‘Secret’ Study: Casinos Failing On Problem Gambling

The controversial “responsible gambling” model faces greater scrutiny following a new casino study.

Using a “secret shopper” methodology, researchers from the University of Memphis and Rhodes College examined the accessibility of responsible gambling information in all seven casinos in the Memphis metropolitan area, home to about 1.4 million people. 

Casinos are illegal in Tennessee. Most of the casinos from the study are in Tunica, Mississippi.

The findings were published May 24, 2025, in the Journal for Gambling Studies.

According to the research, the casinos fell short in providing basic resources to people who were looking for more information on problem gambling.

Jay McDaniel, Executive Director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, told Gambling Harm via email that he hasn’t yet reviewed the research.

Problem Gambling Audits

Researchers conducted two separate studies in the summer of 2024. The first involved contacting the casinos by telephone, and the other involved in-person visits.

The telephone and in-person audits at each casino included requesting information about RG resources, their availability both on-site and online, and directions on how to locate them.

“Casino employees were often unable to provide reliable information about RG resources, whether over the phone or in person,” said Rory Pfund, Research Assistant Professor at the University of Memphis and one of the authors of the study. “The customer experience was generally dismissive, reflecting a lack of employee knowledge about RG.”

Pfund noted that in-person visits were slightly more useful for obtaining problem gambling resources than phone inquiries. All casinos had RG pamphlets on-site.

Gambling addiction’s stigma makes help over the phone crucial for many people. Going to a casino for help can be intimidating for people struggling with gambling problems.

To help combat the so-called hidden addiction, many states allow people to sign up remotely for gambling self-exclusion lists.

Casino Study: Possible Regulatory Issues

Altogether, the experiences of the research assistants posing as gambling customers “suggested non-compliance” with state regulations related to responsible gambling, the study authors wrote.

Furthermore, the casino shortcomings were not in the “spirit” of corporate social responsibility policies, according to the paper.

“Of the completed calls to the casinos’ customer service phone numbers, the accessibility of RG information was unreliable, and the experience suggested non-compliance with jurisdictional requirements,” the paper said.

“As for interactions with employees at the casinos, the employee role appeared to influence the information provided, and the low likelihood of a customer’s questions about RG information being answered did not reliably fulfill the regulatory requirements or the spirit of CSR.”

The findings also indicated that casino employees were generally unaware of RG resources available on the website of the casino for which they work.

“Despite the presence of RG information on each property website, requests for such information through both telephone calls and casino visits were disappointingly uninformative,” the paper said.

“These present findings raise the question of whether casino employee training regarding RG is inadequate, poorly executed, or not effectively translated to day-to-day operations […] Until casino operators follow through with their CSR commitments and/or governments hold them accountable for upholding their legal obligations, RG programs will likely remain ineffective in protecting customers from gambling harm.”

Artificial Intelligence

The gambling industry’s current and future use of artificial intelligence has raised concerns among addiction experts. In particular, online sportsbooks using AI to tailor bets and financial incentives to customers have been a focus of some policymakers.

The pending federal SAFE Bet Act proposes AI restrictions on sportsbook apps. A bill in Illinois also seeks to establish an AI ban for the betting industry.

Could casinos look to AI to standardize interactions with people seeking problem gambling help?

“I think that one possible solution to this problem is for operators to use AI to provide consumers with basic information about where RG and what resources are available to consumers,” Pfund told Gambling Harm.

However, AI shouldn’t minimize the need for adequate human-to-human interactions on RG.

“At the same time, I don’t think operators should neglect training their employees,” Pfund added. “When someone asks for help about changing their gambling, employees should be trained to competently navigate consumers to the appropriate resources. Employees should also be trained to empathize with consumers who are experiencing gambling problems.”