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The winning gamble of training

11 May 2024 - 06:35

The management of gaming activities is a job that requires qualified and always up-to-date skills, as highlighted by Anthony F. Lucas, professor of Casino management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Written by Anna Maria Rengo
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Nevada and Las Vegas have made gaming their main economic activity and a tourist attraction that has seen evolutions, but not declines. All this, of course, did not happen and does not continue by chance, but also thanks to an appropriate training of managers.
Anthony F. Lucas, professor of Casino management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is sure of it.

“Training is very important. Probability math and statistics lie at the core of the gambling business. These are difficult subjects for most people, but they are central to the revenue production of the games. Understanding how the games produce a profit is critical to success as a manager. The casino business is notably unique and nuanced, exaggerating the importance of specific training”. 

What are the main subjects of this training and how are these subjects changing over time?

“Statistics, probability math, operations analysis, casino management, casino marketing, casino accounting, game protection (i.e., security and surveillance), operating systems and technology. Aside from the latter, the fundamentals of most subjects are fairly stable. Topical coverage within statistics, probability math, and casino marketing can change with the advent of new play incentives. Change can occur within the domain of casino operations, as it is affected with new technologies”.

Has the pandemic structurally changed anything in the training needs and organization?

“I am not aware of fundamental changes, but some minor adjustments may have occurred”.

How much importance does the University of Nevada give to the topic of training for the gaming sector and how does it collaborate with the operators?

“I feel like Unlv could do much more in the area of casino operations and casino marketing, but we do have the Sands Center and the International Gaming Institute (Igi). The mission of both of these entities is to connect with the industry on training and education. So, the infrastructure is there, but of course, the industry must perceive a need for training and education. That remains a crucial requirement. Still, in some areas, we could do a better job of communicating how our collective expertise could help the industry address its specific training and education needs. I believe there is considerable potential for a broader and mutually beneficial partnership between the university and the industry. That said, the Igi has done a masterful job of connecting to the industry, with respect to regulatory and Rg issues. The Igi is definitely a point of pride for us, as is the Unlv Gaming Research & Review Journal. The journal is most helpful in connecting with the industry on cutting-edge issues facing the industry”.

Looking from your observatory in Nevada to Europe, do you find the business models and training of gaming operators appropriate or would there be a need for greater innovation (and perhaps even training)?

“Aside from coverage of the fundamentals within the gaming course curriculum, there is not really a specific training model. Instead, the training and education for the industry-driven requests is administered on a case-by-case basis. Of course, I am referring to the Sands Center and Ifgi regarding the industry requests for training”.

WHO IS HIM?! - Anthony F. Lucas received his Ph.D. in 2000, following a ten-year career in the gaming industry where he worked in the areas of financial and operations analysis for Harrah’s, MGM, and Stations Casinos. Currently, HE is a tenured full professor on the faculty of UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, teaching courses in the areas of casino marketing, casino management, and statistics. He has coauthored four books, including Wiley’s Casino Operations Management, Introduction to Casino Management, and Principles of Casino Marketing, published by Whiley. After having won several awards for his research in the fields of casino marketing and casino operations, he has published 51 gaming articles in scholarly journals such as Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, and the International Journal of Hospitality Management. He also actively serves as a consultant to gaming companies and government agencies, conducting research and delivering management seminars across the globe. 

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