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> Social & Economic Impacts of Gambling in Alberta (SEIGA)
Social & Economic Impacts of Gambling in Alberta (SEIGA)
Project Approved 2008-09
Dr. Robert Williams, Faculty of Health Sciences, U of Lethbridge (Co-Principal Investigator); Dr. Brad Humphreys, Department of Economics, U of Alberta (Co-Principal Investigator); Dr. Yale Belanger, Native American Studies, U of Lethbridge; Dr. Harold Wynne, Wynne Resources.
Organizational affiliates: University of Lethbridge (Sponsoring Organization)
The past 30 years has seen a remarkable increase in the availability of legalized gambling opportunities in Alberta, with almost all forms of gambling now being widely available in this province. Surpisingly, the decision to legalize gambling and to make it widely available has been made largely a) in the absence of good scientific evidence concerning whether the benefits of legalized gambling outweigh the costs, and b) in the absence of good scientific evidence about how best to mitigate the negative impacts. The primary purpose of the present research is to provide sound scientific results pertinent to both of these issues.
The specific research elements we intend to employ are a) an extensive secondary analysis of the nature and magnitude of changes in general economic and social indicators as they relate to the introduction of expansion of gambling opportunities, b) direct investigation of the known impacts of each form of gambling, c) large-scale province-wide population surveys of gambling, with oversampling of geographic areas in the vicinity of casinos/racinos, d) key informant interviews in communities hosting casinos/racinos. These different elements provide different types of information with some degree of overlap for the purpose of triangulation and integration of findings.
Several research questions guide this research, including:
- What is the nature, characteristics and magnitude of the social/economic impacts of legalized gambling in Alberta?
- What is the geospatial and demographic pattern of these impacts?
- How do these impacts differ as a function of type of gambling?
- What is the relationship between gambling availability and gambling impacts?
- Do these social and economic impacts change over time?
- Which individuals, groups, organizations and sectors benefit most and least from legalized gambling?
- What does the data suggest about potential future impacts of further gambling expansion?
The answers to these questions will be fundamentally important in a) informing Albertans about the overall benefits and costs of gambling, b) helping shape provincial government policy decisions concerning the provision of gambling, and c) the development of effective strategies to maximize the benefits and to minimize the negative impacts of gambling.
Status (Complete)
All objectives of the project have been met. Two comprehensive socioeconomic impact analyses of gambling in Alberta have been completed.
These studies provide unambiguous information about the benefits and drawbacks of gambling in Alberta. Methodologies used serve as templates for future studies in other jurisdictions.
Peer Reviewed Research Reports:
Humphreys, B. R., Soebbing, B. P., Wynne, H., Turvey, J., & Lee, Y. S. (2011). University of Alberta SEIGA research team: Final report to the Alberta Gaming Research Institute on the socio-economic impact of gambling in Alberta. May 25, 2011.
Williams, R. J., Belanger, Y. D., & Arthur, J. N. (2011). Gambling in Alberta: History, current status, and socioeconomic impacts. Final report to the Alberta Gaming Research Institute. Edmonton, Alberta. April 2, 2011.
Scholarly Articles or Working Papers:
Humphreys, B. R., Lee, Y. S., & Soebbing, B. P. "Consumer Behaviour in Lotto Markets: The Double Hurdle Approach and Zeros in Gambling Survey Data," Working Paper 2009-27. Revised and resubmitted.
Scholarly Conference Papers and Posters:
May 27, 2009. Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada. “Online Versus Telephone Surveys: Methodological Issues for Gambling Research”. Humphreys, B. R., Soebbing, B. P., & Williams, R. J. 14th International Conference on Gambling & Risk-Taking.
May 26, 2009. Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada. “Does International Simulcast Wagering Reduce Live Handles at Canadian Racetracks?” Humphreys, B. R., Soebbing, B. P., & Turvey, J. 14th International Conference on Gambling & Risk-Taking.
May 26, 2009. Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada. “Statistical Modeling of Consumers’ Participation in Gambling Markets and Expenditure on Gambling”. Humphreys, B. R., Lee, Y. S., & Soebbing, B. P. 14th International Conference on Gambling & Risk-Taking.
May 2009. Ottawa, Ontario. “Gambling on First Nations Participation: An Overview of SEIGA and Barriers to First Nations Engagement”. Yale Belanger. Canadian Political Science Association.
March 28, 2009. Banff, Alberta. “Virtual Soverignty?: Exploring First Nations Internet Gaming Ventures in Canada”. Yale Belanger. AGRI Conference on Internet Gambling.
Public Lectures:
“Sports Betting, Sports Bettors and Sports Gambling Policy,” presentation by Brad Humphreys at the 9th International Hamburg Symposium, “Sport and Economics: Sport and Sport Mega-Events in Europe – Between Central State and Regions”, July 31, 2009 & August 1, 2009, Hamburg, Germany.
The Alberta Gaming Research Institute provides grant funding to support peer-endorsed academic investigations into many aspects of gambling research. The contents, recommendations, and findings of the associated research reports, posted on this website, represent the views of the researcher(s).
Time Frame: April 1, 2008 to September 30, 2010
Last Updated: 07/14/11
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