Chuck Keeling: The Integration of Responsible Gaming Practices and Culture at Casino Service Provider Level Presented at the New Horizons in Responsible Gambling Conference in Vancouver, February 2-4, 2015

3. Mr. Chuck Keeling
Vice President, Stakeholder Relations and Responsible Gambling
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation

5. Integration and Importance of
Responsible Gaming Practices
at the Casino Operator Level

6. Who We Are
• BC-based company founded in 1982
• 4600 employees in 4 jurisdictions
• 16 properties - 10 casinos, hotel resort, theatres,
4 racetracks, 3 CGC’s
• Fundamentally, a service provider to our Crown
agents in BC, Nova Scotia

8. Corporate RG Department
Responsible for
• Policy development
• Operational support
• Training
• Marketing oversight
• Compliance
• RG Integration

9. What We Really Are …
GCGC
Operations
GC RG Dept.
Provincial
Regulators

10. Offered RG Programs
RG Features BC Nova Scotia Racetrack Venues in Ontario Washington State
RG Policies and Procedures
✔ ✔ In progress In progress
VSE
✔ ✔ Guests are referred to OLG’s VSE
program
Not currently
Employee Training
✔ ✔ In progress
✔
Responsible Gaming Kiosks,
Information Centres and Advisors ✔ ✔ Guests are referred to OLG kiosks
and centres
No
RG Literature
✔ ✔ Some materials available
✔
Problem Gaming Help Line
Assistance ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Marketing Standards
✔ ✔ Not currently Not currently
Involvement and Awareness
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
RG Check Accreditation
✔ In progress Not applicable No
Appropriate Service of Alcohol
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

11. RG Check Accreditation
• Accreditation program created by the Responsible
Gambling Council (RGC)
• Standards provide independent benchmarks for the
content, quality and breadth of RG programs delivered
by gaming providers

12. Our Fundamental Objective…
• To develop a company-based RG strategy that is over and
above the mandated minimum directed by the provincial
Crown agents.
• Drive RG engagement at the site and community level by
supporting company generated education, promotions and
events.

13. Incremental Tactics
• RG Site Committees
• Policy and Guide
• RG Training for non-gaming staff
• Employee Campaign
• RG Day at each GC location
• RG Check
Recommendations

14. Employee Survey Takeaways
• 59% of GC employees (who participated in the survey) believe
RG is ‘very important’ to their particular role/position
• 85% of GC employees rate their understanding of problem
gambling signs as 'very good’ and ‘good’
• 70% of GC employees feel ‘very comfortable’ and ‘comfortable’
when responding to a guest who expresses concerns about
their gambling.
• 60% of GC employees feel ‘very comfortable’ and ‘comfortable’
about responding to a guest who is angry or upset about how
much they lost.

15. Employee Survey Takeaways
“What would be helpful to enhance your knowledge of
responsible gaming?”
• Having a one-on-one session with the GameSense
Advisor (Site RG Advisors) at least once a year
• More training and hands on practice related to
difficult conversations with guests

16. Employee Survey Takeaways
• Conflict resolution tactics related to angry/upset
customers
• More frequent training - help “fill in the gaps”
• Information related to the success of the RG programs
and the recovery process

17. External Stakeholder Survey Findings –
Non-Customer
• Acknowledge problem gambling - be honest and transparent
• Share how GCGC is addressing the problem but not make it
the focus
“People have the right to choose to gamble or not”
“Be a leader in addressing community concern
around responsible gambling”

18. External Stakeholder Survey Findings –
Non-Customer
• Address the credibility gap around problem gambling in the industry
and public perception that problem gamblers are casinos’ best
customers
• It is better to take a collaborative approach with government to
address the issue
“The self-exclusion program exists but is spectacularly unsuccessful”
“It has to be a genuine concern versus pretending and doing as little as
one can”

19. External Stakeholder Survey Findings –
Customer
• Customers were clear on their sentiment- they recognize
programs and resources are available
• They expect casinos to operate responsibly
• Mandatory ID’ing when entering casino:
• More frequent guests were dismissive
• Less frequent/younger guests expressed similar reservations
“The intention is admirable but the implementation is tricky”

20. Voluntary Self-Exclusion
• In 2014, one of GC’s BC sites had 348 VSE applications
• VSE applications with a GSA- 144; without a GSA- 182
• 802 violations
• LPR’s assisted in stopping 155 VSE violators from entering the
property
• Ikiosks (ID swipe for guests 30 and under) stopped 119 VSE
violators

21. Voluntary Self-Exclusion Observations
• LPR is an operational asset that provides good detection
support for staff
• Lack of breaching consequences a key issue
• Staff want to understand and know what happens to VSE’s
in terms of improvement and treatment
• It only works when there is a will to comply; despite the
breaches, we believe they represent the minority

22. Key Learnings & Observations
• We realize RG continues to evolve - we want RG to be part of
our corporate culture
• We recognize we are not the experts - we will continue to learn
from Crown partners and industry best practices
• Focus on an outcome-based approach
• Encourage training opportunities for employees
• Want to work with Crown partners to enhance/improve the
VSE process

23. Key Learnings & Observations
• Importance of problem gambling as a health issue
• Industry needs to stress the importance and benefits of RGC
• Operators have a role with program/policy development

24. Why This Matters
• We need to build our business with a long term focus that
includes healthy players/customers
• Industry’s reputation and social license depends on operating
responsibly
• Our staff have told us that they see RG as important part of
the customer service they can provide
• It is the right thing do to

25. Q&A

26. Thank You

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