Program ID: Innovation Anthology #70
Program Date: 09/27/2007
Program Category: Social Sciences
Largest Gambling Study at Racino
Governments across Canada and around the world have become increasingly dependent on revenues generated by casinos and other gambling venues.
But there is a growing public backlash and Ontario, for example, has instituted a moratorium on the building of new casinos.
That’s due in part to the research of Dr. Robert Williams, a professor and gaming researcher at the University of Lethbridge. His work showed that more than a third of gambling revenue comes from problem gamblers.
Now, with a grant of $3.1 million dollars, Dr. Williams is leading the largest gambling research study in Canada. It looks at the impact of the very last gaming venue to be opened in Ontario, a racino.
DR. ROBERT WILLIAMS: Now in addition to looking at the social and economic impacts, because it’s a racino - slot machines going into a race track - we’re doing a five year longitudinal study of 4000 people to see what sort of things cause people to gamble in the first place and gamble socially versus gamble irresponsibly.
Once a socio-economic baseline is established, Dr. Williams’ team will reassess the participants every nine months to monitor changes due to the opening of the racino.
Thanks today to The University of Lethbridge.
FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY, I’M CHERYL CROUCHER
Images
Dr. Robert Williams
