some of the links between music and casino.

Music-themed slot games

Slot games can be found in any number of themes and generally speaking, branded slots are usually more popular than their original counterparts. But imagine spinning the reels while listening to one of your favorite songs or bands in the background. With music-themed slots, you can do exactly that.

Equally as iconic as the rock band Guns n’ Roses, is the slot game which features a five-song soundtrack. Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan feature on the reels and are among the highest-valued symbols. With plenty of opportunities to earn free spins, choose from three bonuses and attempt to hit the jackpot, this game will give you an Appetite for Destruction.

Staying with the rock theme, the Spinal Tap slot is based upon the mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap. With 243 ways to win in the basic game, turn up the sound to activate Rock Mode, offering over 2,000 ways to win and adding two additional reels to your game. Another slot with a great selection of bonus features – landing three or more bonus symbols lets you choose your fate from seven bonus rounds. The game’s interface is what you’d expect from a rock music theme slot.

Other great music-themed slots include Jimi Hendrix, Elvis and Dolly Parton. You can find plenty of great themed slots at Paddy Power Games.

Musicians that love the casino

You’ve surely heard of many stories surrounding celebrities at the casino – with some faring better than others. Musicians are no different and can often be spotted taking in the glitz and glamour of Sin City (or anywhere else for that matter) when they’re not busy recording or touring.

Hip hop artist P Diddy, also known as Sean Combs, is partial to Blackjack and is actually quite good at it. It’s even been reported that he’s requested Blackjack tables backstage before his concerts. He’s also been invited to perform at casinos and when Harrah’s Casino in Atlantic City unveiled their newly-installed pool-side Blackjack tables, P Diddy was the first to take part.

Justin Bieber has been spotted in countless casinos, both in the USA and over the pond, in London. Back in October 2016, he was spotted playing Poker in the Empire Casino, Leicester Square. The games had an average buy-in of £200 but the reports didn’t reveal how much he won or lost.

Resident Performers

As important as the number and choice of the games at a brick-and-mortar casino are, gamers also need to be entertained in other ways. Many complexes now have eateries and shops, but music is also important.
Legendary Canadian singer, Celine Dion has held two residencies in Las Vegas. She performed A New Day… between March 2003 and December 2007 at the Colosseum, Caesars Palace; and she returned four years later, with her second residency performance Celine starting in March 2011 and ending in June 2019.

Noughties pop princess Britney Spears also held a residency in Vegas. She performed Britney Spears: Piece of Me at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino for four years and following its success, it was adapted to debut as a worldwide arena tour. Her second residency was set to take place at the Park Theater in the Park MGM hotel, but it was put on hold earlier this year.

Songs associated with casino

The video for “Waking Up in Vegas” by Katy Perry starred all the classic Vegas-isms: casino, Elvis and a flash-wedding, truly paying homage to the adage: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”. The couple in the video found themselves playing slots and roulette – defeating professional poker player Daniel Negreanu.

In the lyrics of “Ace of Spades” by Motorhead, Lemmy famously sung: “The only card I need is the Ace of Spades” and this could well be true when trying to strengthen your poker hand, but it probably wouldn’t do your game of Blackjack any favors.

“Snakes Eyes” by Mumford & Sons is all about a man’s bad luck and it’s not surprising when you consider that Snakes Eyes in Craps is one of the worst rolls of the dice you can get (double ones).

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com