Responsible gambling training in Ontario casinos: employee attitudes and experience

Abstract

Identifying and responding to gamblers displaying behaviours indicative of risk for problem gambling within venues is critical to the effective development of venue-based early intervention strategies. Industry employees can offer invaluable expertise to the development and implementation of timely in-vivo intervention strategies. The objective of the current study was to evaluate casino employee perspectives from those with and without a managerial role in recognizing and responding to signs of gambling difficulties. A total of 130 casino employees (53 males, 77 females) completed an online survey eliciting their perspectives and experiences of responsible gambling. Most participants received training in the identification of, and response to, signs of gambling-relateder distress in players. The majority reported regularly observing players believed likely to have a gambling problem. A range of observed signs were described as useful but effective staff responses to such signs were viewed as a challenge. Job satisfaction was inversely related to perceived challenges in responding to signs. The current investigation suggests that casino employee endorse the feasibility of detecting and responding to signs of problem gambling in players. Employees highlighted the need for further training in how to sensitively respond to such signs.

Keywords::

• gambling
• primary prevention
• training
• staff training
• problem gambling

Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Ontario Lottery and Gaming for their assistance in participant recruitment, and to the casino employees who contributed to this research.

Conflicts of Interest

Funding sources: This study was supported by operating funds from the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre (OPGRC; now known as Gambling Research Exchange Ontario [GREO]), Research Seed Grant, #3432; International Engagement Grant, #3433.

Competing interests: LQ has worked on a project funded by a gambling industry organization; AB has worked on projects funded by gambling industry organizations and governments, and acted as a consultant for gambling industry organizations by providing advice on responsible gambling practices and policies; JR has acted as a consultant to advise on responsible gambling policies for gambling industry organizations. No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Constraints on publishing

The OPGRC approved the research questions and methodology, but had no involvement in the research design, conduct, analysis or write-up. The OPGRC required that a final report of study results be submitted prior to it being submitted for publication. No changes were recommended or required.

Notes

^1. Although 8 participants did not report having received some form of responsible gambling training, these participants were included in analyses below as they reported lengthy employment histories (2 to 11 years), which likely provided considerable opportunity to observe potential signs of problem gambling and to develop perspectives regarding the implementation of this training. Further, a similar pattern of results was observed when these participants were removed from analyses.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lena C. Quilty

Lena C. Quilty is an independent scientist at the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; assistant professor at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto; and associate member, Graduate Department of Clinical Psychological Science, University of Toronto Scarborough. She is a registered clinical psychologist with an applied research focus on personality and cognitive mediators and moderators of course and outcome in major depressive disorder and pathological gambling, both singly and in combination. She evaluates psychometric properties of measures of mood and gambling, as well as general research methods.

Janine Robinson

Janine Robinson is an advanced practice clinician and educator at the Problem Gambling Institute of Ontario, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, where she leads prevention and treatment education initiatives. She is an internationally recognized expert in programme development and teaching for addictions treatment systems and for responsible gambling training to gaming industry staff.

Alexander Blaszczynski

Alex Blaszczynski is currently a professor of clinical psychology and head of the School of Psychology at the University of Sydney, and the director of the Gambling Research Unit and Treatment Clinic. He has a history of over 30 years experience in the clinical treatment and research of pathological gambling. He has published extensively, including manuscripts on self-exclusion, principles and guidelines for responsible gambling.