The Unethical Practices of Casinos
When walking into “The Strip” in Las Vegas, an instant feel of excitement rushes up. The flashy neon lights paired with glimpses of amazing acrobatics on gigantic screens easily brings up the energy of tourists, businessmen, and gambling addicts. You may wonder how a once stranded desert can transform into such a paradise of skyscrapers. The answer lies in casinos.
In the early 1930s, gambling was legalized throughout the state of Nevada and casinos began to flourish (Dunstan, 1997). The economic growth in Nevada, especially the city of Las Vegas, has improved tremendously by the creation of casinos. Many people were employed since the operation of casinos requires a huge amount of labor, skill, and expertise. In addition, local retail sales also increased from casinos when gamblers visit the stores to spend their winnings on various items and products (Garrett, 2003). As a result, many state governments began to legalize casinos in order to boost their economies and increase employment. As of today, there are roughly 1500 casinos in the United States and they generate almost 65 billion dollars in revenue (“Facts on U.S Casinos” 2013). However, casinos use immoral methods to achieve this incredible feat of big profit with few government interventions. While the city of Las Vegas becomes more prosperous than before, many citizens lose their fortunes or even lives by the immoral business practices implemented by the casinos. Even though the
The Las Vegas and Atlantic City locations have lost revenues in recent years. In addition to the economic slowdown, these gambling locations are also facing new competitors in the market that are providing attractive choices to the customers. Though there are some external forces beyond their control, it seems that attractiveness and accessibility are very important focus areas for these cities.
The efforts to make Hispanics feel more welcome are designed to show that the casinos are sensitive to this demographic group's real needs and wants. New amenities include bilingual dealers and Spanish-speaking musicians. This shows the clear principle of segmentation. Instead of trying to appeal to all customers in a universal fashion and compete with the biggest-name casinos (a virtual impossibility in Las Vegas), these smaller casinos are trying to attract and grow this specific, targeted population base. The Hispanic demographic seems to have an interest in gambling and entertainment, and has
A few years ago at the streets of the cities one can see casino Vegas. The slots gaily winked at the adrenaline fans with hundreds colorful lamps offering them to try their luck. Everybody of them secretly from all hoped for the best at Vegas slots, dreaming of a crazy jackpot or at least a big prize.
First, the state has to find construction workers to work on building the commercial casino. In a casino there are many different workers. There are dealers, a broker, bartenders, chefs, cooks, clerks, bingo caller, floor worker, waiters, host, managers, change attendants, cashiers, runners, technicians, security officers, and surveillance officers. In Las Vegas, Nevada there were 170,206 people employed at a; casino in the year 2012. Nevada is ranked 35th in state population and has a population of 2,790,136 in the state. Texas is ranked 2nd and 26.96 million. One of Nevada’s major industry is gambling. If the state of Texas were to legalize gambling the state unemployment rate would go down. Not only would people get employed by the casinos. Other businesses would flourish also creating new jobs. Hotels and motels would be built. Restaurant and brothels would be built. The newly built hotels, restaurants, and bars would need employees. More people would be employed causing the unemployment rate to go down once more. Las Vegas is a testament of the powerful ability of gambling to foster economic development. Las Vegas has shown impressive job growth, developed into a major city with a low tax burden that many state and local governments look at with envy, and has spawned significant private and public sector investment (Library of California). A Wisconsin study shows major economic impact when the state practiced Indian gaming (a
Mike Justice, a member of the Siletz tribe in Oregon, is jobless and lives with his recovering addict wife and son (The Economist, 2015). He could work at the tribe’s casino, but instead collects welfare payments and $1,200 yearly from the casino per capita payments (The Economist, 2015). The minimum wage he would make at the casino would barely pay for the transportation costs, since Justice has no vehicle, so he would rather not work and collect money (The Economist, 2015). This is a growing problem and a newer study in the American Indian Law Journal of 24 tribes in the Pacific North-West shows that growing casino revenues can actually make poverty worse as poverty rose from 25% to 29% from 2000 to 2010(The Economist, 2015). Of the 17 tribes in the study that paid directly to tribe members, poverty rose in ten of them (The Economist, 2015). Why the rise in poverty? One reason is the way the money is distributed. The more an individual is paid, the more he has the desire not to work (The Economist, 2015). Obesity, poor health, drug abuse, and alcoholism are already problems and without health insurance, from not working, these problems get much
The growing industry of gambling creates revenue from taxes, but is it really profitable? Smith-Christopher claims “the total amount accounts for less than a quarter of the gambling industry revenues nationwide each year.” It can be said that gambling can help economic progress, “Nearly half of all tribal gaming enterprises earn less than $10 million in annual revenue, and one-quarter earn less than $3 million each year. On the other end of the spectrum, about 40 tribal casinos (or about 1 in 10) take in two-thirds of all Indian gaming revenues” (Smith-Christopher). The economic benefits that gambling creates may outweigh the addictions it may create. Walker claims, “As gambling expands, the gambling industry and government are beginning to
With the Corporate Gaming Act of 1969, Las Vegas began a slow transition towards “respectability.” Gambling in Las Vegas was gaining in popularity in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but the mob presence itself was preventing Las Vegas from attracting the necessary outside funds to turn it into a dominant Metropolis (204). “Nevada seemed to be shedding this image in favor of the many new family-oriented “theme resorts” that were being built, especially in Las Vegas (204). Then there’s The Rat
Nevada casinos are the second leaders in revenue. The strengths that they have generated are the availablity of more hotel rooms, fine dinning, excellent entertainment, shopping, mergers and acquisitions, customer loyalty, and product differentiation among its rivals. With its many strengths, Nevada casinos represent a high barrier for new entrants as well mainly due to product differentiation and economies of scale. Nevada casios use differentiation on the basis of special themes that characterizes their casinos, such as a medieval castle, a pirate ship, or a movie studio. Nevado casinos also rely on economies of scale as many of the larger casinos are expanding by buiding on additional rooms to bring in more customers. Eventhough Nevada casino has many strengths, it also has a weaknesses.
Finally, an increase in job opportunities is a strong motivator for the legalization of gambling and casino development in a time where jobs are hard to find. Jobs are created in all sectors from planners, construction workers, dealers, table workers, cooks and kitchen staff, bartenders, wait staff, security, hotel staff, event coordinators, etc. Financial reasons are the most discussed reasons for the advocacy of legalizing gambling and casino development.
The development of tribal casinos or what is commonly referred to as organized gambling can be credited to Native American reservations. Gaming operations have brought phenomenal success to many native tribes in America, and there has been a new dimension to the existing debate regarding Native American sovereignty in organized gambling. There are over 310 casinos ran by about one-third the nations federally recognized tribes, and generate around $10 billion in revenue which is one-sixth of all revenue generated through legal gaming in the country (Evans, Topoleski, 2002). Many of the tribes are now able to provide for themselves essential services rather than wait for the government. However, most
Las Vegas hotel executives face overwhelming challenges to keep up with the latest trends in hospitality technology. Executives reminisce on the earlier years when gamblers used to spend a majority of their time in casinos but as more non-gaming attractions appear along the strip the hours spent have decreased. According to Pete Earley, author of Super Casino: Inside the New Las Vegas, “the average gambler used to spend four hours per day playing in a casino, but not that same gambler only plays two hours per day because there is so much more to see and do,” (Earley, 2010). This factor has influenced MGM Grand to strategize ways to emphasis customer segments by building strong operations and marketing strategies. Kirk Kerkorian first operated a hotel in the seventies, named MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, set new standards for Las Vegas hotels and casinos, considering it was one of the largest hotels in the seventies. Before the technology boom and popularity of the Sin City began, entertainment, lodging, and food for extremely low prices. The luxurious experience you find in Vegas at one time
Las Vegas, the original “City of Sin” (Bull 2). Marketing campaigns flaunt the idea that “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas (Bull 4).” Now known for its attitude of permissiveness, especially regarding sexual behavior, Las Vegas has grown tremendously from its humble beginnings as a simple rail stop between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City (Bull 2). In 1911, with a population of just over 2,000, Las Vegas was incorporated and its first mayor elected. Fast forward twenty years, and the population has almost quadrupled and gambling is legalized. Reminiscent of a perfect storm, the setting was ripe for exploitation: Las Vegas was distanced from other towns or cities, the railroad allowed people to easily travel, and legalized gambling opened up avenues for debasement. With its remote location and legalized gambling, it was inevitable that big-time mobsters would come onto the scene. Additionally, casinos were being erected, encouraging guests to spend money and drink liquor, thus leading to uninhibited behavior. Furthermore, by providing workers in “the oldest profession” there would be yet another way to line the pockets of the underworld figures who created the foundation for the Vegas of today. “Russell W. Belk has argued, the idea that Las Vegas provides forbidden fruit and guilty pleasures;a vital part of the city 's appeal” (Bull 4). “According to Hal Rothman, Las Vegas has a widely accepted role as a place where generations of Americans have been allowed to
Casinos don’t come much bigger and better than Caesars Palace. This is one of the original big Vegas casinos, and it has a fearsome reputation that even the mightiest casinos on the Las Vegas Strip can only dream of. But what it is about Caesars Palace that is so alluring? In this article, we will take a closer look at the global goliath that is Caesars Palace, and see just why it holds such a special place in every Las Vegas gambler’s heart.
Utilitarianism suggests that the act that results in the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of individuals is the option that we should choose. Whether gambling should be deemed as an ethical or unethical act depends entirely on the consequences and benefits gambling has on casinos, gamblers, and non-gamblers. If gambling results in the overall increase of a casino’s profit and the overall increase of a gambler’s profit and mental health, then the act of gambling would be considered ethical. However, if the act has more negative implications than positive, then the act of gambling would be unethical. For example, it would be unethical if the transaction between casinos and gamblers was rigged solely for the casino 's financial benefit while exploiting those who gamble there. The significant concern of this paper is not to point a finger at casinos and other gambling mediums as a means to blame them for the mental conditions of those who we’d consider as gambling addicts. Instead, the point of this paper is to acknowledge the effects of gambling and propose the importance of responsibility. I will present an unbiased view of gambling, paying close attention to the psychological effects and motives individuals have regarding gambling at casinos. Also, I will look at the positive results associated with having a successful casino business, so that allowing gambling is ethical from a utilitarian point of
The newly introduced sister site of the Vegas Paradise Casino is the Jackpot Paradise Casino, which is gaining popularity these days. The casino has already proven as one of the best online casinos out there. With myriads of game choices, exceptional customer service, wide choices of banking options and exceptional game rewards, the Jackpot Paradise Casino is undoubtedly one of the best online gambling forums for avid casino players. The casino was started with the collaboration with ProgressPlay, which is one of the most reputed names in the online gaming industry. The casino boasts some of the highly popular and unique slot games from popular gaming platforms of BetSoft, Microgaming and Thunderkick, QucikSpin and NextGen Gaming. What makes this casino so popular is not just its game choices. The casino’s weekly and monthly promotions, great offers for VIP members and awesome game rewards are other highlights of Jackpot Paradise as well.