The "locals" market: an emerging gaming segment

Area of Science:

• * Marketing and Consumer Behavior
• * Hospitality and Tourism Research

Background:

• * The
• locals
• market (local resident gamblers) is a newly identified customer segment in casino marketing.
• * There is a notable lack of empirical data regarding the characteristics and behaviors of this specific market segment.
• * Understanding local gambler preferences is crucial for targeted casino marketing strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To identify primary motivations for local residents visiting specific casinos.
• * To determine which casinos local residents frequent most often and the reasons behind these choices.
• * To analyze behavioral variables including gambling budget, time allocation, and preferred games.
• * To assess local residents' perceptions of various casinos within the Las Vegas area.

Main Methods:

• * A telephone survey was conducted among residents of the Las Vegas metropolitan area.
• * The study included 637 participants who gamble for at least 15 minutes every two months in a legal gambling establishment.
• * A customer satisfaction index was developed based on casino performance related to key importance variables.

Main Results:

• * The study provides empirical data on the
• locals
• market, addressing a gap in existing research.
• * Identified key drivers for casino visitation among local residents.
• * Detailed behavioral patterns and perceptions of different Las Vegas casinos among local gamblers.

Conclusions:

• * The findings offer valuable insights into the activities and behavior patterns of local gamblers.
• * While results may not be universally generalizable, they provide a specific understanding of the Las Vegas market.
• * The developed customer satisfaction index can be a tool for casinos to evaluate performance based on local preferences.