Spending patterns of patrons at the Sun Coast Casino and entertainment world with special reference to responsible gambling
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Date
2005
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Abstract
Recreation is an emotional experience within an individual, resulting in a very personal reaction and attitude from the recreationist. The recreation activity is intended to deliver to the recreationist a sense of pleasure and personal worth. One such recreation activity is gambling. Gambling, according to Magi (2002), is the intentional act of betting with the sole purpose of winning or gaming. For many centuries gambling has been a form of recreation, however, it has always been and still is a controversial issue. This study has attempted to investigate the spending patterns of patrons at the Sun Coast Casino and Entertainment World with special reference to responsible gambling.
This study examines the spending patterns of patrons, especially on the gaming floor with responsible gambling forming the core of the investigation. Some of the objectives of this study are:
• To establish the main reasons why patrons visit the Sun Coast Casino and
Entertainment World.
• To evaluate the extent to which the level of education of patrons
influences responsible gaming.
• To establish the extent to which gaming patrons are aware of and practise
responsible gambling.
• To investigate the spending patterns of patrons at the Sun Coast Casino
and Entertainment World in terms of the amount spent on gaming,
entertainment, dining out, movies and the games room.
• To reveal the socio-economic levels of patrons who frequent the Sun
Coast Casino and Entertainment World.
• To determine whether the patrons would frequent the casino more often if
more entertainment and care was available for children.
Utilising a sample of 116 respondents, this study revealed that only a moderate number of 42.2 percent of the patrons who were interviewed between the ages of 18 and above indicated that gaming was the main reason for visiting the Sun Coast Casino and Entertainment World. Approximately 38 percent of the patrons indicated that recreation was their main reason for visiting. Less than 8 percent of the patrons indicated that they preferred to watch movies and 11,2 percent indicated that dining was their main preference.
A significant majority [75%] of the patrons indicated that they are aware of responsible gambling and only 6 percent gambled more than 75 percent of the money that they had with them during a single visit. Approximately 60 percent of the patrons acquired their knowledge on responsible gambling from the media and 23,3 percent indicated that they have no knowledge of responsible gambling. According to about 52 percent of the patrons the government should shoulder the responsibility of being responsible for the promotion of responsible gambling and a further 35 percent of the patrons felt that the casinos should be responsible for the promotion of responsible gambling.
With regard to educational levels, those patrons with matriculation and above gambled more in each of the spending categories. Approximately less than half [46%] of the patrons indicated that they earn more than RIO 000 a month. However there is a significant number [8%] of the patrons at the Sun Coast
Casino and Entertainment World that belong to the less than R3 000 a month category.
The age group that frequents the Sun Coast Casino and Entertainment world the most is the 26 - 45 year age group and the below 25 year age group visits in smaller numbers. Below 10 percent of the patrons are from Durban and the surrounding areas. Approximately 15 percent of the patrons come from provinces outside KwaZulu-Natal. The largest percentage (35,6 percent) of the patrons are from the Durban North (Kwa Mashu, Inanda, Phoenix, Mount Edgecombe) area.
The majority of patrons also felt that they would definitely visit the Sun Coast Casino and Entertainment World more often if more entertainment was available for the children. Generally the below 45 year age group felt more strongly about the need for more entertainment for children than the patrons who fell into the above 46 year age group.
This study makes several recommendations, some of which are:
• Organizations that assist problem gamblers need more funding.
• Free drinks, free slot machine vouchers and most valued guest cards
should be banned.
• The general public must be informed of responsible gambling.
• Marketing in the gaming industry should be minimal or banned.
• More research should be undertaken in the field of tourism gaming.
It is very important to mention that this study has revealed that literature and information on responsible gambling is very scarce and that there is a need to
make such information available to the gaming people. Literature that combines recreation and gaining is also very scarce and there is a need for additional research in this field of study.
A recommendation that stands out very clearly is the need to educate the general public on the concept and meaning of responsible gambling, as well as all related benefits of notion.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements degree of Masters of Recreation and Tourism in the Centre for Recreation and Tourism, at the University of Zululand, 2005.
Keywords
Gambling, Recreation