Les Bernal Claims Casinos Target 1 in 20 Senior Citizens as Predatory Gaming Opportunities
The Deseret News recently had an article that discussed the impact of casino gambling on senior citizens. The article gave good statistics on the number of gamblers 65 or over, while also providing interesting factoids on how gaming impacts their lives. Not everything was covered, though.
This blog wants to expand the information somewhat, while providing our own tips and insights to seniors who intent to gamble. The Deseret News piece stated that 70% of seniors said they had gambled in the past year. Since people on fixed incomes have less of a safety net when gambling, it is important for the majority of 65+ gamblers to know the facts and bet safely.
Before I begin, let’s provide the pertinent information from the article in question, in case you don’t want to read the news pieces. Here are 16 factoids offered in the news piece.
- The numbers are disputed and by a wide margin.
- The American Gaming Association says 34% of seniors have visited a casino in the past 12 months.
- The AGA says that 56% of gamblers fall between the ages of 21 and 49.
- 39% of people age 21 to 35 visit a casino in a year’s time.
- David Oslin at the University of Pennsylvania says that 70% of seniors have gambled in the past year.
- Oslin says that 1 in 11 of those seniors say they lost more betting than they could comfortably lose.
- In the Journal of Aging Studies (2002), Janet Hope and Linda Havir said that 6% of seniors gamble because they enjoy it. Most go for social or entertainment reasons.
- Hope & Havir say that 24% go for “something to do”.
- Hope & Havir say that 35% go for “fun and socialization”.
- 70% of gaming revenues come from slot machines.
- An article called “Why Casinos Matter” states that anywhere from 35% to 55% of revenues come from problem gamblers.
- “Why Casinos Matter” states that 42% to 74% of slot machine revenues are taken from problem gaming activities. The gambling industry hotly dispute these figures.
- An AGA poll of senior gamblers cites that 75% seniors who played at a casino in the last year had a budget, part of a variety of cash-saving techniques called “money management”.
- 76% of those gamblers set a budget of less than $200.
- 58% of those gamblers set a budget of less than $100. The AGA therefore suggests that the big majority of older players are what’s called “penny players” or penny slot players.
- The American Gaming Association say that 87% of Americans agree that “gambling is an acceptable activity”.
Controversial Stats Cited
The statistics which both sides of the debate cite are disputed and controversial. Some view casinos as a danger zone for America’s oldest citizens. These people are seen as the most vulnerable adults in the population, so they find it despicable to market to them. One gambler who won $4,000 says the win got him on an automatic mailing list, which sends out a $20 coupon for slot machine gaming periodically.
Les Bernal of the DC-based “Stop Predatory Gambling” is critical of how casinos market to America’s senior citizens. Bernal said, “For every 20 seniors who come through, (a casino’s goal) is find a couple of them that they can take for all they’re worth. That’s the business. And seniors are one of the most susceptible populations in the country to these incredibly predatory business practices that are used by casinos.”
AGA and Bernal Numbers Examined
Of course, the numbers the AGA and Les Bernal use could both be accurate. If Bernal’s thesis is correct, then only 5% of senior citizens are victimized. That easily fits within the 24% of 65+ gamblers who bet over $200. If a casino only needs to clean out 1 in 20 gamblers to make their fabulous profits, then the AGA could be quite correct and a problem could still exist.
On the other hand, not all people over 65 are victims. In fact, many still retain their full composure and good sense. Many are quite wealthy and intend on remaining so. Not every retired person going to the casino is going on a bus. The state of Utah has a strict 100% ban on gambling, so a Utah publication is a bit more likely to slant the evidence against casinos. That being said, the Deseret News piece provided plenty of information from the AGA.
Safety Tips for Casino Trips
One indisputable fact is this: the best way to conserve money on casino visit is to avoid the slot machines. They call these machines one-armed bandits for a reason. With the electronic nature of spin resolution and payment process these days, slots are an automated way to gamble. Wins and losses rack up quickly. With max bets, even penny slots can be dangerous to play.
Why Table Games Are Better
It’s much better to learn a table game and play it for several hours. Playing low-dollar blackjack or craps is a slower way to gamble, allowing a player to savor the moment a bit more. No-limit Texas hold’em has a reputation for high-risk and high-reward, but poker played at a table with low limits is actually safer than a slot machine. If a person follows expert advice, then only 15% of poker hands should be played.
That’s roughly 1 in 7 hands, which means a person gets into a pot only a handful of times per hour. The advantage of following this advice is a gambler is more likely to have a strong hand this way, and more likely to impress the opponents (forcing the smart ones to fold).
This style of play has one other advantage: it’s more social. The casino advertisements which show senior citizens enjoying a nice, social entertainment experience are false, if the games being played are slots. If a person sits at a blackjack table or rolls the dice, they get to know other players and strike up friendships.
