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Chapter 3
SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS
Ki-Joon Back, Kansas State University
Bo Bernhard, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
Social Benefits
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Benefits at the Community Level
Casinos in Native American communities
Significant decrease in
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Welfare
Income maintenance programs
Medical assistance
Improved benefits
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Health – new medical facilities
Educational – building schools
Cultural – museum funding
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
Social Benefits
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Benefits at the Community Level
Casinos at Large
Increase job opportunities
Support community programs such as:
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Teaching classes at local community colleges
Helping senior citizens defray medical and
utility costs
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
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Benefits at the Individual Level
Provide self-contained, party atmosphere
that allows for a break from routine
Provide stress relief
Provide an intimate place to “play” with security
and confidence
AGA found customers come for fun and entertainment
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Provide a valuable social activity to engage in
with family and friends
NOTE:
Whatever the actual benefits of casino gambling, the public
perceptions of social benefits are not always stable.
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
Social Costs
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Gambling: The Downside
Few of society’s complaints of gambling have
endured over the years.
The morality issue is no longer as resonant,
as gambling is no longer viewed as sinful.
Las Vegas is the most popular place to visit in
the U.S.
The issue of “getting something for nothing”
from gambling no longer seems to upset as
many as it once did.
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
Yesterday: Historical Problems
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Religious institutions defined public life; they
helped identify the problem gambler.
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Moral institutions contributed substantially to the
problems that excessive gamblers experienced.
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Some important lessons of history:
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Gambling problems have existed for a long time
These problems are complex
They “come from” a variety of places
NOTE:
We need to keep historical matters in mind when
contemplating the best course of action in dealing with
gambling problems today and in the future.
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
Today: Current Problems
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Problem Gambling or Pathological
Gambling (the official psychological term)
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How do we define problem gambling today?
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How do we know if someone has a problem?
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Since problem gambling can be considered an “invisible”
affliction, special care should be taken with efforts to
assist these individuals in a gaming environment.
Diagnosing should be left to professionals; employees
should know how to help those who indicate that they
have a problem.
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
Two types of problem gamblers
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Action problem gambler
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Gambles to achieve a rush
Develops destructive affinity for the excitement of the
game
Seeks a high
Tends toward action-oriented games like craps or
sports wagering
Escape problem gambler
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Gambles not to feel great, but to feel nothing
Wishes to escape problems through gambling
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
Today: Current Problems
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Gambling and Crime
Studies suggest correlations between pathological
problem gamblers and a variety of offenses including:
Fraud
Stealing
Embezzlement
Forgery
Robbery
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Criminal behaviors among adolescent gamblers may be
more prevalent than among adults because the young
have limited access to the finances needed to gamble.
Any activity that generates an increase in traffic will lead
to an absolute increase in criminal activity.
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
Today: Current Problems
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Gambling and Age
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Adolescent Gambling
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80% of those aged 12 to17 gambled in the past
year.
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4 to 7% are classified as pathological gamblers.
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9 to14% are qualified as “at risk.”
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Games of choice:
Non-casino card games (40%)
Games of skill (32%)
Sports gambling (31%)
Lottery (30%)
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
Gambling and Age
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Seniors
2.7% categorized as pathological gamblers
5.5% exhibited some gambling problems
Most commonly cited motivational factors:
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Relax and have fun, get away for the day
Pass the time, relieve boredom
Meet new people
Inexpensive meals, free transportation
Discount coupons
Slot clubs, dance clubs
Discount prescription offers
There is a tendency to “infantilize” older adults to
protect them from gambling problems.
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
Tomorrow: Future Problems
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Internet gaming
Rapid and dynamic developments concern those
who think that “escapism” may be exacerbated
in the home.
Data on gambling patterns is easily collected
with every gambling transaction; this
transparency allows researchers greater access
to more sophisticated information about how
people gamble and how they develop problems.
Research will play a vital role in helping us
demystify the nuances of gambling problems.
Hashimoto: Casino Management: A
Strategic Approach
© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.