Problem Gamblers' Harsh Gaze on Casino Services

Abstract

This study provides a first look at the perspectives and profiles of casino problem gamblers. The study proposes that problem gamblers (1) have unique antecedent conditions and (2) evaluate their casino service more favorably than nonproblem gamblers. While first proposition receives support, the findings counter the second; surprisingly, problem gamblers view casino service with a harsh gaze. The coverage here includes overall and specific findings from face-to-face interviews with gamblers (n = 348) inside seven casinos in the world’s largest gaming destination (Macau). The interviews included asking participants to complete the “Problem Gambling Severity Index” (identified to participants as “My gambling-related experiences”). The study includes both fit and predictive validities of overall service quality models for each of the seven casinos—these findings support the nomological validity that specific patterns of antecedents and outcomes associate with problem gambling. Policy and managerial implications inform how to go about creating unique marketing service designs to assist problem gamblers in managing their gambling behavior.