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Seniors are Responsible Gamblers who Support Casinos

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Oct.30, 2000 -- The American Gaming Association has released a survey it says shows that America's seniors gamble more responsibility -- and are more accepting of the gaming industry -- than the rest of the American population.

But gaming industry opponents draw the opposite conclusion from the survey, saying it shows a significant number of seniors do have a problem with gambling.

The AGA survey found that 69 percent of all seniors set a budget before playing in a casino. An additional 13 percent said they "usually" set a budget.

Among the general casino-going population, 62 percent always set a budget, while 20 percent usually did.

"Some opponents of gaming have said we take advantage of seniors," said Frank Fahrenkopf, president and chief executive of the Washington, D.C.-based AGA. "That's really why we wanted to get a perception of seniors, to answer the untrue charges made by gaming opponents."

The survey, conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates and the Luntz Research Cos. in May 2000, surveyed 900 adults from across the country. An additional "oversample" of 300 senior citizens was also conducted. The margin of error for the general population was 2.8 percent.

When asked, "What is more important in your decision to visit a casino -- socializing or gambling?," more than 57 percent of seniors said it was to go out and socialize; 35 percent cited gambling.

When seniors were asked what their "primary" reason was for visiting a casino, gambling fell to 10.7 percent, while fun and entertainment was 56.3 percent. Fifteen percent didn't know or refused to answer; 5.7 percent said socializing; 5 percent said shows and events; and 4.7 percent said it was an affordable vacation.

When asked if casinos were an "inexpensive day out" for someone on a fixed income, 62 percent agreed, the AGA survey said.

Rather than being more careless in their gambling habits, Fahrenkopf believes the study shows seniors are actually more conservative than the rest of the American public.

"That's exactly what it says to me," Fahrenkopf said. "The overwhelming majority go for fun and entertainment."

But Tom Grey, executive director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, pointed to the opposite end of the spectrum -- the 8.3 percent of seniors who said they never set a gambling budget before playing. That was higher than the 5.1 percent of the general casino-going population.

"Those are the ones that are hooked," Grey said. "If you don't go into a casino and set a budget, you're flat out of luck. (Australian high-roller) Kerry Packer can do that, but we're talking senior citizens here.

"Their own studies are beginning to point toward the magnitude of this problem (with seniors). It's not entertainment if you gamble without a budget."

As far as the 35 percent of seniors that went to casinos to gamble, Grey said: "If they're gambling to gamble, they're losing. Eventually if they continue with it, they crap out. Thirty-eight percent are saying, hey, we lost more than we should have. That's a high number."

Retorts Fahrenkopf: "(This survey) says just the opposite of what Tom Grey has been saying for a long time."

Fahrenkopf believes the study also provides political ammunition to the cause of the gaming industry. More than 90 percent of seniors agreed with the statements: "People should be able to go into a casino, have their own budget, and spend their disposable income any way they want," and "Gambling is a question of personal freedom. The government should not be telling American adults how to spend their time and money."

Among the general population, roughly 82 percent agreed.

Such findings, Fahrenkopf said, can be shown to public officials to demonstrate that support for legal gambling remains quite strong in this country, even among seniors -- a group sometimes cited as an anti-gaming force by industry opponents.

The AGA also implied that casino-goers represent a significant voting bloc in their own right -- 89 percent of casino patrons surveyed were registered voters.

"Those charges (of widespread opposition to gaming) are not true, and here's the facts and evidence to back it up," Fahrenkopf said. "Seniors at 90 (percent approval), the average American at 80 (percent approval) ... that's pretty strong.

"Even more so than the average person, (seniors said) government shouldn't be telling people how to spend their own money."

When the entire survey group was asked about their personal views of casino gambling, 53.9 percent said it was "perfectly acceptable," while another 26.4 percent said it was "acceptable for others." Nearly 17 percent said casino gambling was not an acceptable activity for anyone.

But Grey said the issue isn't whether most Americans support legalized gambling, or whether most players can gamble without ill effect. The issue, he said, is that some players do have problems with gambling -- and Grey charges that group is where casinos make the most money.

"The government should not be telling people how to spend their money," Grey said. "But the government should not be allowing a product out there that addicts people without any safeguards.

"You have a product out there harmful to a percentage of people, and they (the gaming industry) has shown no willingness to provide a reform of that product. They are making their money off the very people who cannot gamble responsibly."

It's a charge Fahrenkopf heatedly denies.

"The premier funding source for individual scholars (studying problem gambling) is the commercial casino industry," Fahrenkopf said. "We're doing more to solve that problem than anyone today."

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