Chuck Keeling: The Integration of Responsible Gaming Practices and Culture at Casino Service Provider Level
Presented at the New Horizons in Responsible Gambling Conference in Vancouver, February 2-4, 2015
6. Who We Are
• BC-based company founded in 1982
• 4600 employees in 4 jurisdictions
• 16 properties - 10 casinos, hotel resort, theatres,
4 racetracks, 3 CGC’s
• Fundamentally, a service provider to our Crown
agents in BC, Nova Scotia
7.
8. Corporate RG Department
Responsible for
• Policy development
• Operational support
• Training
• Marketing oversight
• Compliance
• RG Integration
9. What We Really Are …
GCGC
Operations
GC RG Dept.
Provincial
Regulators
10. Offered RG Programs
RG Features BC Nova Scotia Racetrack Venues in Ontario Washington State
RG Policies and Procedures
✔ ✔ In progress In progress
VSE
✔ ✔ Guests are referred to OLG’s VSE
program
Not currently
Employee Training
✔ ✔ In progress
✔
Responsible Gaming Kiosks,
Information Centres and Advisors ✔ ✔ Guests are referred to OLG kiosks
and centres
No
RG Literature
✔ ✔ Some materials available
✔
Problem Gaming Help Line
Assistance ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Marketing Standards
✔ ✔ Not currently Not currently
Involvement and Awareness
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
RG Check Accreditation
✔ In progress Not applicable No
Appropriate Service of Alcohol
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
11. RG Check Accreditation
• Accreditation program created by the Responsible
Gambling Council (RGC)
• Standards provide independent benchmarks for the
content, quality and breadth of RG programs delivered
by gaming providers
12. Our Fundamental Objective…
• To develop a company-based RG strategy that is over and
above the mandated minimum directed by the provincial
Crown agents.
• Drive RG engagement at the site and community level by
supporting company generated education, promotions and
events.
13. Incremental Tactics
• RG Site Committees
• Policy and Guide
• RG Training for non-gaming staff
• Employee Campaign
• RG Day at each GC location
• RG Check
Recommendations
14. Employee Survey Takeaways
• 59% of GC employees (who participated in the survey) believe
RG is ‘very important’ to their particular role/position
• 85% of GC employees rate their understanding of problem
gambling signs as 'very good’ and ‘good’
• 70% of GC employees feel ‘very comfortable’ and ‘comfortable’
when responding to a guest who expresses concerns about
their gambling.
• 60% of GC employees feel ‘very comfortable’ and ‘comfortable’
about responding to a guest who is angry or upset about how
much they lost.
15. Employee Survey Takeaways
“What would be helpful to enhance your knowledge of
responsible gaming?”
• Having a one-on-one session with the GameSense
Advisor (Site RG Advisors) at least once a year
• More training and hands on practice related to
difficult conversations with guests
16. Employee Survey Takeaways
• Conflict resolution tactics related to angry/upset
customers
• More frequent training - help “fill in the gaps”
• Information related to the success of the RG programs
and the recovery process
17. External Stakeholder Survey Findings –
Non-Customer
• Acknowledge problem gambling - be honest and transparent
• Share how GCGC is addressing the problem but not make it
the focus
“People have the right to choose to gamble or not”
“Be a leader in addressing community concern
around responsible gambling”
18. External Stakeholder Survey Findings –
Non-Customer
• Address the credibility gap around problem gambling in the industry
and public perception that problem gamblers are casinos’ best
customers
• It is better to take a collaborative approach with government to
address the issue
“The self-exclusion program exists but is spectacularly unsuccessful”
“It has to be a genuine concern versus pretending and doing as little as
one can”
19. External Stakeholder Survey Findings –
Customer
• Customers were clear on their sentiment- they recognize
programs and resources are available
• They expect casinos to operate responsibly
• Mandatory ID’ing when entering casino:
• More frequent guests were dismissive
• Less frequent/younger guests expressed similar reservations
“The intention is admirable but the implementation is tricky”
20. Voluntary Self-Exclusion
• In 2014, one of GC’s BC sites had 348 VSE applications
• VSE applications with a GSA- 144; without a GSA- 182
• 802 violations
• LPR’s assisted in stopping 155 VSE violators from entering the
property
• Ikiosks (ID swipe for guests 30 and under) stopped 119 VSE
violators
21. Voluntary Self-Exclusion Observations
• LPR is an operational asset that provides good detection
support for staff
• Lack of breaching consequences a key issue
• Staff want to understand and know what happens to VSE’s
in terms of improvement and treatment
• It only works when there is a will to comply; despite the
breaches, we believe they represent the minority
22. Key Learnings & Observations
• We realize RG continues to evolve - we want RG to be part of
our corporate culture
• We recognize we are not the experts - we will continue to learn
from Crown partners and industry best practices
• Focus on an outcome-based approach
• Encourage training opportunities for employees
• Want to work with Crown partners to enhance/improve the
VSE process
23. Key Learnings & Observations
• Importance of problem gambling as a health issue
• Industry needs to stress the importance and benefits of RGC
• Operators have a role with program/policy development
24. Why This Matters
• We need to build our business with a long term focus that
includes healthy players/customers
• Industry’s reputation and social license depends on operating
responsibly
• Our staff have told us that they see RG as important part of
the customer service they can provide
• It is the right thing do to
27. To provide session feedback:
• Open New Horizons app
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• Select this session
• Select Take Survey at bottom of screen
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