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Article
Publication date: 1 February 2013

Catherine Prentice

Building and maintaining service quality is one means of retaining customers and thus establishing competitive advantage in the casino industry. The current study aims to…

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Abstract

Purpose

Building and maintaining service quality is one means of retaining customers and thus establishing competitive advantage in the casino industry. The current study aims to investigate the relationship between casino service quality, player segments and customer loyalty in an Asian casino.

Design/methodology/approach

The research involves the conduct of focus group interviews with different segments of gamblers.

Findings

The interview findings indicate that players at different segments have distinct perceptions of service quality. Operationalising service quality into five dimensions, this study has shown that various dimensions of service quality have differing effects on customer loyalty, and the level of loyalty varies across different segments.

Research limitations/implications

It is insufficient to view service quality as the customer's judgement about an entity's overall excellence or superiority as has been defined in the services literature. Differing perceptions and attitudes arise with customers of different segments and are resultant from the variety of service encounters that a customer experiences. To obtain positive customer perceptions towards the organisation's service quality, it is advisable to manage each service encounter closely and to develop service encounters nuanced to the expectations of different segments.

Originality/value

This is the first study to incorporate customer pyramid segmentation approach into the analysis of the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty. It provides insights into the relationship between service quality, customer segments and customer loyalty through interviewing casino customers of different segments based on customers' services preferences and the card segmentation system employed by the survey casino

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 25 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 September 2018

Jonathan Barsky

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new customer segmentation model for the social casino industry. The key contribution of this model is the introduction of original…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new customer segmentation model for the social casino industry. The key contribution of this model is the introduction of original psychographic/taste data, including a player emotions scale.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for this research are based on player feedback from 22 countries, with evaluations of the top 100 social casino titles (apps). The new segmentation model splits the industry into distinct customer groups based on spending patterns, behavioral dimensions and attitudinal dimensions.

Findings

The results provide insight into game mechanics, social dynamics, player emotions, spend, price sensitivity, loyalty and other elements that impact monetization. Critical behaviors and preferences of social casino players that will help companies better understand and connect with their target customers are described.

Originality/value

This is the first study to develop a rigorous segmentation model of social casino games based on behavioral and psychographic data.

Details

International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, vol. 10 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-669X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 April 2013

Sarah Tanford and Eunju Suh

Casinos offer a variety of dining experiences to appeal to the tastes of different customers. The aim of this paper is to investigate the indirect impact of dining by restaurant…

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Abstract

Purpose

Casinos offer a variety of dining experiences to appeal to the tastes of different customers. The aim of this paper is to investigate the indirect impact of dining by restaurant type on gaming by worth segment.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from two hotel‐casinos were analyzed using time series regression analysis. Variables representing restaurant covers at steakhouse, buffet and casual dining venues were used to predict slot coin‐in for five customer worth segments.

Findings

Steakhouse dining was a significant predictor of slot coin‐in for high worth players, buffet and casual dining were related to low‐worth gaming volume, whereas medium‐worth players were impacted by a range of dining options.

Research limitations/implications

Regression analysis does not imply causality, and the results may not hold for other casino properties or sample time periods.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for the optimal restaurant mix at casinos and the types of offers that are given to different customer worth segments. This study also helps casino operators evaluate the profitability of each type of restaurant they operate.

Originality/value

The research fills a gap in the casino literature by segmenting customers using the same metric as casino operators, namely gaming worth. It provides new insight into indirect dining‐gaming relationships by investigating different restaurant types.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 25 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2013

Sandy C. Chen, Stowe Shoemaker and Dina Marie V. Zemke

Slot machines and other machine gaming generate between 65 percent and 90 percent of a US casino's revenue. This article aims to examine the motivations, behaviors, and…

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Abstract

Purpose

Slot machines and other machine gaming generate between 65 percent and 90 percent of a US casino's revenue. This article aims to examine the motivations, behaviors, and preferences of slot machine customers, and to develop market segments.

Design/methodology/approach

The study's objectives include: understanding the demographic, gambling motivation, and gambling behavioral characteristics of slot machine players; identifying important reasons for choosing one slot machine game over another; examining player attitudes and behaviors pertaining to progressive machines; and investigating player desire for theme‐based games. This was accomplished through an online survey of slot machine players.

Findings

Profiles of slot machine players are developed and the slot players are segmented into four clusters that explain motivations and game preferences.

Practical implications

This article fills in some of the gaps in understanding the gambling behavior of slot players. This study can help gaming machine manufacturers design new products and features to serve existing machine gaming customers and to attract new customers. Casino and other gaming operators can use this information not only to select the right types of machines to provide on‐site, but also to develop advertising and promotions to attract and retain new and existing customers for slot machines and other types of gaming machines.

Originality/value

This is the first published study that segments slot machine players from a marketing perspective and identifies their preferences, behaviors, and demographic groupings.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 25 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 November 2014

Eunju Suh and Matt Alhaery

This paper aims to, considering the potential to generate additional revenue from cross-gamers, identify variables predicting predominant slot-players’ propensity to play table…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to, considering the potential to generate additional revenue from cross-gamers, identify variables predicting predominant slot-players’ propensity to play table games, as well as predominant table-game players’ propensity to play slots (cross-game play). Casino marketers often promote cross-game play through game lessons and coupons for game trial.

Design/methodology/approach

Logistic regression analysis was performed on the player data provided by a destination hotel casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Furthermore, the authors described how to estimate propensity scores, the probability of cross-game play, at the individual level, using a logistic regression equation.

Findings

Comparisons of cross-gamers versus non cross-gamers indicated that the amount of play and gaming values of cross-gamers were much higher than those of slot-only players. The results of a logistic regression analysis show that a player’s cross-gaming propensity can be predicted using gaming-related behavioral data. More specifically, cross-gaming propensities were associated with the frequency and recency of casino trips, the amount of money won or lost in gaming, player values to the casino, the duration of play and the length of a customer–casino relationship.

Research limitations/implications

It is recommended that future research apply the model tested herein to other samples and investigate other predictor variables to develop a better predictive model for cross-game play.

Practical implications

The findings and the model introduced herein could help casino marketers identify players with cross-gaming propensity and develop more targeted strategies for customer-relationship management and database marketing.

Originality/value

This study is the first attempt to estimate the cross-gaming propensity at the individual level and offers detailed guidance on how to use the propensity scores for targeting specific customers.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 26 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 October 2009

Sudhir H. Kale and Mark T. Spence

Most of the growth in casino expansion for the foreseeable future will take place in Asia. Western casino operators appreciate the immense opportunities afforded by the Asian…

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Abstract

Purpose

Most of the growth in casino expansion for the foreseeable future will take place in Asia. Western casino operators appreciate the immense opportunities afforded by the Asian markets, but judging by their performance abroad some have not adapted in ways necessary to survive and prosper. The purpose of this paper is to expose key differences between Asian and Western gaming jurisdictions. In light of these differences, it is a serious mistake for Western casino executives to follow an ethnocentric approach when planning marketing activities and customer service initiatives for Asian customers. To rectify this situation, a framework is advanced that will assist Western operators to adapt to Asian markets.

Design/methodology/approach

Differences between Asian and Western gamblers in both their game preferences and behaviours are based upon cited data sources and upon the authors' observations during flied trips to various casino jurisdictions. When appropriate, insights gleaned from a series of informal interviews conducted with senior executives in Macau as well as gaming‐related consulting conducted by the authors in both Asia and North America are shared, albeit for legal reasons the sources are confidential. The TROPICS framework presented herein was developed by the lead author and presented to senior gaming executives at the University of Nevada, Reno 2008 executive development program. The seven elements of this framework – now refined – are targeting, retention, organization, people, incentives, culture, and systems.

Findings

This paper concludes that in order to better serve Asian markets, there is an urgent need to empirically assess patron behavior and the attendant casino marketing adaptations that will be required to succeed in these markets.

Practical implications

A series of questions and issues related to each of the seven elements in the TROPICS framework are raised. The proposed framework is equally applicable to firms operating in Western countries as well as those in Asia; however, when put into practice, the outcome will be different marketing strategies adapted to each casino's market structure and macro‐environment. Regardless of context, this systematic approach to strategy formulation will ensure consistency and alignment across various elements of strategy.

Originality/value

The paper identifies the differences between Asian and Western gamblers to assist Western operators to adapt to Asian markets.

Details

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, vol. 1 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-4217

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2013

Sang Mi Jeon, Vincent P. Magnini, Insin Kim and Sunghyup Sean Hyun

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the roles of five drivers of service quality (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) and perceived…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the roles of five drivers of service quality (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) and perceived winning in the gaming behavior of table game players; and second, to test the moderating effects of table game players' demographic and situational factors (gender, education level, parenting status, and proximity to a casino).

Design/methodology/approach

A review of the current literature in the above‐mentioned areas revealed 13 theoretical hypotheses, from which the authors derived a structural model. The model was tested utilizing data collected from 383 US casino patrons that primarily played table games during visits to casinos. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were utilized to test the proposed theoretical relationships.

Findings

The results indicate that various dimensions of perceived service quality (including tangibles, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) in casinos, as well as casino patrons' perceived winning have considerable influence on their satisfaction. Brand affect and game spending were found to be influenced by the patron satisfaction with table games. The relationship between perceived empathy and table game satisfaction was stronger for females than for males; the relationship between perceived winning and table game satisfaction was stronger for those with lower levels of formal education; and the relationship between table game satisfaction and game spending was stronger for table game players without children and for those residing near a casino.

Originality/value

This study provides an empirical analysis of the effects of perceived service quality at table games and perceived winning on table game players' satisfaction, brand affect, and game spending. The results of this study may be utilized to aid casino operators to better tailor their marketing efforts and improve returns on investments.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 25 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 30 December 2004

Terry Austrin and Jackie West

The legalization of gambling is moving this once deviant sector into the mainstream of commercial entertainment, with the global hotel-casino increasingly adopted as a state…

Abstract

The legalization of gambling is moving this once deviant sector into the mainstream of commercial entertainment, with the global hotel-casino increasingly adopted as a state initiative on economic redevelopment. But corporate capitalist interests do not result in universal trends since local regulatory frameworks are crucial. Although gambling is being normalized as mass consumption, it remains to some extent an exceptional business, subject both to global innovation in the technology of surveillance and variable local controls. The paper argues that the effects of glocalization on the organization of work are equally variable, drawing on fieldwork and case studies from the USA, Australasia and the U.K.

Details

Globalism/Localism at Work
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-229-0

Article
Publication date: 1 December 1998

Nerilee Hing, Vivienne McCabe, Peter Lewis and Neil Leiper

This paper reviews recent trends in major hospitality sectors in the Asia‐Pacific region. Observes that the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE), backpacker…

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Abstract

This paper reviews recent trends in major hospitality sectors in the Asia‐Pacific region. Observes that the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE), backpacker, and bed and breakfast sectors are growing, characterised by burgeoning market demand, proliferation of specialist infrastructure, sector‐specific education and training, and dedicated development and marketing strategies. The casino sector is facing major challenges, seeing declining demand in some areas. Competitive forces are evident in the licensed clubs sector, where a proliferation of gambling options has undermined traditional sources of revenue. Conversely, the hotel and restaurant sectors can be considered mature. There is increased attention to facilities development, asset management, market segmentation and use of new technologies, and the restaurant sector appears focused on product revitalisation. Concludes that the recent economic turmoil in Asia will no doubt produce new challenges, as well as opportunities, in the lead up to the next millennium.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 10 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 26 March 2020

Wickham Clayton

With three credited scriptwriters and five credited directors, the 1967 release of Casino Royale saw a gang of multifaceted James Bond 007s facing off against an army of…

Abstract

With three credited scriptwriters and five credited directors, the 1967 release of Casino Royale saw a gang of multifaceted James Bond 007s facing off against an army of beautiful, hypersexualised, personality-less female spies, headed by the real James Bond’s neurotic, insecure, American nephew Jimmy. Perhaps this wasn’t Fleming’s intended storyline for Bond’s first outing at Casino Royale, but the resulting parodic outing absorbed and commented upon some of the inherent gendered archetypes of Fleming’s work. What the 1967 Casino Royale accomplishes is a narrative which contrasts varieties of masculinity which are segmented forms of the masculinity defined by Fleming’s Bond. This chapter compares the masculinity of Bond developed in Fleming’s novel, before examining the representations of masculinity inherent within the four key male characters: Sir James Bond (David Niven), Evelyn Tremble (Peter Sellers), Cooper (Terence Cooper) and Dr Noah/Jimmy Bond (Woody Allen). By showing the depictions of masculine elements each of these characters embodies, along with the metanarrative elements of each performer’s persona, this chapter aims to identify how the 1967 Casino Royale both faithfully depicts the masculine elements of Bond while at the same time satirizing Bond’s particular brand of masculinity. This examination ultimately argues that this segmentation of Bondian masculinity is the core point of cohesion in a deeply incoherent, parodic film adaptation of Fleming’s novel.

Details

From Blofeld to Moneypenny: Gender in James Bond
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83867-163-1

Keywords

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