Gambling Industry Employees' Experiences with an Onsite Responsible Gambling Program

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Public Health
• Addiction Research

Background:

• Responsible gambling initiatives are crucial in entertainment venues.
• GameSense is an onsite information center for patrons and staff.
• Understanding employee engagement with responsible gambling resources is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess gambling venue employees' experiences with the GameSense program.
• To evaluate employee awareness, opinions, and knowledge of GameSense.
• To identify factors influencing employee interaction with responsible gambling services.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 492 gambling venue employees.
• Data collection on engagement with GameSense Advisors and the program.
• Analysis of opinions on GameSense's impact and employee department.

Main Results:

• Only 33.5% of employees spoke with a GameSense Advisor about gambling.
• Most believed patrons could use GameSense, but fewer thought staff could.
• Employees with gambling histories were less positive about GameSense's benefits.
• Security staff had higher interaction rates than food/beverage/retail staff.

Conclusions:

• Employee engagement with GameSense is limited, particularly for non-security staff.
• Perceptions of GameSense's utility differ between patrons and employees.
• Targeted strategies may be needed to improve employee awareness and utilization of responsible gambling resources.