The Intersection Of Sport Betting And Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Review, Jackson Sears, Beth Cianfrone

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Sport betting is a popular and lucrative entertainment segment of the sport industry. As such, understanding consumer behavior across the betting experiences is critical for the many stakeholders involved. The current study is a systematic quantitative literature review which assesses the current state of literature that intersects sport betting and consumer behavior literature, specifically cognitive, affective, conative, and consumption behavior of the sport bettors. The purpose of the systematic review is to (1) identify the most recent sport betting consumer behavior research, (2) compile and examine theoretical frameworks guiding sport gambling consumer research, (3) provide a descriptive summary of findings …

How Casino Match Play Promotions Can Hook Gamblers (And Non-Gamblers), Brent Evans, Douglas Walker

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Casino operators frequently use promotional gambling vouchers, free play and match play. In the case of free play, customers are offered gambling credits that function much like real money and patrons are able to quickly turn their promotional play into cash without risking their own money. Match play, however, can only be employed at table games and their use necessitates gamblers to wager their own funds. We conduct a thorough analysis of how match play can affect gamblers’ individual behavior. First, we assess the value of match play promotions, which we argue is ambiguous. Then, using behavioral economics concepts, we …

The Perceptions And Receptiveness To Responsible Gambling By College Men Who Sports Bet: A Focus Group Study, Chance V. Dow, Matthew D. Andersland, Emily A. Velandia, Rory A. Pfund, James P. Whelan

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Responsible Gambling (RG) includes prevention messages aimed at mitigating harms. Research examining the experiences of college students who sports bet is lacking, hindering efforts to tailor messaging to college students. This qualitative study explored how college men who sports bet perceive and respond to existing RG messages, gathering their feedback on the characteristics of messages they find effective. Online focus groups were conducted with college men who sports bet (N = 12) using a semi-structured interview guide. The discussions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using an open coding Thematic Analysis approach. Codes were independently identified and analyzed resulting in …

Financial Inducements In Gambling Marketing: An Information Disclosure Proposal To Inform Gamblers Of Their True Economic Value, Philip Newall, Dominic Cortis, Jamie Torrance

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Financial inducements such as free bets are frequently-used gambling marketing offers which temporarily improve a gambler’s usual pattern of risk and potential return. Previous research has shown that there are up to 15 distinct types of financial inducements in common use, and that gamblers frequently misunderstand inducements’ play-through requirements and other complex terms and conditions. The Australian government has therefore recently banned play-through requirements for inducements shown to new customers, and the Great British regulator the Gambling Commission has recently announced a maximum play-through requirement of 10 times. The present work describes an alternative and yet potentially complementary approach based …

Leveraging College Men’S Sports Betting Experiences To Inform Responsible Gambling: A Focus Group Study, Chance V. Dow, Matthew D. Andersland, Emily A. Velandia, Rory A. Pfund, James P. Whelan

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

College students are especially vulnerable to the harms associated with sports betting. Responsible Gambling (RG) strategies aim to mitigate these harms. However, research on the relevance and adoption of RG strategies among college students is limited and lacks insight from consumer experiences. The current study conducted a qualitative investigation to examine the experiences of college men who sports bet to provide guidance on how these experiences can subsequently inform RG. Three online focus groups with college men who sports bet (n = 12) were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using an open …

Ai Governance In The Gaming Industry: A Proposal For A Use Case Registry, Cesar D. Lozoya Martinez

Student Research

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into everyday life. From customer service chatbots and marketing strategies to player protection tools and surveillance systems, casino operations are embracing the trend. However, without a systematic framework to track the current and emerging use cases across the industry, concerns about transparency, ethical use, and potential consumer harm continue to grow. Rather than aiming to establish binding regulatory practices for an industry and technology that are both quickly evolving, this policy brief advocates for the creation of an AI-use case registry. The registry would comprehensively track gaming companies that are using AI. The growing …

Examining The Relationship Between Casino Employee Gambling Involvement, Demographic Characteristics, And Responsible Gambling Program Perceptions, Tiange (Patrick) Xu, Shane W. Kraus, Brett Abarbanel, Eric R. Louderback, Heather M. Gray, Debi A. Laplante, Bo J. Bernhard

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

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 …

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 …

Criminological Evaluation Of The Impact Of Pathological Ludomania To Gambling Among Nigerian Youths, George Nzeadi Duru Mr., Larry Okechukwu Awo Mr.

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

ABSTRACT

The study was designed to evaluate the effects of pathological ludomania to gambling on Nigerian youth. The study looked at how get-rich-quick mentality, access to gaming, and poverty can lead to gambling ludomania in young people. The Social Learning and Differential Association Theories were debated and chosen as the theoretical framework for the study. A questionnaire created to represent the study's research topics was utilized to collect the study's data. A structured questionnaire was sent to two hundred (200) respondents, who were chosen using a multi-stage sampling procedure. The data were analyzed using simple percentage, descriptive, and chi-square statistical …

The House Doesn't Always Win, Jennifer Owen

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

In June 2015, fourteen South Korean casino executives were arrested on charges of soliciting Chinese players to gamble in their casinos. This single event foreshadowed a seismic change in the Australian casino market that few would have anticipated. The events which unfolded led to the two largest casino operators in Australia being found unsuitable to operate their casinos, and unable to hold their licenses. Collectively, these two casino groups reported revenues of $5.0bn in 2019, accounting for 92% of the total Australian casino market.

Both are now operating under various forms of special supervision until it can be demonstrated that …

The Reluctant Lawmaker. The European Union And The Regulation Of Gambling Between The Principle Of Free Circulation Of Services And Member States Prerogatives, Nadia Coggiola Ph.D

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Abstract

Although the European Union legislator is generally very keen to rely primarily and sometimes even exclusively on economic considerations, and therefore to generally protect consumers’ interests, this attitude is largely different when gambling issues are a stake.

In fact, even if it is generally undisputed, also by the same European Union legislator, that authorized gambling contracts are to be considered as consumers’ contracts, when facing the regulation of gambling contracts, the European Union often restrains from using all of its legislative powers.

As a consequence, the European legislation on consumer’s contracts generally explicitly exclude from its application gambling contracts, …

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 …

Monetized Competitive Peer-To-Peer Skill-Based Game Play–An Introduction, Becky Harris, Bill Coley, Peter Gan, Anh-Vu Nguyen

International Gaming Institute Faculty Research

The COVID pandemic has changed the world in ways, both large and small, forever. One unexpected way the world changed was when live sports suddenly went dark and esports began experiencing attention from betting audiences that were suddenly starving for content.¹ Esports also received a second glance from gaming regulators. And, though not exactly suddenly (even though it felt like it), approvals for wagering on esports were granted in a variety of jurisdictions, most notably Colorado and Nevada.²

A subset of the larger esports environment, peer-to-peer (P2P) skill-based play is hardly a new concept. You can find it …

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.

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?

Regulated Sports Betting: A Nevada Perspective, Becky Harris

International Gaming Institute Faculty Research

This article discusses the impact Nevada has had on legal regulated sports betting for the past seventy years. First, an overview and history of Nevada's sport betting regulatory framework will be presented; and, second, lessons learned and issues to consider for states wishing to embark on legalized regulated sports betting such as, integrity, why states and not the federal government should regulate sports betting, how tax rates and fees impact the legal and illegal markets, why technology is critical component of legal sports wagering, why multiple avenues for consumer protection are essential, and finally how cooperation among all stakeholders is …

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. …

Who Really Got A Bad Break? A Critical Analysis Of The Bahamas’ Gaming Act No. 40 Of 2014 And The Treatment Of “Bad Actors” Thereunder, Crystal Corbett Knowles

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

No abstract provided.

Gambling And Tourism In South America: An Analysis Of Resort Casinos Evolution And Legislation Comparison In The Continent, Dario Luiz Paixao, Bo Jason Bernhard, Angelica Molteni Paixao, Jose Manoel Goncalves Gandara

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Abstract

Gambling and tourism industries have been developed by South American governments as a way of generating jobs and revenues. Of all kinds of gambling activities, casinos are the most commonly associated with the hospitality industry. Hotel and resort casinos can be found in every SA country (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela) except for Brazil, a two hundred million consumers market that prohibited casinos back in 1946. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the resort casinos evolution in these territories and also to compare legislation aiming to predict …

In Search Of Equilibrium – How Regulatory Changes Impact The Gambling Industry In Poland, Sebastian Meitz, Stanisław Pogorzelski, Przemysław Bloch

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The so-called Polish “gambling affair” of 2009 resulted in the adoption of a new Act on Gambling. The regulation significantly changed the legal environment in Poland. It was also the starting point of what we identified as the search of equilibrium - a number of further legislative changes aimed at creating a sustainable environment for gambling. Some market segments became delegalized, some monopolized, and others liberalized. The Polish Ministry of Finance and the parliament tried to find the right balance between consumer protection, business growth, and government revenue. A goal that is still to be achieved.

This article examines the …

What Is A Game Of Chance? An Application To Loot Boxes, Wessel Oomens

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The traditional landscape of games of chance such as lotteries, betting, casinos and slots has become intertwined with complex financial products as well as digital games with elements of chance.

The Netherlands Gambling Authority has issued a guidance paper outlining a five-step decision process in order to determine whether a game classifies as gambling:

• Threshold: is the number of providers, players and the amount money involved considerable enough to warrant spending resources in assessing the game?
• Overlap: is there potential overlap with other rules and regulations, in particular those governing financial products?
• Prize: does the game award its winners with …

Anti Money Laundering And (Online) Gaming: How To Implement Broad And Indistinct Aml Notions - Regulatory Experiences From Europe, Simon Planzer

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Target audience:

Gaming regulators, gaming companies (notably compliance officers), scholars.

Research questions:

This UNLV supported research project has combined valuable inputs from international AML experts, gaming regulators with significant online and AML experience and AML literature alike. It has notably addressed the following questions:

• How are broad and indistinct AML notions - referring to higher money laundering risk constellations - to be interpreted in the (online) gaming sector specifically?
• How can regulators implement these AML notions proportionately (effectiveness without unnecessary regulatory over-kill)?
• What solutions are available to mitigate the AML risks?

Research background:

Both gaming regulators and gaming companies are …

Skill-Based Gambling Machines: Consumer Attitudes And Capacity For Informed Choice, Sally M. Gainsbury, Kahlil Philander Ph.D., Georgia Grattan Ms

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Abstract

Skill-based gambling machines combine elements of video games (skill, social interaction, competition, achievement and progress) with the random pay-out schedule of electronic gaming machines (EGMs, slots, pokies, VLTs, FOBTS). These new machines are designed to be more engaging than traditional EGMs and specifically appeal to younger generations to address the aging EGM player base apparent in many international jurisdictions. Skill-based gambling machines are currently only legally-provided in a handful of U.S. states. International regulators have expressed concerns regarding the potential for machines to lead to harms due to players misunderstanding the extent to which skill can influence outcomes (illusions …