Gambling Can Be Good for You
Jan Jones, senior vice president of communications for Harrah's Entertainment and former mayor of Las Vegas, feels the entertainment value of gambling is underestimated: "There are people who spend $300 for a round of golf, but if you tell them you put $50 in a slot machine, they look at you like you're absurd." In fact, an expert on gambling addiction says a small amount of recreational gambling may actually be good for you, especially if you are older. Dr. Howard Shaffer, director of the division of addictions at Harvard Medical School, told attendees at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas this week that research suggests gambling may be good for the heart and brain. "A low level of excitement, like you get from gambling, is good for the cardiovascular system," explains Shaffer. "And cognitive behavior, like problem solving, is good for older adults."
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Healthy gambling?
Addiction expert says small bit of betting might help heart
LAS VEGAS - A small amount of gambling may be good for people, especially older adults, just like a low level of drinking is good for the heart, an expert on gambling addiction said Thursday.
Dr. Howard Shaffer, director of the division of addictions at Harvard Medical School, said during the Global Gaming Expo that research suggests that gambling may be good for the heart and the brain.
"A low level of excitement, like you get from gambling, is good for the cardiovascular system," said Shaffer, who was a participant in G2E's signature series "American Voices: Gauging the Public Landscape on Gaming." "And cognitive behavior, like problem solving, is good for older adults."
Playing games is an important activity for adults and children, and Shaffer said for most adults, gambling can fill that niche.
Jan Jones - a former mayor of Las Vegas and now a senior vice president of communications for Harrah's Entertainment, which is set to become the world's largest casino company -said many people don't understand the entertainment of gambling.
"There are people who spend $300 for a round of golf, but if you tell them you put $50 in a slot machine, they look at you like you're absurd," she said.
"American Voices" was hosted by Frank Luntz, the Republican Party pollster who has conducted surveys for the American Gaming Association. Participating in the discussion along with Shaffer and Jones were David Creary, the acting chief executive officer of Aristocrat Technologies, and 13 tourists.
Luntz said comments from the tourists echoed much of his findings from polling for the AGA. Only one of the tourists said she would like to see a casino built within 15 minutes of her home, and the overwhelming majority said the blame for problem gambling falls on individuals, not on casinos.
Despite this widespread pass the public gives the gambling industry on problem gambling, Luntz said, casino companies face grave danger from class action lawsuits.
"Trial lawyers have got you in their sights," he said. "The next five or 10 years could be horrific."
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/business/6807425.htm
Jan Jones, senior vice president of communications for Harrah's Entertainment and former mayor of Las Vegas, feels the entertainment value of gambling is underestimated: "There are people who spend $300 for a round of golf, but if you tell them you put $50 in a slot machine, they look at you like you're absurd." In fact, an expert on gambling addiction says a small amount of recreational gambling may actually be good for you, especially if you are older. Dr. Howard Shaffer, director of the division of addictions at Harvard Medical School, told attendees at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas this week that research suggests gambling may be good for the heart and brain. "A low level of excitement, like you get from gambling, is good for the cardiovascular system," explains Shaffer. "And cognitive behavior, like problem solving, is good for older adults."
----------------------------------------
Healthy gambling?
Addiction expert says small bit of betting might help heart
LAS VEGAS - A small amount of gambling may be good for people, especially older adults, just like a low level of drinking is good for the heart, an expert on gambling addiction said Thursday.
Dr. Howard Shaffer, director of the division of addictions at Harvard Medical School, said during the Global Gaming Expo that research suggests that gambling may be good for the heart and the brain.
"A low level of excitement, like you get from gambling, is good for the cardiovascular system," said Shaffer, who was a participant in G2E's signature series "American Voices: Gauging the Public Landscape on Gaming." "And cognitive behavior, like problem solving, is good for older adults."
Playing games is an important activity for adults and children, and Shaffer said for most adults, gambling can fill that niche.
Jan Jones - a former mayor of Las Vegas and now a senior vice president of communications for Harrah's Entertainment, which is set to become the world's largest casino company -said many people don't understand the entertainment of gambling.
"There are people who spend $300 for a round of golf, but if you tell them you put $50 in a slot machine, they look at you like you're absurd," she said.
"American Voices" was hosted by Frank Luntz, the Republican Party pollster who has conducted surveys for the American Gaming Association. Participating in the discussion along with Shaffer and Jones were David Creary, the acting chief executive officer of Aristocrat Technologies, and 13 tourists.
Luntz said comments from the tourists echoed much of his findings from polling for the AGA. Only one of the tourists said she would like to see a casino built within 15 minutes of her home, and the overwhelming majority said the blame for problem gambling falls on individuals, not on casinos.
Despite this widespread pass the public gives the gambling industry on problem gambling, Luntz said, casino companies face grave danger from class action lawsuits.
"Trial lawyers have got you in their sights," he said. "The next five or 10 years could be horrific."
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/business/6807425.htm
