Law Commons^™

A Comparison Of Clustered And Isolated Casino Performance In Missouri, Douglas M. Walker, Todd M. Nesbit

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

This paper utilizes data on Missouri’s casino industry to examine how clustered casinos, such as those in Kansas City and St. Louis, perform compared to dispersed or isolated casinos, such as those in Boonville, Caruthersville, La Grange, and St. Joseph. Missouri limits the number of casino licenses allowed; however, it does not explicitly mandate casino locations. Missouri provides a unique natural experiment for comparing location model performance. Although there is no published research on which type of casino location model is more effective for generating industry revenues and associated taxes, state legislatures have nevertheless been following an isolated casino location …

Third-Party Responsible Gambling Accreditation Programs Are Related To Short-Term Improvements At Casinos But No Ongoing Gains: Evidence From Rg Check, Kahlil S. Philander

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

This study examines how casino operators’ responsible gambling program performance changes after entering a third-party assurance program. Using de-identified responsible gambling accreditation data from the 75 casinos employing the “RG Check” program from 2012 to April 2019, this study finds that casino scores improved in the first reaccreditation period (p < .001, d = 0.92), but failed to improve in the second reaccreditation (p < .78, d = 0.38). Much of the first reaccreditation changes appear to be a result of one-time improvement in the scores of lower performing venues. There also appears to be inconsistent improvements in tactical areas of RG …

Understanding Involuntary Illegal Online Gamblers In The U.S.: Framing In Misleading Information By Online Casino Reviews, Sinyong Choi

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Although there are many illegal online gamblers in the United States who use offshore gambling sites while falsely believing that their activity is legitimate, few studies have focused on the role of online casino reviews (OCR) who facilitate this activity. These reviews, for a variety of reasons, may present misleading information designed to encourage U.S. players to use offshore gambling sites. Using framing theory and neutralization techniques, we conducted a content analysis of multiple OCR to examine how they present information and justifications regarding the use of offshore gambling sites in the U.S. The findings indicate that many OCR positively …

Regulating A Fantasy For A Billion: Playing On A Smartphone In India, Angshuman Hazarika

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The fantasy gaming industry in India has moved forward at an unprecedented pace with limited oversight primarily based on 'self-regulation'. The absence of a clear regulatory mechanism for this industry has been highlighted in previous work, but no clear determination has been provided on how to deal with this issue. The current contribution seeks to provide a path ahead by suggesting that the government regulate the industry directly instead of an industry-operated self-regulatory framework which has had limited effectiveness till now. This suggestion has been made considering the significant size of the industry and the target demographic of the fantasy …

How Much Of ‘Home Field Advantage’ Comes From The Fans? A Natural Experiment From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kevin Krieger, Justin L. Davis

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Home field advantage has been a commonly discussed and researched topic in sports. How much of this advantage is due to the home team’s supporters’ physical attendance at the game where they might encourage their team, intimidate the opponent, and influence game officials? We utilize the unique natural experiment of the COVID-19 pandemic and consider the case of American professional (NFL) and collegiate (NCAA) football to examine this question. We measure how typical spreads, relative to home teams, changed in the 2020 season compared to their historical levels, and we determine that roughly half of what football fans and analysts …

Unveiling Macau Gaming Inspectors: Functions, Conditions And Operations, Changbin Wang, Hong-Wai Ho

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Macau has seen the rapid development of casinos in the past two decades. Long-established regulatory control of the city’s gaming industry ensures compliance with the applicable regulations and standards. Among other regulators and staff, gaming inspectors are responsible for the first-line supervision of gaming operations across Macau casinos. This paper is the first attempt to review the casino regulatory inspection in Macau with a particular focus on the functions and practices of gaming inspectors stationed at casinos. Existing internal and external factors affecting the functions of gaming inspectors are identified and discussed in this paper. The authors of this paper …

An Innovative Approach To Understanding Employers' Commitment To Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion, Becky Harris

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Diversity, equity, and Inclusion in the workforce have been topics of discussion in corporate America for years. In an effort to better understand employers’ commitment to hiring a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce, and to collect robust data for analysis, the Nevada Legislature authorized the University Nevada, Las Vegas to launch a survey of Nevada employers concerning their workforce composition, employee representation at the frontline, supervisory, managerial and executive levels, employee benefit packages, and attrition rates. Every Nevada employer, including for-profit, non-profit and educational institutions are invited to participate. A link to the survey is provided in the article …

The Role Of Government Delegates In Macau Casino Gaming Concessionaires – Evolution And Prospective, Pedro Cortés

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Macau Government announced in the consultation document for the amendment of Law No. 16/2001 (Macau Gaming Law) – whose public discussion ended on October 29, 2021 – that it intends to introduce Government Delegates into the casino gaming concessionaires.

According to the consultation document, the appointment of government delegates will extend the Government direct supervisory powers over the casino gaming concessionaires and ensure that public interest is given precedence, as well as will be a form of proper guaranteeing compliance and fulfillment of the duties and obligations of the casino gaming concessionaires.

Such a system has existed in Macau since …

Increasing Investment In Stem Education For Females: Policy Considerations, Becky Harris, Andrea Dassopoulos, Daniel Sahl, Anna Starostina

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

During this difficult economic time, as policy makers decide how to use their limited resources to help prepare the rising generation for the demands of an ever-changing workforce, aligning K-12 educational priorities with higher education and economic development can help maximize public dollar investments in STEM education, particularly when females are given access to STEM and STEM-related education and programs. Smart public policy initiatives can help increase the representation of women in the technology, research and development, and innovation departments.

The purpose of this article is to provide policy recommendations that could help increase gender diversity and participation in STEM …

Covid-19 And Its Implications For Women In Gaming: Move Towards Regulation, Policies, And Culture Changes In The United States, Shekinah Hoffman, Itzel Alanis

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

COVID-19 exposes structural inequalities within American society which can no longer be ignored. Here, we highlight the structural inequalities women and women of color face that are glaringly apparent or exacerbated in the pandemic. Inequalities that play a role in the unemployment, insufficient workplace protection, and increased work-life demands of women and women of color in the gaming industry. Instead of returning to “normal” business post-pandemic, we urge gaming leaders to reflect on these inequities within their workplaces. We offer that guaranteed paid leave and permanent flexible work arrangements could improve the life of gaming women employees and their families.

The Early Impact Of The Affordable Care Act Upon Colorectal Cancer Screening Utilization In Florida, Aldenise P. Ewing, Laura Baum, Rosalyn Roker, Marlene Joannie Bewa, Tali Schneider, Claudia F. Parvanta, Clement K. Gwede, Cathy D. Meade, Dinorah Martinez Tyson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Although preventable and curable through screening, early detection and treatment, a lack of health insurance is a major obstacle to receiving colorectal cancer screening (CRCS). Despite the Affordable Care Act (ACA) increasing access to health insurance by mandating coverage of CRCS, disparities in utilization rates continue. Therefore, researchers sought to better understand ACA related facilitators and impediments that affect the utilization of CRCS and collect specific recommendations from healthcare professionals to increase screening utilization rates in Florida.

Methods: Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with …

Picks On Clicks With An Rg Schtick: Building Long Term Sustainability In Esports Betting Growth, Brett Abarbanel

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

During the COVID-19 pandemic, esports and its associated betting markets grew – and in some cases, continue to grow – exponentially as consumer entertainment filled the gap left by a sport shut down around the world. What does this mean for gambling-focused organizations seeking to enter the esports and gaming space? What lessons from gambling should gaming and esports organizations be aware of as they embark on the hunt for gambling-related partners? What potential consumer impacts exist as brands, both endemic and non-endemic to esports and gaming, peddle their gambling wares?

Nipped In The Budd? Assessing The Wisdom Of The Gambling Review Body’S Recommendations In Relation To Problem Gambling, Daniel Waugh, Tom Grant

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The convening of the Gambling Review Body (the ‘Review Body’), between 2000 and 2001 was the most recent attempt by the British Government to consider fully policy objectives for the operation of its licensed gambling market. It followed in a tradition of comprehensive Government-sponsored reviews of gambling (carried out in the twentieth century by Royal Commissions) approximately every 20 to 25 years. The publication of its report in 2001 had a strong influence on the drafting of the Gambling Act 2005 (the ‘2005 Act’), Britain’s principal piece of gambling legislation.

In 2019, Britain’s gambling laws are under review once more. …

Alternative Financial Services And Health Status In U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Courtney Hundley, Richard W. Wilson 8520196, John Chenault

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Abstract

Alternative financial services (AFS) such as, payday lenders, pawn brokers, tax refund loans, and check cashers are more prevalent in minority and lower income neighborhoods. These are neighborhoods also found to have disparities in health, compared to more affluent neighborhoods and communities. The focus of this paper is to determine if any relationship exists between use of AFS and health disparities.

Using data from a survey performed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), we compared four banking variables to several measures of health for 85 metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) across the nation. The four banking variables all related …

An Exploratory Study In To The Money Laundering Threats, Vulnerabilities, And Controls Within The Uk Bookmaker Sector, With A Specific Focus On Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals, Kane Pepi

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The purpose of this exploratory study was to generate an understanding in to the money laundering threats, vulnerabilities and controls found within UK betting shops, with a direct focus on the exponential growth of Fixed-Odd Betting Terminals. Qualitative research methods facilitated eight semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders linked to the gambling and/or money laundering sphere. This included the Gambling Commission, Campaign for Fairer Gambling, an ex-Head of Security and Safety at a major bookmaker, and five regular Fixed-Odd Betting Terminal users. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded for thematic analysis, subsequently resulting in the emergence of four interesting and …

Regulating A “Pariah” Industry: The Need For A Responsive Approach In Gambling Markets, Melissa Rorie

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Gaming regulators are uniquely positioned state agents, who must consider contradictory goals in their day-to-day actions. They must protect the public (and maintain the legitimacy of government) but are also responsible for ensuring that the gaming industry provides needed revenue to the state. To that end, regulators are not only responsible for promoting the legitimacy of the government but also, to some extent, must consider how they can encourage the legitimization of a previously illegal behavior. Prior research has examined regulators’ attempts to balance such “structural contradictions” through their licensing process, but little research has been done on regulatory responses …

Entry Fees As A Responsible Gambling Tool: An Economic Analysis, Kahlil Philander

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Entry fees or levies have received increased interest as a responsible gambling tool and have been implemented or proposed in an increasing number of jurisdictions. Using comparative statics, this study applies economic theory to understand the distributional consequences of entry fees on players with and without gambling related problems. Overall, it appears that there is relatively weak theoretical support for entry fees’ use as responsible gambling tool as they primarily distort the demand of more price sensitive recreational gamblers. This creates a potentially large dead weight loss in the economy, and likely increases the share of revenue from players with …

Utilizing Title Vi As A Means To Eradicate Health Discrimination, Adrian D. Samuels, Mariah L. Cole

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Health disparities among people of color are persistent and detrimental to the overall wellness of these groups. Discrimination in the provision of health care services is one of the primary causes of health disparities. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s availability as a tool to prevent discrimination and, in turn, disparities among these groups is underdocumented. The legislative intent of Title VI and the historical context of the law have been helpful in its use outside of the health care arena to prevent discrimination. This sheds light on the ways that the law can influence the health …

The Pr Of Csr For The Casino Industry: A Review Of Challenging Corporate Social Responsibility: Lessons For Public Relations From The Casino Industry, Andrew B. Gustafson

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

This is a review of Jessalynn Strauss' recent book, Challenging Corporate Social Responsibility: Lessons for Public Relations from the Casino Industry. Through an analysis of Casino’s CSR practices, Strauss raises some serious concerns about this alignment between CSR and PR, and provides reasons to doubt whether SCR done for strategic bottom line interests rather than purely ethical reasons will consistently accomplish what the casinos set out to achieve.

The Free-Play Tax Deduction Debate: How Academic Research Can Help, Anthony F. Lucas, Katherine Spilde

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Free-play is the primary play incentive for slot players in many jurisdictions, with some campaigns eclipsing $50 million in annual redemptions. The efficacy of these incentives remains questionable at best, creating some contentious tax policy issues. Operators want to deduct the face value of these offers from taxable gaming win, based in part on the assumption that they expand the tax base; however, many regulators and taxing authorities question this claim. Any failure to fully recover redeemed free-play creates a deduction that is partially funded by tax payers. Arguments on both sides of this complex tax policy issue are thoroughly …

Budd Revisited - Gambling In Great Britain 15 Years On, Daniel Waugh Mr

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

In 2000, Sir Alan Budd, the noted economist was asked by the British Government to chair a review of the nation’s gambling laws. The resulting ‘The Report of the Gambling Review Body’ (referred to here as ‘The Budd Report’ or ‘Budd’) was published a year later and provided a blueprint for how gaming and betting would subsequently be regulated under a major new piece of legislation - the Gambling Act 2005 (the ‘2005 Act’ or the ‘Gambling Act’).

The work of the Gambling Review Body (the ‘Review Body’) was undertaken at considerable expense and effort – more than 200 submissions …

Comparing Loyalty Program Tiering Strategies: An Investigation From The Gaming Industry, Myongjee Yoo, Ashok K. Singh

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Loyalty programs are popular marketing strategies developed for the purpose of attracting, maintaining, and enhancing customer relationships. Due to the explosive worldwide growth of, and increased competition within, the casino industry has compelled contemporary casino marketers to rely more heavily on loyalty programs to increase guest allegiance and the frequency of repeat visits from their customers. Despite the widespread usage of loyalty programs across various gaming businesses in Las Vegas, its effectiveness has not quite been validated. The purpose of this study is to examine customers’ behavioral loyalty within the Las Vegas gaming industry and examine the effectiveness of a …

A Brave New World Of Ambient Intelligence In The Casinos Of Macau: Reality Or Fiction?, Hugo Luz Dos Santos Mr.

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The article scrutinizes the brave new world of ambient intelligence in the casinos of the Macau, Special Administrative Region of People´s Republic of China, chiefly in regards to the (candent) issue of privacy of the casino patrons.

Moreover, this scientific article provides an overview about the secondary use of big data of the casino patrons for law enforcement purposes.

Becoming Respectable: A History Of Early Social Responsibility In The Las Vegas Casino Industry, Jessalynn R. Strauss

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Today’s gaming corporations actively engage with their communities by supporting nonprofit organizations and adopting environmentally friendly practices among other socially responsible actions. This research considers precursors to modern corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the gaming industry by examining the philanthropic activities of the casino owners in Las Vegas in the early days of its development. This historical look at early philanthropy in the gaming industry provides a contextual background for considering contemporary corporate social responsibility. While the gaming industry has clearly come a long way from its early ties to organized crime, an understanding of this context helps further discussion …

The Perceptions Of Macao Undergraduates Regarding Help Websites For Problem Gambling, Chang Boon Patrick Lee, Heng Tang, Wing Han Brenda Chan

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

This study conducted a web-surfing exercise and a questionnaire survey among a group of Macao undergraduate students regarding the websites that offered help with problem gambling. The results of this study found that most help websites in Macao and Hong Kong provided basic information-sharing service. The students indicated that they would choose their preferred help organization based on factors such as trust, familiarity, and the characteristics of the websites. They also gave comments/suggestions related to the publicity, design, contents, and focus of the websites. This study discussed the results and their implications for future research and practice.

A Checklist: Questions That New Gaming Jurisdictions Need To Consider In Adopting Gaming Laws And Regulations, Anthony Cabot

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Review Article: This checklist sets out the major items that should be considered in crafting a regulatory system.

Book Review: Chopsticks And Gambling, By Desmond Lam, Ph.D., Andrew Gustafson

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Book Review:

Desmond Lam. Chopsticks and Gambling. Transaction Publishers, 2014. 172pp. (Cloth) ISBN 978-4128-5393-4

Ecommerce Market Convergence In Action: Social Casinos And Real Money Gambling, Brett Abarbanel, Ardeshir Rahman

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The social casino and real money gambling industries, including gambling at online and live venues (such as casino resorts), are quickly converging (H2 Gambling Capital & Odobo, 2013). Differences in demographics and gambling behaviors for different frequencies of social casino participation among real money online gamblers are examined to explore customer behaviors between the two markets. Frequency of play in social casino games varied depending on gender and education, similar to patterns in real money gambling. Players who participated more frequently in social casino games were also more likely to spend more time participating in real money online gambling, suggested …

Predicting Cross-Gaming Propensity Using E-Chaid Analysis, Eunju Suh, Matt Alhaery

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Cross-selling different types of games could provide an opportunity for casino operators to generate additional time and money spent on gaming from existing patrons. One way to identify the patrons who are likely to cross-play is mining individual players’ gaming data using predictive analytics. Hence, this study aims to predict casino patrons’ propensity to play both slots and table games, also known as cross-gaming, by applying a data-mining algorithm to patrons’ gaming data. The Exhaustive Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector (E-CHAID) method was employed to predict cross-gaming propensity. The E-CHAID models based on the gaming-related behavioral data produced actionable model accuracy …

Examining The Impact Of Competition On Casino Revenues And Prices In The Mid-Atlantic States, Andrew J. Economopoulos, Uli Luxem

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The expansion of casinos in the Mid-Atlantic States has been motivated by the quest of states to capture the economic and tax revenue benefits of the new industry. The expansion of casinos and the increase in competition, however, has had an impact on revenue growth and prices. This study examines the impact of expansion on the casino revenues in the region from 1997-2012, and the price for gaming in Pennsylvania and New Jersey from 2006-2012. A spatial econometric model was employed to examine the net impact of casino revenues from expansion. Spatial econometrics captures the within state impact of expansion …