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7/14/2008: Embedding Social Responsibility
Imagine a casino throwing out a player who is gambling too much. It happens.
And when thrown out the player might never be able to enter a casino anywhere in the country again.
As public officials legalize casinos they should assure that social responsibility pervades the new gambling scene. Concern for troubled gamblers should be part of the regulatory process.
But whereas some jurisdictions pay reluctant lip service to such concerns others have shown policy leadership that could serve as a model.
In an article in International Gaming and Wagering Business Embedding Social Responsibility, William N. Thompson professor in the Department of Public Administration of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, points out the policy leadership Switzerland has developed.
Soon after the first casinos opened in 2002, management came together and created the Schweizer Casino Verband (Casino Association of Switzerland), which has worked to coordinate problem gambling programs and help program directors unify their approaches.
They now collectively call their programs the “Swiss Social Concept”.
Players at Swiss casinos must identify themselves when they enter. They must produce a passport, resident permit or Swiss driver’s license to enter. These are checked against a data base of people who either are banned from entering or have playing restrictions (such as employees and shareholders). If they have no ID they cannot enter. If they are on a banned list they are asked to leave. All reception areas display informational brochures on problem gambling available in German, French and Italian. These describe problem gambling and its effects and include a checklist of symptoms. They provide a phone number to a 24-hour hot line and a Web site indicating how to get help.
Within each casino the Social Concept is administrated by a special committee that works with front-line employees and an outside specialist, typically a psychologist. Staff training is conducted by addictions professionals. Orientation for new employees includes four hours on problem gambling. After 90 days on the job employees attend a two-day seminar dealing with processes for observing players. They watch videos and become involved in role-playing. They are also trained to use written forms for observing troubled play. Supervisors and administrators attend a longer, four-day seminar which concentrates on communications with guests and co-workers. All employees attend annual refresher courses.
Thompson has taught and written extensively on politics, government policy and gaming and gaming regulation.
His article describes a different approach to the OLG’s The Winner’s Circle, which uses data from a gambler’s profile.
Rather that milk a players addiction, Thompson advocates a real attempt to treat the problem.
The question?
Can OLG afford to do this in spite of high losses and suicides?
bill clark