You are in Phoenix. We also have a Tucson site.

You are in Phoenix. We also have a Tucson site.

You are in Phoenix. We also have a Tucson site.

Dispelling HVAC Myths: The Casino/Oxygen Legend




February 20, 2016

Myths, rumors, and urban legends are pervasive, silly, almost always wrong. They are also almost impossible to kill. In today’s blog we are going to look at one particular urban legend that is closely linked to the HVAC industry: Casinos pump oxygen into the air to keep people awake, alert, and gleefully gambling. Without further ado, lets dive right into the rumor!

First off, we should establish the fact that this myth is 100 percent false. This doesn’t stop people from talking about it and telling their friends with absolute certainty that it is, in fact, correct. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s learn how and why we know this to be true.

The primary object when it comes to casinos pumping oxygen into the building, is that it is illegal! In fact, members of the Las Vegas Gaming Commission make regular appearances in each casino to test the oxygen levels in the building. They are making sure this exact thing isn’t happening. So, there is reason number one.

Next, let’s talk about the infrastructure that would be required for casinos to pull this off. Las Vegas casinos are MASSIVE. The interior of a typical Vegas casino could be measured at a minimum of 1 million cubic meters. And many are much larger than that. For them to raise the oxygen level by even 1 percent, they would have to pump in about 40,000 cubic meters of oxygen gas each and every day. That would just about require a commercial oxygen plant to be nearby.

Finally, we have to consider the fire hazards. Oxygen is a well-known accelerant, which means it dramatically speeds up the spread of a fire. Pumping oxygen into a crowed casino would be very dangerous indeed.

Related Reading