(By Sheila Howe 5 P.M.FEB. 22, 2013)- Responsibility. According to
Dictionary.com, it entails “the state or fact of being responsible,
answerable, or accountable for something within one’s power, control, or
management.”
There is much we are responsible for.
Responsible parenting. Responsible drinking. Responsible gambling. In
all these cases, responsibility rests fundamentally with the person
directly engaging in the activity or behavior. But also in all these
cases, responsibility extends beyond the individual to include friends,
family, employees at a bar or casino, and even total strangers in some
instances.
Bartenders and restaurants have a responsibility
to not over-serve a patron alcohol. If they do, they become civilly and
possibly criminally liable. In addition, family, friends and teachers
have a legal and ethical duty to intervene if they suspect child abuse.
In the gaming context, there is an expectation that casino customers
are mature adults capable of making responsible decisions. There is also
a realization on the part of management that, like in many aspects of
society and human behavior, a small percentage of individuals may not
have the capability to recognize that they may have an addiction or need
help. According to the California Council on Problem Gambling, 3.7
percent of adults are problem gamblers.
At Sycuan Casino,
staff is trained to identify the signs of potential problem gambling.
Our graduated system for dealing with problem gamblers revolves around
EPIC: Education, Prevention, Identification or Intervention, and
Counseling (or treatment).
We post information with 1-800
numbers and websites, as well as brochures throughout the casino. If our
staff sees a customer who may be at a particular machine too long, or
has wagered too much, we will step in to advise and make them aware of
the situation.
In rare cases, we will offer customers
education and resources to get them the counseling they may need, as
well as the opportunity to self-exclude themselves from our property. In
even rarer cases, management will offer all the above, and proactively
exclude a customer from our property. When we take this action we will
also share their information with surrounding casinos to help prevent
the addiction from growing. Most importantly, we do not offer credit to
any customers beyond $25,000, and only based on a thorough credit and
background check. Keeping the credit line low is obviously a good
business practice, minimizing our exposure to losses. It also serves as
an early warning system of potential problems, allowing us to rush help
in where it may be needed.
These measures, when applied
properly, can get customers the help needed before a problem arises,
thereby avoiding great financial and emotional heartache for family and
friends. Problem gaming, like problem drinking, is a serious affliction
that plagues a very small percentage of our society. However, it is
incumbent upon all of us to step in when we see signs of impending
trouble and assume a broader responsibility to help ensure the
well-being of others. We have a primary responsibility to ourselves but
others certainly have responsibilities too, and we must all do our part
to help make society a better place for all.
