The American Gaming Association rolled out a new responsible gaming initiative in Las Vegas this week. The AGA’s new code of conduct is a response to a pair of high-profile cases tied to problem gambling in the news media.
The AGA is the casino industry’s largest lobbying group. The board of the AGA contains a who’s who of American gambling executives from every sector of the gaming industry. Every year, the gaming association produces gaming-related studies and public policy initiatives.
AGA’s New Code of Conduct
The latest public policy initiative is the brick-and-mortar casino industry’s new code of conduct. Elizabeth Cronan, the AGA’s Senior Director of Gaming Policy, said in a statement this week, “(Responsible gaming) is an everyday, year-round responsibility that we have to every player that walks through our doors and onto our casino floors.”
“We appreciate that this is an issue that must be top-of-mind industry-wide for all employees, from those that interact daily with consumers on the gaming floor to the senior executive leadership and the boards of directors.”
3 Parts of AGA’s Code of Conduct
The new policy has three aspects. First, it requires casinos to explain to patrons the odds of winning and losing, to help foster responsible gambling. Second, it bars casinos from advertisements that imply gamblers will garner “social, financial, or personal success“.
Third, the policy requires casinos to train its staff in spotting underage gamblers and other problem gambling issues. Overall, the idea is to heighten awareness, both among casino employees and gamblers.
Representatives of the gambling industry point out that 98% to 99% of casino customers are not problem gamblers. That 1% to 2% of players who exhibit signs of compulsive behavior create bad publicity for the gambling industry. Those cases sometimes involve spiraling debt, bankruptcy, and desperation measures to recoup gaming losses. Sometimes, problem gambling leads to criminal behavior or suicide.
Facebook Killer Cited Problem Gambling
The initiative comes after the Facebook Killer, Steve Stephens, murdered a man and posted the video on Facebook. Stephens later shot himself to avoid capture after a high speed police chase. Media reports focused on Steve Stephens’ bankruptcy, which was attributed to his gambling addiction.
Resorts World Manila Attacker’s Problem Gambling
Two months later, a disgruntled former government employee attacked Resorts World Manila in the Philippines. The attacker, Jessie Carlos Javier, stole over $2 million in casino chips, then set fire to gaming tables. 37 people died in the inferno. Philippine National Police focused on Javier’s problems with compulsive gambling.
“When the Fun Stops”
Alan Feldman, MGM Resorts International’s EVP of Global Industry Affairs, said in a panel discussion this week that the industry has focused for the last 20 years on the gambling awareness campaign “When the Fun Stops“, a message designed to teach gamblers of the dangers of out-of-control wagering. Feldman was receptive to the new policies, saying, “What we should be doing is having a regular ongoing dialogue with our customers to make sure that what they’re doing is safe and fun for them and their families.”
The top casino operators in Las Vegas are expected to follow the new policies. Representatives of those companies sit on the AGA’s board. Jim Murren and John McManus of MGM Resorts, Ron Reese of Las Vegas Sands, and Kim Sinatra of Wynn Resorts also have a place on the board. Of the “Big Four” Vegas Strip casino companies, only Caesars Entertainment does not have a seat on the board, but Caesars is a member of the AGA and is a top client of Deutsche Bank, which also has a board seat. CNBC stated that Caesars is expected to comply.
Terry Johnson Calls for Marijuana Policy
Nevada Gaming Control board member Terry Johnson, who sat on the same panel as Alan Feldman this week, said some improvements still need to be made. Johnson pointed to legalized marijuana as an issue which needs to be addressed, because Nevada’s laws are “silent” on the issue.
Terry Johnson said Nevada gaming law has policies in place for how staff members react when they see someone using too much alcohol to gamble responsibly, but no such policies exist for marijuana. Mr. Johnson said during the discussion, “And what happens when persons might be impaired from marijuana intoxication and continue to gamble?”
Such a question shows there are always improvements to be made. The blind spot involving marijuana likely is not intentional. Nevada casinos want to stay far away from marijuana sales, which are legitimate after a statewide law. Under federal law, marijuana is illegal, and Vegas casinos do not like anything that might draw attention from federal investigators. One can expect Terry Johnson’s questioned to be answered with tweaks to Nevada’s gaming laws in the near future, because of a desire to avoid trouble with federal agencies.
Deeper Issues with Facebook Killer and Manila Attacker
Meanwhile, the AGE’s new code of conduct should address heightened concerns in the wake of the high-profile problem gambling cases. The fact is, people who go on a murderous rampage have mental, psychological, and emotional issues well beyond problem gambling. While debt from gambling might have exacerbated those issues, something deeper is at work when someone decides to lash out in a murderous way at strangers.
While 1% of casino gamblers exhibit compulsive behavior, a far smaller percentage of problem gamblers turn to violence when they face spiraling debt or bankruptcy. That does not mean problem gambling should be ignored — the AGA wants to mitigate the damage done by problem gambling — but it also means the effects of problem gambling should not be misattributed or overblown.
The three areas the AGA’s new policy focuses upon are pragmatic ways to limit social problems stemming from compulsive behavior. Let us hope casinos across the United States apply those standards and help players gamble responsibly.
