Disordered Gambling among Chinese Casino Employees

A previous study suggests that casino employees are at higher risk for disordered gambling than non-casino employees. The present study examined the cognitive correlates of the gambling involvement of Chinese casino employees. These potential cognitive correlates included attitudes toward the gaming industry and gambling activities, perceived job meaningfulness, and job stress. One hundred and nineteen Chinese respondents (M = 57; F = 62) working as dealers in Macao casinos were recruited through convenience sampling to fill out a questionnaire. The results revealed that about 7% of the respondents scored 10 or more on the South Oaks Gambling Screen and engaged in disordered gambling. Path analysis showed that attitude toward the gaming industry had a positive impact on job meaningfulness, which largely explained variances of job stress among casino employees. Job stress had a significant, but weak, direct impact on disordered gambling. Though causality between variables cannot be confirmed, this study provided insights into the impacts of cognitive factors on gambling involvement among Chinese front-line employees in the gaming industry. Implications of the findings were also discussed.     

Native American casino gambling in Arizona: A case study of the Fort McDowell reservation

Since Congress passed the American Indian Gambling Regulatory Act (IGRA) in 1988, there has been an explosion in the number of gambling casinos located on Native American reservations. It is estimated that in 1994 the total net revenue from 81 Native American casinos exceeded $2.3 billion dollars. As the number of Native American casinos grows along with the volume of gambling activity, opposition increases from states, the established gambling industry hurt by lost revenues, and groups with moral objections to gambling. This article reports on an effort to measure the economic impact of the Fort McDowell casino located near Phoenix, Arizona. The article discusses the casino's history and current operations. Next, it explains the use of an input-output model to compute the impact of casino's income and employment effects on the economy of Maricopa County. It is estimated that the casino is responsible for 2,483 new jobs, and an increase of approximately $80.35 million in regional output. Additional information is necessary to more accurately assess both the benefits and costs of the casino. Unfortunately, subsequent efforts to collect additional data have been unsuccessful. The conclusion discusses why, and raises questions regarding Native American gaming.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 9th International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking, May 31–June 3, 1994, Las Vegas, Nevada. This research was funded by a FGIA grant from Arizona State University. The author expresses his appreciation to the referees who provided substantial guidance in improving the original paper. Any remaining errors are mine.     

Modelling the economics of gaming in South Africa

This paper considers the application of two models for determining the optimal location and characteristics of a casino in a post-apartheid South Africa. The intention in developing the models was to allow provinces a facility for considering how to maximize the return to the stakeholders in the license award process, namely society at large, as represented by the provincial government, and the casino operator. The Allocation Model works on an estimate of total potential gambling spend and how that may be best distributed amongst a number of casinos. The Profitability model takes the estimated gaming spend from the allocation model and assesses the appropriate size and characteristics of the casino best suited to this level of gaming spend. It can then simulate levels of profitability for different proposed sizes and characteristics of proposed casinos. Together these models represent a powerful assessment mechanism for a country considering the introduction or radical changing of gaming legislation.     

Gambling on an alternative revenue source: The impact of riverboat gambling on the charitable gambling component of nonprofit finances

This article examines the impact of casino gambling in and around Illinois on charitable gambling in that state. The research targets the impact of casino gambling on one of the vital revenue sources of many nonprofit organizations. Charitable gambling represents the most widespread form of legalized gambling in the United States. Net income from charitable gambling totaled an estimated $1.3 billion in 1997. Despite its apparent importance in providing an alternative revenue stream to nonprofit organizations, in a growing number of states charitable gambling operations must compete with an increasing number of private for‐profit gambling enterprises, including riverboat and land‐based casinos, Indian gambling operations, and pari‐mutuel wagering venues. As a result, there is interest in the extent to which forprofit gambling is crowding out charitable gambling—and in the process reducing funds (such as receipts from gambling operations) available to nonprofit organizations. The data analysis presented in this article suggests that spending on casino gambling in Illinois and in bordering areas of Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri may be displacing consumer expenditures on charitable gambling.     

Nevada gaming: revenues and taxes (1945-95)

In 1931, Nevada legalized casino gambling, an act which allowed its gaming industry to develop. Because many jurisdictions outside Nevada are now embracing legalized gambling as a path to a brighter economic future and because this proliferation presents Nevada with new challenges and opportunities, it is a good time to review the Nevada experience. Here, the focus is on gaming revenues and gaming tax collections during the 1945–95 period. We find that the growth rate of Nevada's gaming industry has slowed over time, with the relative importance of gaming in the Nevada economy peaking in the late 1970's. The Nevada economy has since been gradually diversifying, something which will increasingly pressure Nevadans to look for government revenue sources other than gaming if current levels of government services are to be maintained.     

The Utilisation of Music by Casino Managers: An Interview Study

Music is ubiquitous in retail and commercial environments, with some managers believing that music can enhance the customer experience, increase footfall and sales and improve consumer satisfaction. Casino gambling is popular in the United Kingdom and anecdotal evidence suggests that music is often present. However, little is known about the rationale for music use from the perspective of casino managers. In this study semi-structured interviews were conducted with five casino managers to establish their motivations for utilising music, the factors informing their choice of music and the extent to which music is used with the intention of influencing gambling behaviour. Results showed that casino managers utilised two types of music—recorded background music, often sourced via external music supply companies and live music. Live music was often situated away from the gaming floor and used primarily to accompany participation in non-gambling activities. Recorded background music was not used with the direct aim of influencing customers’ gambling behaviour, but to create the right atmosphere for gambling and to promote certain moods within the casinos. To achieve these aims casino managers manipulated the tempo, volume and genre of the recorded background music. Casino managers also reported that some gamblers listen to music via portable music players, possibly with the intention of customising their gambling experience. This study is unique as it has provided a first-hand account of casino managers’ implicit theories with regards to why they utilise music and the roles which music is considered to fulfil in casinos.     

Prevalence surveys of problem and pathological gambling in Europe: The cases of Germany,Holland and Spain

In the 1960s and 1970s, many European countries legalized several forms of gambling, especially slot machines, lotteries, casinos and bingo, in order to control illegal gambling and to obtain tax revenues for government. In this paper, we examine the status of research on problem and pathological gambling in three European countries: Germany, Holland and Spain. The results of the studies as well as the relationship between these studies and the expanding gaming industries, attitudes toward gambling in the general population, and the regulation and control of gaming in each country are discussed.     

Casino Gambling Among Older Adults in North Dakota: A Policy Analysis

This article examined social issues surrounding casino gambling among older adults both nationally and in the state of North Dakota. An exploratory review of gambling trends among older adults and an examination of policies to protect older gamblers revealed that older adults are targeted by the gaming industry as a lucrative market (Singh et al. J Retail Leisure Property 2007, 6(1):61–68). The authors used the national literature to frame their qualitative study, which explored gambling issues among older adults in North Dakota from the perspective of six counselors trained in gambling addiction who provide treatment services in the state. Findings indicated that relatively few policies existed at the state and national levels to protect older, more vulnerable adults who gamble. Further, the six casinos in North Dakota were viewed as very effective in marketing their casino gaming opportunities to older citizens by the gambling treatment providers interviewed. Additionally, barriers to gambling addiction treatment involved lack of available services and distance to receive services in this rural state. Based on the findings of this study, social policy changes which could lead to increased protection for older adult gamblers in the state were included.     

The “Locals” Market: An Emerging Gaming Segment

One of the newest customer segments to be identified by casino marketers is the “locals” market, or local resident gambler market. This study addresses the relative lack of empirical data on the “locals” market segment. The purposes of the study are to identify important reasons for visiting a particular casino; to identify which casinos respondents visit most often and why; to gain an understanding of such behavioral variables as gambling budget, time spent gambling, and favorite game; and to determine perceptions of different casinos in the Las Vegas area. The results may not generalize across all casino markets but they do provide insight into gamblers’ activities and behavior patterns. A telephone survey administered to residents of the Las Vegas metropolitan area yielded a sample of 637 participants who gamble for a least 15 minutes once every 2 months in a legalized gambling establishment. A customer satisfaction index based on casino performance on importance variables is presented.     

Gambling on casinos: A political economy of Australian developments

The proliferation of commercial casinos in Australia over the past decade has transfigured the face of Australian gambling. This paper examines the implications of the precarious relations that exist between casino operations and the regulatory structures established to control them. While Australian casinos share many of the general features and problems of casinos in the United States and Britain, the Australian approach to the selection and control of casinos and the types of corporate organizations licensed to operate casinos has been quite distinctive. The various State governments also have adopted distinctly regional responses based on different moral climates, political-economic calculations and market competition. However, in their haste to secure a share of the casino market, governments have welcomed the involvement of large corporations in Australian gambling. The power of these economic forces and changing environmental conditions present a challenge to the capacity of governments to determine gambling trends in the country.     

Urban Aboriginal and First Nations perspectives on casinos and the First Nations gaming industry in Alberta,Canada

There is a surprising paucity of information about urban Aboriginal gambling behaviours and practices, considering that the urban Aboriginal community is the fastest-growing demographic group in Canada and that indigenous people have some of the highest rates of gambling and problem gambling. Interpreting the focus group findings from First Nations and urban Aboriginal participants in Alberta, this study provides insights into urban Aboriginal and rural First Nations attitudes to gambling and the perceived value of the provincial First Nations gaming industry. Although the First Nations focus groups were aware of gambling's associated positive and negative outcomes, they were generally supportive of their communities' decision to pursue casinos. The urban Aboriginal focus group, however, identified little positive about the casinos, even if its participants supported the First Nations' capacity to pursue casino development. These tensions demand policymakers' attention.     

Government regulation of gambling advertising: Replacing vice prevention with consumer protection

From 1895 to 1975, federal law forbade gambling advertising by use of the mail, interstate commerce, and the broadcast media. Congress exempted state lotteries in 1975 and charitable gambling (including casino games) in 1988. However, the Supreme Court requires a significant government interest, directly applied and narrowly tailored, in order to justify a commercial speech regulation. The exemptions for private charity casino games has arguably destroyed any constitutionally defensible government interest in restricting for-profit casinos. Casinos in new gambling jurisdictions (such as Iowa or Illinois) will probably push the hardest for an exemption for all legal gambling, as they have the most to gain from the freedom to advertise. Federal regulation of gambling advertising will fall to the Federal Trade Commission under prohibitions against unfair or deceptive trade practices. But as State regulations are not well developed even in states that permit casino gambling, there is a pressing need for new research to review state laws regulating gambling advertising and to propose a model statute.     

Not in my backyard: Las Vegas residents protest casinos

Casino gambling is becoming increasingly attractive to jurisdictions facing severe fiscal crises. Evidence suggests that casinos bring jobs and increased government revenues. However, attitudes and concerns of local residents regarding the location of casinos in their community should be considered in decisions regarding casino legalization. This paper analyzes the importance of factors associated with the selection of homes by persons living in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. A random survey of 967 recent home purchasers was analyzed. Proximity to a casino is of some importance to home purchasers. As expected, purchasers of more expensive homes and those with children in the household were more concerned about casino locations than others. But casinos were not the only concern of purchasers. Crime, industrial plants, and potential nuclear waste route locations were of greater concern than casino proximity. On the other hand, casino locations were of greater concern than shopping centers and fast food restaurant locations.This research project was supported in part by funds from Clark County through U.S. Department of Energy project grant # DE-FG08-89NV10819, and the College of Business and Economics (U.N.L.V.) Faculty Research Fund of the First Interstate Bank of Nevada.     

The money laundering control act and proposed amendments: Its impact on the casino industry

In their efforts to track unreported income, Congress passed the Money Laundering Control Act in 1985. Because they are often involved in large cash transactions, casinos were required to report on cash transactions in amounts of $10,000 or more in much the same manner as banks and other financial institutions. However, because of the unique nature of cash and chip transactions within modern casinos, the Act, or state variants of it, have created significant compliance costs for casinos. This analysis examines the implications of the Act for the casino gaming industry, and evaluates some of the recent suggested Amendments to the Act.     

Knowledge,attitudes and experiences of Macao's casino workers with regard to second-hand smoke exposure at work

This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes and experiences of casino workers in Macao with regard to exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) in the workplace through structured face-to-face interviews with 377 workers. The results indicate that the majority of casino workers dislike SHS exposure at work, recognise that such exposure is harmful to their health, support the establishment of separate smoking and non-smoking areas for customers and would like greater restrictions than those that exist at present. The survey also found that there are statistically significant differences in knowledge, attitudes and experiences among workers of different smoking status. The findings of this study support the need for more comprehensive smoke-free legislation in casinos in Macao. The results also add to the existing evidence for smoke-free legislation across casinos worldwide.     

The evolving market structures of gambling: case studies modelling the socioeconomic assignment of gaming machines in Melbourne and Sydney,Australia

The expansion of gambling industries worldwide is intertwined with the growing government dependence on gambling revenue for fiscal assignments. In Australia, electronic gaming machines (EGMs) have dominated recent gambling industry growth. As EGMs have proliferated, growing recognition has emerged that EGM distribution closely reflects levels of socioeconomic disadvantage. More machines are located in less advantaged regions. This paper analyses time-series socioeconomic distributions of EGMs in Melbourne, Australia, an immature EGM market, and then compares the findings with the mature market in Sydney. Similar findings in both cities suggest that market assignment of EGMs transcends differences in historical and legislative environments. This indicates that similar underlying structures are evident in both markets. Modelling the spatial structures of gambling markets provides an opportunity to identify regions most at risk of gambling related problems. Subsequently, policies can be formulated which ensure fiscal revenue from gambling can be better targeted towards regions likely to be most afflicted by excessive gambling-related problems.     

Casino policies: Have Australians had a fair deal?

The introduction of commercial casinos to Australia in 1973 was arguably the most radical shift of gambling policy in Australia's history. At one level, the risk seems to have been justified, with very little organised public opposition to the promotion of casinos as a catalyst for tourism growth and regional economic development. However, recent events suggest that Australian casino policies have moved to a more politicised stage, a period in which governments could be forced to contend with new conflicts, tensions and contradictions. Now that some of the benefits and costs of casinos have become apparent, it is appropriate to evaluate existing casino policies and trends, and to reconsider other alternatives which might be available. This paper examines the broad social implications of the Australian casino boom, the economic changes which have occurred, and the social and political costs which have begun to surface.This article is an updated and modified version of a paper presented to200-UP; The Third Conference of the National Association for Gambling Studies, July ll–13th 1988, Australian National University.     

College student perceptions of crime and casino gambling: a preliminary investigation

To gain insight into how attitudes toward casino gambling vary by an area's experience with gambling, a survey was given to 415 university students at the University of Nevada, Reno, and 420 students at the University of Memphis. Casino gambling has been legal in Reno since 1931, but was introduced in the Memphis area in 1992. Given the differences in duration and degree of integration of casinos in each area, significant differences were expected by area in respondents' perceptions of casinos and casino gambling. While some significant differences were found, the most prominent finding is the degree of similarity of attitudes of students in each university and the high percentage in each sample that associated casino gambling with types of crime. Where significant differences did exist, the findings are interpreted as supporting either an exposure hypothesis or a cultural conservatism hypothesis.     

The Impacts of Gaming Expansion on Economic Growth: A Theoretical Reconsideration

This paper employs a general equilibrium framework to analyze the effects on economic growth of global expansions in casino gaming, which exports gambling services largely to non-residents. Both domestic and foreign investments in the gaming sector bring in not only substantial revenues but also positive spillover effects on related sectors and even on the entire local economy. However, an over-expansion of commercial gambling may lead to deterioration in the terms of trade with an adverse impact on real income. If this situation persists, it would not be impossible for immiserizing growth to occur. As a highly profitable sector, casino gaming may enable its operators to diversify out of this risk if they invest retained profits in non-gaming sectors to cash in on the spillover effects it has created. The gaming-dominant economy can then be directed on a more balanced and sustainable growth path, and will become less susceptible to business cycles. Indeed, economic experiences in the world’s major casino resorts are consistent basically with this argument for diversification. We believe that after the current global crisis fades away, economic growth and resulting surges in global demand for gambling services can provide further opportunities for the expansion of existing casino resorts and the development of new gaming markets.     

Problem and Pathological Gambling in a Sample of Casino Patrons

Relatively few studies have examined gambling problems among individuals in a casino setting. The current study sought to examine the prevalence of gambling problems among a sample of casino patrons and examine alcohol and tobacco use, health status, and quality of life by gambling problem status. To these ends, 176 casino patrons were recruited by going to a Southern California casino and requesting that they complete an anonymous survey. Results indicated the following lifetime rates for at-risk, problem, and pathological gambling: 29.2, 10.7, and 29.8%. Differences were found with regards to gambling behavior, and results indicated higher rates of smoking among individuals with gambling problems, but not higher rates of alcohol use. Self-rated quality of life was lower among pathological gamblers relative to non-problem gamblers, but did not differ from at-risk or problem gamblers. Although subject to some limitations, our data support the notion of higher frequency of gambling problems among casino patrons and may suggest the need for increased interventions for gambling problems on-site at casinos.