University of Nevada Las Vegas| Gaming Studies Research Center | Dave Schwartz |
University of Nevada Las Vegas |
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Casino [ptz]
formerly the Gaming Studies Weblog |
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 Friday, June 14, 2002 NEVADA: PROBLEM GAMBLING UPDATE
The Reno Gazette-Journal ran a series on problem gambling in 1996. Read it now! An interesting Las Vegas Review-Journal story reports on a drug for problem gamblers. But what about free will?
I'm still working on this page's template, so expect it to be in flux for the next few days.
MACAU A story from the LVRJ discusses the potential problems that American-based casino operators might face in Macau. LAS VEGAS, NV The experts make it official: for downtown Las Vegas, STRIKE=BAD. More on Monday.
Wednesday, June 12, 2002 I'm doing some maintainence on this page, so it isn't perfect. Yet, it will hopefully look better tomorrow.
Here's the news roundup: LAS VEGAS, NV: Expansion in the Cards, More The north Strip isn't the only area that will see new investment, according to this Dave Berns article. The investigation into the Venetian contest scandal is only just beginning. GSRC friends Bill Thompson and Bill Eadington were both quoted in another follow-up story about this burgeoning scandal. INDIANA: Cause and Effect Coming on the heels of the tax increase in Illinois, Indiana lawmakers are mulling proposals to strip lanuage from a tax-and-budget bill that would have allowed for expanded gaming in the Hoosier state. So of course, investors immediately panicked, sending stocks for companies with Indiana casinos tumbling. That's all for today.
Tuesday, June 11, 2002 CHARLESTON, WV: Gambling obsession and expansion
From the Daily Mail, an article about obsessive slots playing. And racetrack operators in WV, content with slots, are not necessarily looking to add table games. ATLANTIC CITY, NJ: Boxing and Gambling: Perfect Together Joe Weinert of the AC Press wrote an interesting story about boxing as the casino industry's "franchise". LAS VEGAS, NV: Contest Scandal? After firing four executives, the Venetian has triggered a citywide Gaming Control Board investigation into rigged promotional contests. This should develop into an interesting story--casino executives disciplined for giving back to big losers.
Monday, June 10, 2002 Deep inside a state office building, Missouri state employees have a secret gambling room. It's their casino lab, which helps regulators catch cheaters.
AND IN OTHER NEWS... "Coffee? Juice? Soda?" Anyone who's spent time in an Atlantic City casino has heard the siren call of cocktail waitresses who are prohibited, by gaming statute, from asking patrons if they would like alcohol, even though they serve free alcohol. Maybe it was a pet peeve, but I found the incessant "CoffeeJuiceSoda?" calls one of the most annoying parts of working in a casino. It seemed like every cocktail waitress said the same words, in the same order, with the same cadence, on every shift. Again, it is one of those robotic actions that casino employees do by rote. Here's how it breaks down. The servers were told, in training, to say "CoffeeJuiceSoda?'' and that to do otherwise is a gaming offense, so they do just that. There's no room for any kind of personality or salemanship. You'll probably never here this: "How about a refreshing beverage?" "Cold soda? Fruit Juice? Hot Coffee?" And people wonder why their gaming experiences are usually so bland. There's no incentive for employees to liven things up, to break the routine, to actually have fun. After all, there is no reward for serving more drinks, and any deviating from the rote can actually lead to a write up. There's certainly little personal financial incentive for anyone in the casino to show personality. Ever wonder why dealers at dead games, generally speaking, don't try to generate interest by talking up passers-by? In fact, the odds are that if you walk past a dead game, the dealer will actively avoid eye contact. It's because there's no real incentive to be dealing. Dealers don't keep their own tokes, and standing at a dead game means no opportunity to make a mistake and get written up. As was said on "The Wire" last night, you can't lose if you don't play. BTW, "The Wire" is a great show, of almost "Oz" proportions (and with several crossovers). The point of all this is that the legislature is finally considering allowing cocktail servers to ask, "Coffee? Juice? Soda? Cocktail?" Unless they can legislate some kind of personal creativity, what's the difference?
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What is Casino[ptz]? In a sentence: "A weblog featuring news, notes, and opinions from the world of casinos and gambling." Casino is self-explanatory; ptz refers to a surveillance camera that can pan, tilt, and zoom, thus offering the operator a better perspective and more detailed shot. Casino [ptz] was maintained by Dave Schwartz, coordinator of the Gaming Studies Research Center at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. As of now, Casino [ptz] is not being updated. Instead, you can find Dave's wit and wisdom on his own website, www.dieiscast.com. \ Go there now, for casino carpets and more. The opinions expressed are those of Dr. Schwartz and not those of UNLV or any of its students, staff, or faculty. If you have any questions, please direct them to Dave at dgs@unlv.nevada.edu. ---------------------------------
Quizzes Test your knowledge with two quizzes I have devised for your enlightenment and entertainment. 1. Do you know gambling? If you've read this weblog, I'll bet you do. Take the... (view the Scoreboard) This quiz features ten questions about gambling, mostly in casinos.
2. Do you know casino history? Take the... (view the Scoreboard) This quiz features ten questions taken from the pages of Suburban Xanadu. If you've read the book, the quiz should be a snap. Or, take the quiz and see what you are missing. -----------------------
Classic posts Mystery
Creature from Maryland Dave's book quoted in Parliament Bird
gets Trumped Slots, urban design, and destination dreams Don't be afraid, the clown's afraid too Hastert blasts casinos/2 tiger tales --------------------------
In Memoriam
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Other blogs Alberta Gaming Research Institute Library Online Casino Legalization Blog
Email Dave if you want him to add your blog. --------------------------
Who is Dave Schwartz? Dave Schwartz is the coordinator of the Gaming Studies Research Center at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, which means that he spends most of his time at work doing three things: 1) Extending and improving the collection of books, journals, and primary materials about gambling known as the Gaming Collection. 2) Working on digital initiatives, such as this weblog and the GSRC site, that facilitate the understanding of gaming research and gaming issues. 3) Answering questions about gambling from media and researchers, or directing them to the answers.
Before coming to UNLV, Schwartz worked in the Atlantic City casino industry as a surveillance officer. He is also the youngest person known to have received a Ph.D. in History from UCLA.
Schwartz is the author of Suburban Xanadu: The Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip and Beyond, which is an intelligent, accurate account of the creation and legacy of the Las Vegas Strip. Click on the link for more information about this best-selling book, or just buy it from amazon.com. --------------------------
In his own words: "To answer the biggest question I get, no, I don't gamble. I know the odds and, having spent more hours than I care to remember watching people gambling, it doesn't excite me at all. So why do I study gambling? Because the industry and the interactions fascinate me. "Las Vegas is an interesting place to live, and my job gives me a good window on the city. In a typical day, I might go from talking about gambling books with a system player to answering a question from a reporter from a major newspaper to meeting with casino executives. So I think I can bring a unique perspective on the industry and the people who make it work." To learn more about Dr. Schwartz, go here. ---------------------------- The unofficial Casino[ptz] mascot
It's the mystery mammal, of course. Dave is currrently developing a "Mystery Mammals" cartoon idea. Hey, if "Father of the Pride" works, maybe animal cartoons will become the next big thing. ------------------------------ Just because Dave just likes these images, and hopes you do as well.
It's always important to remember your roots. Dave has chosen this image to constantly remind him just where he came from. It is a heraldic crest gone wrong.
Oh yeah, Dave also likes to see his name in lights. This is a genuine, non-photoshopped image...or is it?
Casino carpet is almost (but not quite) abstract art. This is from a real casino floor in a real Las Vegas Strip casino. Guess where and win a prize!
Here are some closing thoughts from Orff's Carmina Burana, "Fortuna, Imperatrix Mundi" (Fortune, Empress of the World): O Fortune, Somehow I don't think you'll find that in any casino advertisements. But Carmina Burana would be a great casino show, particularly sectons 2 and 3, which deal explicitly with gambling, drinking, debauchery, and sex. The opera is almost an adaptation of the 13th century version of "what happens in Vegas (or, in this case, Beuren), stays in Vegas. Certainly it has all the elements of a great revue extravaganza. |
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