Keywords
responsible gambling; casino employees; gambling involvement; gambling frequency; breadth involvement
Disciplines
Gaming and Casino Operations Management | Gaming Law
Document Type
Original Research Article
Abstract
This study investigated past-year gambling involvement (i.e., frequency and breadth) among employees at MGM Resorts International (MGM) and their views on the effectiveness of MGM’s responsible gambling (RG) program (i.e., GameSense). It also examined associations between these views and employees’ gambling behavior, as well as their demographic and work-related characteristics. We used cross-sectional data drawn from a broader research project, which surveyed a large sample of MGM employees (n = 814) in 2020. Our analysis revealed that gambling frequency varied by ethnicity, department affiliations, and property location, while gambling breadth differed based on gender and department affiliations. We employed hierarchical multiple regression analysis to identify the factors that predicted perceived RG program effectiveness. This study identified four significant predictors of employees’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness of RG programs: (1) Asian ethnicity, (2) department affiliation (high or low contact with gamblers), (3) the location of their workplace (Las Vegas or elsewhere), and (4) tenure in the gaming industry in years. Employees identifying as Asian, those with longer industry tenure, or those working in high-contact departments or at non-Las Vegas properties tended to view the RG programs as more effective. These findings highlight the importance of developing RG training strategies tailored to the diverse backgrounds of employees and can be applied to enhance RG programming at land-based casinos.
Funding Sources
This research is supported by MGM Resorts International, a large international gambling operator, under contract number AWD-0200000764. The funding agency did not provide significant input or comment on the content of the manuscript, and the content of the manuscript reflects the contributions and thoughts of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agency.
Competing Interests
During the past five years, International Gaming Institute at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has received research and program funding from Draft Kings, American Gaming Association, ESPN, MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts Ltd, Las Vegas Sands Corporation, Entain Foundation, Aristocrat Gaming, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Axes.ai, Sports Betting Alliance, Playtech, Sightline Payments, Global Payments, the State of Nevada Knowledge Fund, and State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. IGI runs the triennial research-focused International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking, whose sponsors include industry, academic, and legal/regulatory stakeholders in gambling. A full list of sponsors for the most recent conference can be found at https://www.unlv.edu/igi/conference/18th/sponsors. IGI maintains a strict research policy (https://www.unlv.edu/igi/research-policy), as well as partnership and transparency framework (https://www.unlv.edu/igi/policies/partnership) to ensure appropriate firewalls exist between funding entities – no matter the entity’s classification – and IGI’s research and programs. When this manuscript was submitted, the Division on Addiction was receiving funding from the Cambridge Community Foundation; DraftKings, Inc., a sports betting and gaming company; ESPN via The University of Nevada, Las Vegas International Gaming Institute; Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, a not-for-profit organization founded and funded by a group of distillers; International Center for Responsible Gaming; Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Problem Gambling Services via Health Resources in Action; National Council on Problem Gambling; and National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of General Medical Sciences, and Drug Abuse, and Mental Health) via The Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations. During the past five years, the Division on Addiction has also received funding from City of Seattle; Entain PLC (formally GVC Holdings PLC), a sports betting and gambling company; EPIC Risk Management; Greater Boston Council on Alcoholism; Integrated Centre on Addiction Prevention and Treatment of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Hong Kong; Kimley-Horn; Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services; Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services via St. Francis House; Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Problem Gambling Services via Health Resources in Action; the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, Commonwealth of Massachusetts; MGM Resorts International via the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; National Academy of Medicine; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration via the Addiction Treatment Center of New England; and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration via the Gavin Foundation. During the past five years, Tiange Xu has received funding from the International Center for Responsible Gaming, Nevada Council on Problem Gambling, and Nevada Department of Public and Behavioral Health. During the past five years, Shane W. Kraus has received funding from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, International Center for Responsible Gaming, European Science Foundation, National Science Center Poland, Massachusetts Gaming Commission, Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (University of Nevada, Reno), Taylor and Francis, Kindbridge Research Institute, the Nevada Project Gambling Project, and Springer Nature. During the past five years, Brett Abarbanel has received funding for research and/or consulting services from the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Sports Betting Alliance, GLG Consulting, MGM Resorts International, Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, ProPress Germany, Scientific Affairs, McGill University, University of North Carolina School of Social Work, Marina Bay Sands, Aristocrat Gaming, Pixel United, Life Works, Jones Ward, Navigation Media. Dr. Abarbanel has received reimbursement for travel from Association Cluster Sport International, Kansspelautoriteit, Gamification Group (Finland), Scientific Affairs, British Columbia Lottery Corporation, International Association of Gaming Advisors, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Columbia University, and University of Salford. None of these entities played a role in the design, analysis, or interpretation of this study, and impose no constraints on publishing. During the past five years, Eric R. Louderback has provided paid consulting services on player safety programs for Premier Lotteries Ireland, and has received travel reimbursement and speaker honoraria fees from the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG). He has also received travel reimbursement and speaker honoraria fees from the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico. During the past five years, Heather M. Gray has served as a paid grant reviewer for the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), received travel funds and honoraria from the ICRG, received travel funds from the Alberta Gambling Research Institute, and received speaker fees from the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico and the University of Iowa. During the past five years, Debi A. LaPlante has served as a paid grant reviewer for the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), received travel funds, speaker honoraria, and a scientific achievement award from the ICRG, received honoraria from Harvard Health Publications, and received publication royalty fees from the American Psychological Association, Dr. LaPlante is a non-paid member of the New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gambling. During the past five years, Bo J. Bernhard has received research funding from the Hard Rock International, Wynn Resorts, Atomic 47/ePlata Banking, Las Vegas Sands, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services Governor's Advisory Panel on Problem Gambling, the State of Nevada Knowledge Fund, and MGM Resorts International. He has received travel and/or honoraria for presenting his research in more than two dozen countries.
