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Making Vegas Casinos More Kid-Friendly11 March 2001LAS VEGAS—March 11, 2001 – As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “…While much in the valley has changed during the years, that's one thing that hasn't. And while many of us who live here like to point out proudly to anyone who'll listen that we practically never go to the Strip -- that's for tourists, after all -- there's no denying the presence of gambling in our daily lives. Beyond the supermarket slot machines, there are neighborhood casinos in practically every neighborhood. And increasingly, they're where we turn for recreation -- to see a movie, to go bowling, to take in a concert, to go ice skating. ”Which means our children do, too. ”However you feel about gambling, it has to make you wonder: What effect does so much exposure to various forms of gambling have on kids? Opinions, it seems, are mixed. ”…[Charles Cooley, a licensed psychologist at University Medical Center] said he's not aware of any research on the effects of exposure to gambling on young minds. But as in most other cases, he said, the way a child reacts to the exposure depends in large part on how the parent handles it. ”…`When they do walk through the casino and they do notice things, they might have questions about those things,’ he said. `Then the parent or the caregiver needs to be prepared to respond to those questions. Questions they might ask might depend on what they see, but also depend on what their age is and their level of sophistication. Parents need to respond in kind to that.’ ”…At any rate, he said, a lot of kids tend to have tunnel vision, especially if they're excited about the activity they're heading for. ”…Christopher Kearney, an associate professor of clinical child psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, agreed that the topic apparently hasn't been researched. ”…As for the existence of such kid magnets as bowling alleys and movie theaters in casinos, Kearney said, `I think they're there to draw juveniles, and I think they're there to draw the juveniles' parents. It's a handy-dandy way of getting people in the casino. Here's things the kids can be distracted by at the same time the adults can gamble. It's a matter of getting the whole family in the casino.’ ”…Glenn Christenson, executive vice president and chief financial officer for Station Casinos, the major operator of locals casinos that house bowling alleys and movie theaters, doesn't dispute that such amenities will have some appeal for families. ”…Some of the new properties, Christenson said, are designed to keep kids away from the gaming floor. The movie theaters at Sunset Station, for example, have a separate entrance, and he said that also will be the case at Green Valley Station, currently under construction in Henderson…” |