Marketing During COVID-19 and Beyond

COVID-19 has taken a toll on most industries, and the gaming industry is no different. The knee-jerk reaction on the part of club and casino operators has been to drastically reduce their marketing budget. Spending cuts on advertising and marketing items are easier to accomplish than on other items such as payroll and overheads. However, previous recessions have taught us that businesses that bounce back most strongly are those that do not cut their marketing spend during the recession.
Read my latest article in the Oct. 2020 issue of Inside Asian Gaming (pp. 90-95) if you're curious to learn more. 

At the present time, when competitive clutter is the lowest it has ever been in our lifetime, marketing investments have the potential to yield the highest ROI ever. However, such investments need to be made with due regard to the current context. Here's the link: https://lnkd.in/gnTVCCw
#marketing #marketingROI #gambling #gamingindustry #casino #advertising #clubs #covid #Macau

 Gambling Among Casino Employees

#Gambling among casino employees is a contentious topic in the industry. Singapore and Macau ban casino employees from gambling in casinos and heavy fines and sanctions are imposed on those who try. An empirical study recently published in Journal of Gambling Studies, ranked as the top most journal in gambling research (https://lnkd.in/gsbWNGc, Zeng, Forrest & Kale, 2020), finds that casino employees are no more at risk of becoming problem gamblers than non-employees. The "Adaptation Hypothesis" states that over time, increased exposure to the gambling product actually decreases problem gambling prevalence.

I argue that casino employees who gamble in moderation are better equipped to develop empathy with their casino customers. These employees have been in the customer's shoes. Empathy enables the development of an emotional connection with customers, so essential for customer intimacy and engagement. For more on this controversial issue, read my article in the September 2020 issue of EI Industry News. I would love to hear your thoughts on whether YOU think it is okay for casino employees to gamble in casinos. Here's the link: https://lnkd.in/gMW8dKC

Should Casino Employees Be Allowed to Gamble In Casinos?

Most gambling scholars would argue that increased exposure and access to gambling increases the risk of pathological gambling for those exposed. Gambling opponents the world over have made this argument for decades.
Casino employees are more exposed to the gambling product than any other segment of the population. Therefore, they should be at the greatest risk of becoming pathological gamblers. This presumption--based on the "exposure" hypothesis--has led jurisdictions such as hashtag#Macau and hashtag#Singapore to ban casino employees from gambling. Violators face hefty penalties.
An alternative to the exposure hypothesis is the "adaptation" hypothesis. This hypothesis argues that after the initial period of exposure, most individuals will develop immunity to the lure of hashtag#gambling, and over a period of time, these individuals will be less--not more--at a risk of becoming pathological gamblers. This period of exposure, before the adaptation takes effect, is a few years, not decades.
Which of these hypotheses are true? How can we use existing research to formulate public policy for hashtag#casinos? Please see my latest article in casino.org: https://lnkd.in/fQRk_Ns.hashtag#gambling hashtag#problemgambling hashtag#casino

The C-L-A-S-S Framework for After COVID-19

A CLASSy Antidote for COVID-hit Asian Casinos
Despite re-opening of Macau casinos, business in Macau and elsewhere in the region appears decisively lack-lustre. Indeed, Macau's casino revenue dropped by almost 90% in February 2020, and March seems to be similarly disappointing. With tough headwinds sure to hit the Asian casino industry amid rising competition, the only option for operators to keep their heads above water is to establish a strong consumer franchise. In my recent article on casino.org, I introduce the CLASS framework, which, if correctly implemented, will inoculate casino operators from rising competition and a plateauing demand. Do post your comments on the article's website.  Here's the link.

Whither Macau?

COVID 19 has proved to be a devastating blow for casinos in Macau. This event has masked some of the underlying structural problems that will continue to pose as headwinds for Macau's casino industry. I recently published an article on casino.org that helps explain why the prospects for the Macau casino industry are nowhere as bright as some would have us believe. Indeed, the additional competition that will be created between now and 2025 will result in serious over-capacity of the gaming product in the region.

Read my article here and be sure to leave your comments on the site. Cheers!