Casinos: An Introduction - Casino Acceptability

The American Gaming Association (AGA) is a national trade organization that represents the commercial casino industry. Each year the AGA releases results of surveys conducted for it by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc., and the Luntz Research Companies regarding gambling acceptability in the United States. The latest survey was published in 2004 State of the States: The AGA Survey of Casino Entertainment. The survey, conducted during February and March 2004, interviewed 1,200 American adults about their opinions regarding casinos. Most of the interviews (59%) were conducted in nongaming states. The results indicate that casino gambling is considered acceptable by a vast majority of Americans. In the 2004 survey 54% of respondents found casino gambling to be perfectly acceptable for anyone. Another 27 percent considered casino gambling to be acceptable for others, but not for themselves. Only 16% of respondents in 2004 felt that casino gambling was not acceptable for anyone.

Casino gambling acceptability (believing that it is acceptable for anyone) was split by gender, with more men than women feeling that casino gambling is acceptable for anyone. However, women surveyed by the AGA were more likely to see casino gambling as acceptable for others, if not themselves. Acceptability was highest among those living in the Northeast and Pacific states (87%) and lowest among those living in southern states (76%). Acceptability of casino gambling for anyone was highest among Americans in upper income brackets. Acceptability was greatest among those who attend church rarely or not at all. Weekly churchgoers were far less accepting of casino gambling with 27% saying it was unacceptable for anyone.

Despite the apparent widespread acceptability that casinos enjoy, they are not welcome everywhere. In February 2002 the New Hampshire and Hawaii legislatures voted to drop all bills that would have legalized casino gambling in their states. In November 2003 Maine voters voted down a referendum that would have allowed development of a tribal casino in the southern part of the state. The casino drive was supported by labor unions, but opposed by the state's governor and many business and civic leaders.