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SEIGMA News

Volberg Speaks to the Portland Press Herald re: the Economic Impacts of Casinos

Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA) University of Massachusetts Amherst SPHHS

Rachel Volberg, SEIGMA's Principal Investigator, speaks to the Portland Press Herald on research versus projections concerning the economic impacts of casinos. 

“In my experience, casino development projects are often associated with rosy projections about the jobs and tax revenue that will be created,” said Rachel Volberg, principal investigator on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts study. “However, efforts to actually monitor those impacts and assess their magnitude are rarely undertaken.”

Read more here

SEIGMA Blog: Gambling intensity and formats matter most, Volberg and co-authors find

Alissa Mazar, SEIGMA's project manager, summarizes Volberg and co-authors' most recent contribution to the gambling literature, “Forms of gambling, gambling involvement, and problem gambling: Evidence from a Swedish population survey.” 

Dr. Rachel Volberg, the Principal Investigator of the SEIGMA study, has recently published “Forms of gambling, gambling involvement, and problem gambling: Evidence from a Swedish population survey” in International Gambling Studies. Working in collaboration with colleagues from Sweden, Volberg’s article makes a distinct contribution to the gambling literature by teasing out how participating in specific forms of gambling, the number of gambling formats, and intensity (i.e., time and money spent) relate to problem gambling.

Read here

SEIGMA Blog: SEIGMA-MAGIC Annual Meeting

Alissa Mazar, the Project Manager of SEIGMA-MAGIC, shares her first experience at the 2017 SEIGMA-MAGIC Annual Meeting.

I could use many words to describe my first experience at the SEIGMA-MAGIC Annual Meeting. A few come to mind: thought provoking, motivating, engaging, and cutting-edge. Personally, however, the most accurate word to capture my experience is ‘humbling.’ As the new project manager on this first of its kind study on the social and economic impacts of expanded gambling, I came to see, first-hand, what the minds of the SEIGMA-MAGIC team do.

Read here

 

Volberg Speaks to the Hartford Courant Re: Connecticut Gambling Expansion

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Rachel Volberg, Principal Investigator of the SEIGMA-MAGIC projects, weighs in on the expansion of gambling in Connecticut.

"What we've seen in many, many jurisdictions that get major introductions of gambling is a sharp uptick in problem gambling for one or two years and then a decline in prevalence," said Rachel A. Volberg. "But these people still remain at a greater risk, and that's more people in population with a potential problem with gambling."

Read the full article here.

SEIGMA Blog: Working at Plainridge Park Casino

The Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA) study is part of the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences

Andrew Hall of the UMass Donahue Institute, a member of the economic and fiscal analysis team for the SEIGMA project, wrote a blog explaining the team's analysis of two years worth of data from new employees at Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, MA. Among their findings were that  50.1 percent of new hires were part-time workers or unemployed before working at the casino, and major reasons for seeking jobs at the casino were better pay, benefits, and career advancement. Read the blog here.

Volberg speaks with New York Times about problem gambling among women

Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA) University of Massachusetts Amherst SPHHS

SEIGMA PI Rachel Volberg is among the gambling experts who spoke to The New York Times for a recent article examining problem gambling among women.  

Though problem gambling appears to be on the rise among women at or near retirement, hard numbers are difficult to find.

“There’s not much support for gambling research in the U.S.,” Volberg explained.

Read more here.

SEIGMA Blog: In-Depth Analysis of Gambling and Problem Gambling Predictors

The Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA) study is part of the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences

Rachel Volberg, Principal Investigator on the SEIGMA project, wrote a blog examining results of the team's in-depth analysis of factors that are gambling and problem gambling predictors in Massachusetts. The team found the strongest predictor was the portion of friends and family that are regular gamblers was the strongest predictor. Read the blog here.

MGC Chair includes SEIGMA study in opinion piece about safeguards of Expanded Gaming Act

Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA) University of Massachusetts Amherst SPHHS

A recent opinion piece by Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) chair Stephen Crosby in the Boston Globe explains the safeguards for gamblers under the Expanded Gaming Act, which legalized casino gambling in the state. Crosby lists the SEIGMA study among the elements of the law meant to protect customers at Massachusetts casinos. 

"This research will inform and empower regulators and legislators to address any issues that Massachusetts communities have not already anticipated," he writes. Read more here.

SEIGMA findings on negative impacts of gambling generate press coverage

Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA) University of Massachusetts Amherst SPHHS

The SEIGMA team's recent report on the Baseline Online Panel Survey (BOPS) generated coverage by several media outlets, especially the findings on the most prevalent negative impacts of gambling. Among the media covering the report were Northeast Public Radio, and WWLP television news.

SEIGMA Blog: impacts of gambling in Massachusetts

Robert Williams, co-Principal Investigator on the SEIGMA project, penned a blog explaining the team's recently published Baseline Online Panel Survey (BOPS) of gamblers in Massachusetts. Read the blog here.

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Topics for Debate

As March Madness looms, growth in legalized sports betting may pose a threat to college athletes

March 10, 2023

The Conversation discusses the impact of legalized sports betting on college athletes. "The risk for addiction on campus is real. According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, over 2 million adults in the U.S. have a “serious” gambling problem, and another 4 million to 6 million may have mild to moderate problems. One report estimates that 6% of college students have a serious gambling problem."

Are sports gamblers at greater risk for problem gambling? Can they find help?

February 9, 2023

Millions of people are expected to gamble in the Superbowl. In the Conversation, Lia Nower presents findings from New Jersey suggesting young sports gamblers are at increased risk of losing money and developing problem gambling. Also in the Conversation, James Whelan looks at some of the challenges in finding and financing treatment for problem gambling, and the lack of funding for research into gambling disorders.

 

Gambling Disorder Screening Day is Tuesday, March 14, 2023

February 9, 2023

The Cambridge Health Alliance Division on Addiction has prepared an extensive toolkit with resources and information on gambling disorder, including an easy screener anyone can administer.

 

New York Times reporting on changing gambling practices

December 26, 2022

A personal account of a reporter signing up for sports betting and and a piece on casinos targetting older Asian gamblers are among the new thought provoking journalism published in the New York Times.

Read about sports gambling here and Asians at casinos here.

 

Key findings from The Times' investigation of sports betting

November 20, 2022

The New York Times examined thousands of pages of documents and interviewed lobbyists, executives, lawmakers, regulators and others to understand how the sports-betting industry grew so big so fast. 

Read the full story here. 

 

The introduction of a Las Vegas-style resort casino in New York City

June 5, 2022

The New York Times reports on the recent decision of state lawmakers to allow the introduction of full-service casinos in the New York City area. What are the implications of this venture? What could be the economic benefits and social impacts?

Read the full story here. 

 

Can gambling juice fandom for women’s sports?

March 11, 2020 

The Conversation asks whether or not gambling on women's sports could level the playing field. 
"As researchers and teachers who have focused on gender equality and women’s sports, we wonder if there might be new ways to market women’s sports that engages more fans. Specifically: Could gambling and fantasy sports help narrow the gap?" Read the full story here. 

    Data Spotlight

    Check out the new data tool created by the Pioneer Valley Data Collaborative: "A one-stop shop for accessible, customizable information that provides the public, nonprofits, municipalities, and charitable foundations with a user-friendly tool to examine and assess a wide range of regional metrics." pioneervalleydata.org/

     

     

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