Unlv Gaming Podcast

RJ Rowley, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Platteville "Neon Beyond the Neon: The Geography of Locals Casinos" In this talk, Rowley discusses his research into the origins of the locals casino phenomenon in Las Vegas. Locals casinos, which cater primarily to residents of the city rather than tourists, date from the 1970s and are a characteristic development of the local landscape. Rowley also links the expansion of the locals gaming market with the proliferation of casino gambling across the United States.

There's a new podcast up: Paulina Raento's lecture on "The Naming of Gaming in Nevada."

24- August 11, 2010 Joseph Mazur, Author, What's Luck Got to Do With It? In this interview, Dr. Mazur discusses his new book, which combines history, psychology, and mathematics in its exploration of the persistent hold that luck has on the human psyche. An emerius professor of mathematics at Marlboro College and Guggenheim fellow, his book is a welcome edition to the study of gambling.Listen to the audio fileProfessor Joseph Mazur--webpageBuy the book (Amazon.com)

New podcast up: an interview with Jack Harpster, who's written a book about IGT founder Si Redd.  Here's the summary:   23-August 5, 2010 Jack Harpster, Author, King of the Slots: William "Si" Redd In this interview, Harpster discusses his background and his new book about IGT founder Si Redd. Listen to the audio file (mp3) Buy the book (Amazon.com)

There's a new podcast available in iTunes and on the podcast page:Jack Effel, Vice President, International Poker Operations and Director, World Series of Poker at Harrah's Entertainment In this interview, conducted June 14, 2010, WSOP Director Jack Effel talks about his early interest in poker, the path of his career, and the logistics behind puttng on the World Series of Poker. It's an extremely informative interview, and a must-listen for anyone interested in how tournament poker works. Great talk with someone who is passionate about his work.  Highly recommended listening. Thanks to Jack for taking more than an hour in the middle of the tournament to share his story with us all--he's a true class act.

The latest UNLV Gaming Podcast is up.  Our May Gaming Research Fellow, Laura Cook Kenna, talks about: "The Promise of Gangster Glamour: Sinatra, Vegas and the Allure of Excess" Abstract: In the 1950s and 60s, both Vegas and Sinatra linked the conspicuous display of excess with a promise that tourists could be participants--not just onlookers--in their glamorous realm.  The city and the star, however, also had something else in common: both were allegedly underwritten by the mob.  This paper/talk examines how Rat Pack performances and Vegas spaces offered access to "the good life" even as innuendos of gangsterism tacitly associated that lavish lifestyle with ethnic difference. 

        New podcast up: April's Gaming Research fellow, Theodor Gordon, gives a talk on tribal sovereignty and labor relations at tribal casinos.  It's a great summary of Indian gaming history with plenty of detail about current labor issues.  Here's the abstract: The impact of tribal casinos on job creation is well documented.  However, the increasing employment of non-Indians in tribal casinos creates new cultural and political challenges.  What unique workplace anxieties emerge in a tribal casino? How might new tribal labor regulations impinge on tribal self-determination? In this talk, I address these questions through a systematic examination of tribal casino trade publications. By analyzing the language (especially the symbols and metaphors) mobilized by industry insiders as they disseminate strategies to mitigate these challenges, I demonstrate how recent developments in tribal labor relations reflect broader shifts in the boundaries of tribal self-determination.            

This podcast features an interview with the Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling recorded March 25, 2010 at the Nevada State Conference on Problem Gambling, held at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.. Whyte talks about how he become interested in problem gambling treatment and advocacy and the current state of problem gambling research.019_whyte.mp3

        We've got our latest podcast up: the Colloquium talk by our March 2010 Gaming Fellow, Pascale Nedelec, " Urban Dynamics in the Las Vegas Valley: Casinos and Sprawl." Here's her abstract of the talk: Las Vegas is well known for its urban sprawl. While the casino industry has played an obvious role in the development of Las Vegas, no systematic study has evaluated the exact nature of urban growth and the rise of neighborhood casinos. This presentation examines whether the neighborhood casinos are a driving force for urban sprawl, or if they are a local outgrowth of residential developments and master-planned communities. It's a good listen.   UNLV Gaming Podcast 18: Pascale Nedelec  

    017_mcbeath.mp3             The latest podcast is up; it's an interview with Aria Resort and Casino President and COO Bill McBeath.  A Las Vegas native and UNLV alum, McBeath has had an interesting career, to say the least, and has worked for some of the biggest names in the business--Michael Gaughan, Steve Wynn, and Kirk Kerkorian.  As the man responsible for opening the Strip's latest casino, he gives a unique perspective on the behind-the-scenes drama of launching a new property.  

We've got our latest podcast up, a Gaming Research Colloquium talk by WMS Gaming VP of Marketing Rob Bone. In it, he traces his career path and talks about how slot makers develop and market new games, as well as what sets WMS apart. 016_bone.mp3

We've got our 15th podcast up. This one features Global Gaming Business publisher Roger Gros and is an informative and revealing look back at his years on both sides of the table. If you've ever wanted to know about how the media covers gambling, this is a must-listen. 015_gros.mp3

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At the 14th International Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking, Dr. Schwartz talks to Dennis Conrad about casino marketing hits and misses and his new book, Conrad on Casino Marketing. This quick interview with one of the masters of casino marketing is a must-listen for anyone who's interested in how casinos reach out to their players. 012_conrad.mp3

This afternoon, Dr. Ole Bjerg of the Copenhagen Business School gave a talk at UNLV called "What's in a Game? The Co-Evolution of Poker and Capitalism.011_bjerg.mp3

At the 14th International Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking, Dr. Schwartz interviews Dr. Evans, who presented a paper on the risk intelligence of expert gamblers. When it comes to assessing risk, expert gamblers are far better than doctors, even good ones.  It's an interesting conversation about a fascinating field of research. For more information, see his website: http://www.dylan.org.uk/.  

At the 14th International Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking, Dr. Schwartz interviews Dr. Walker, getting his perspective on the applicability of "social cost of gambling" studies, casinos and crime, his latest book, and more. It's a great interview with one of the most astute economists of gambling around.   #9: Douglas Walker

This is a spur-of-the-moment interview with John M. Blink, co-author of California Hotel and Casino: Hawai'i's Home Away From Home. Mr. Blink discusses his long tenure with Sam and Bill Boyd and his efforts to understand the Hawai'i market.   008_blink.mp3  

We've got a new podcast up: Steve Cyr, legendary Las Vegas superhost, shooting from the hip on his career, high rollers, and the Hard Rock.  It's great stuff, and a dynamic, behind-the-scenes look at Las Vegas.007_cyr.mp3