Casino industry in US has new rules
LAS VEGAS — The casino industry’s largest lobbying group in the U.S. on Thursday rolled out a new code of conduct with consumer protection measures that it says are meant to promote responsible gambling.
The code of the American Gaming Association calls on casino operators to be more transparent with patrons and provide training to employees. Its announcement in Las Vegas came within months of two high-profile criminal cases that drew attention to the effects of compulsive gambling as authorities believe the perpetrators were problem gamblers.
“(Responsible gaming) is an everyday, year-round responsibility that we have to every player that walks through our doors and onto our casino floors,” said Elizabeth Cronan, the association’s senior director of gaming policy. “... We appreciate that this is an issue that must be top-ofmind 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.”
The new code calls on casino operators to generally explain patrons the odds of winning or losing at various games and to not use advertising that contains claims that gambling activity will guarantee a person’s social, financial or personal success. It also includes training requirements for employees on procedures for dealing with underage gambling and other issues.
The industry’s longstanding estimate is that between 98 percent and 99 percent of casino patrons gamble responsibly. This year, however, the remaining one to two percent have grabbed attention around the world.
In April, the man who randomly gunned down a Cleveland retiree and posted video of the crime on Facebook in the footage talked about having trouble with his girlfriend and losing everything he had to gambling. Two months later, police in the Philippines said the lone suspect behind a deadly attack on a casino and shopping complex in Manila was a heavily indebted Filipino gambling addict.
The association’s members, such as MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, are expected to commit to the code. On Thursday, Cronan as well as industry representatives and a regulator participated in a panel discussion at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.