ABSTRACT
As the only industry research chapter in this marketing handbook, this last chapter will explore what research has been done so far, by examining each of the marketing sections of this handbook by placing them within the setting of gaming as an industry. However, unlike most other industries, gambling, as a product, has had a very bad reputation. Historically, it has been considered to be one of the major sins of living. As economic hardships have befallen different geographic areas of America, however, politicians have recognized the immediate monetary advantages of casinos on taxes, employment, and regional development. Therefore, legalized gaming jurisdictions have multiplied as government budgets have been squeezed by their need for more money. The casinos have provided needed revenues for state and local governments and, as a result, governments have come to rely heavily on gaming revenues. During this process, attitudes have slowly changed and despite their controversial nature, the casinos of today are very popular. In America, for example, casinos have had three times more attendees than major league baseball games and five times more than skiing and other sporting events (Nealon, 2006).
