Cincinnati sees increase of gambling addiction

Monday, March 3, 2014 Cincinnati sees increase of gambling addiction One year later, is gambling addiction on the rise in Ohio? Story by TANA WEINGARTNER

Courtesy of WKSU Download (WKSU Only) In The Region: It's been a year since Horseshoe Cincinnati opened its doors. For Ohio Public Radio, WVXU’s Tana Weingartner reports on whether concerns about problem gambling are coming true.

Here more on gambling addiction growing in Cincinnati. Other options: Windows Media / MP3 Download (2:52)   It’s been a year since Horseshoe Cincinnati opened its doors on March 4, 2013. This week, WVXU is revisiting the series we did when it opened to see how things have changed. Our first question? Are concerns about problem gambling coming true? The number of people calling Ohio’s Gambling Helpline or adding themselves to the state’s Voluntary Exclusion Program has gone up. In February 2013, the voluntary exclusion list had one person from Hamilton County. By last month it had 46. Statewide the list grew from 252 people to almost 750. (There’s also an Involuntary Exclusion List.) That seems like a big jump. But is it concerning? “No, not at this point,” says Stacey Frohnapfel-Hasson with the state’s Bureau of Problem Gambling. “We do see a change starting to occur and we knew that would happen based on the experiences from other states. Once there are increased opportunities for gambling, especially casino and racino venues, then you do start to get an increase but it usually takes three or four years before you really see that impact in problem gambling.” Buffets and musical acts OK, but the number of people calling the state’s problem gambling helpline went from 348 in February, 2013 to a high of 1,522 by July, 2013. That has to be a lot, right? “We have a large percentage of individuals who call that number for things that aren’t problem gambling issues,” says Frohnapfel-Hasson. For example, ‘What’s on the buffet in Cincinnati?’ ‘Who’s playing in the bar?” Plus Frohnapfel-Hasson says the phone number is just a lot more visible now. It’s on everything: video lottery terminals, slot machines, billboards. Outpatient Services Director Bill Epps with the Central Community Health Board in Corryville hasn’t seen the increases he expected. “People have not been beating down the doors to get into treatment here. That does not mean that people do not have issues with problem gambling or pathological gambling. It more likely means that individuals have not suffered enough adverse consequences yet to seek treatment for their problem,” says Epps. Epps says pathological gamblers usually need to lose everything and nearly destroy their lives before they’ll seek help. The Central Community Health Board no longer receives state funding to treat gambling addiction. Those dollars now go to Cincinnati’s Center for Chemical Addictions Treatment (CCAT). Counselors there agree problem gamblers often need to hit rock bottom before seeking help. From CCAT: 81 people were given problem gambling screenings last year Of those, 16 were identified as problem gamblers Of those, three are receiving counseling/treatment at CCAT The others were referred out and have since left CCAT. Hotline (513) 638-CCAT(2228) has received numerous and steady calls during the past year; however only two people have kept their appointments. Both began treatment in the fourth quarter (2013). Counselor Frank Adamore says people he encounters are very reluctant and often just want to be left alone. CCAT has had to rethink the way it delivers services. Their helpline is answered more frequently because they found people wouldn’t leave messages. They meet with clients during less conspicuous hours and use certain meeting rooms at their facility. Like with the state, Program Manager Mike Rosen says calls to the CCAT helpline have gone up. “I think it’s encouraging actually,” says Rosen. “I think that the problem has existed long before the casinos got built here. I think that the (state) helpline is bringing awareness to the state now that there is help available and I think more people are taking advantage of the help.” Horseshoe Cincinnati says nothing has changed in its approach to Responsible Gaming. A spokesperson declined to say how many people the casino has added to its banned list. Ohio took a baseline study before the casinos opened so it will be able to track problem gambling over time. Meanwhile, addiction specialists are meeting this week in Columbus for Ohio’s annual Problem Gambling Conference. This year’s focus is the state’s response to a changing landscape. http://www.wksu.org/news/story/38446

Horseshoe Lures Gambling Addict Back, Then Arrests Him

Gambler: Casino 'welched on bet,' then arrested him

Man says he was banned by Horseshoe, lured back under false pretenses

Written by

Kimball Perry

Jackie Harrison admits he’s addicted to gambling but knew he had a sure thing when he returned Aug. 9 to Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati after previously being banned.

Despite the ban – for a loud protest after Harrison said the casino cheated him – the casino invited him back and, when he returned, had him arrested and charged with trespassing.

“It wasn’t like I snuck in there. They invited me in,” said Harrison, a member of the casino’s Diamond Club that gets him extra benefits including vouchers for free gambling mailed to his home.

Zoom

Jackie Harrison shows the come-ons he says Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati used to lure him back to the casino after he was banned. When he went to the casino to use the vouchers, he was arrested for criminal trespass. / The Enquirer/Kimball Perry

A spokeswoman for the casino didn’t respond to Harrison’s allegations.

Harrison, a disabled U.S. Air Force veteran with COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a regular casino patron. “I spend about $1,800 a month there,” Harrison, 59, said.

When he went to the casino’s craps tables July 3, he was on a roll. He was playing a game called “High Low” in which bettors win only if the dice come up snake eyes (two) or boxcars (12).

Harrison, who has been treated in the past for his gambling addiction, wasn’t throwing the dice.

Instead, he was placing bets on the throws of others.

He lost a few rounds but then won $450. He took $400 and instructed the casino table worker to let the remaining $50 ride on the next bet. A few rolls later, he won $750. He said he took $650 of that win and told the casino worker to place the remaining $100 on the next throw.

He won on that throw, too, and would have won $1,500, he said, but the casino worker who had just handed him $650 said Harrison hadn’t bet on that throw. Harrison, noting that he was given just $650 of the $750 he won, insisted he had – loudly.

“I was irate,” Harrison said. “I said, ‘You are gonna give me my money.’ They welched on a bet.”
He was escorted out of the casino to the public sidewalk where, he said, he ranted for about 30 minutes about how the casino cheated him.

That’s when, he said, the casino banned him.

“I stayed away because I knew they were serious,” Harrison said. He stayed away for four weeks.

That ended, though, after the casino mailed to Harrison’s home $150 in casino vouchers that allowed him to gamble there.

“That’s like sending crack to a crack addict and telling him not to smoke it,” Harrison said.

Confused, he went to the casino Aug. 9 and asked employees at the players’ reward counter about the offer, telling them he was unsure why he was getting them if he was banned from the casino.

“About five minutes later, she came out and said there was no ban, there were no red flags on me,” Harrison said. “They gave me a new (Players Club) card and put the money on my card.”

He gambled for about two hours, he said, before casino security had him arrested for criminal trespass. He told them he’d been invited in by the casino, was cleared by other workers and even given $100 with which to gamble.

He lost that argument when casino security called police, who arrested Harrison again for criminal trespass.

“They welched on that $1,500 bet and I think that’s what this is about,” Harrison said.

Harrison will be before Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Ted Berry on the two criminal trespass charges Monday. Each criminal trespass case carries a maximum jail term of 30 days. ⬛


http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130916/NEWS0107/309160033

Ohio: Cannibalization and Market Saturation

Pretending Gambling Dollars would magically fall from the sky, Gambling Developers saturated the Ohio market.

The solution bears watching! Will they whine for a tax break?

Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati to enter crowded gambling market

Business Courier

Date: Thursday, December 20, 2012

 

When Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati opens early next year, it will join what has already become a crowded casino and gambling industry in Ohio, the Columbus Business First reported.

 

The state’s gaming industry is growing to the point where it’s able to meet all of the state’s gambling demand, according to an industry outlook report from Fitch Ratings.

 

Revenue will continue to climb with the opening of the Cincinnati casino, as well as more racinos in the state, but they will all see “considerable cannibalization from existing Ohio gaming facilities and gaming facilities in neighboring states” Alex Bumazhny, associate director for gaming, lodging and leisure at Fitch, said in an email.

 

 

Ohio’s gaming industry has state nearly saturated, Fitch finds

Business First by Evan Weese, Web coordinator

Date: Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Evan Weese

Web coordinator- Business First

Janet Adams | Business First

Hollywood Casino Columbus averaged $137 in revenue per slot during each day of November, indicating market saturation.

Ohio’s ultra-competitive casino and gaming industry is growing to a point where it’s able to meet all of the state’s gambling demand, according to an industry outlook report from Fitch Ratings.

Revenue will continue to grow as Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati opens in March, and more racinos join the fray across the state, but they’ll all see “considerable cannibalization from existing Ohio gaming facilities and gaming facilities in neighboring states,” Alex Bumazhny, associate director for Gaming, Lodging & Leisure at Fitch, said in an email.

That effect has already been prevalent in Columbus where Scioto Downs’ video lottery terminal business fell nearly 23 percent in October, the first month of business for Hollywood Casino Columbus.

And gamblers are ditching Indiana casinos to test their luck at Ohio’s three new casinos, at Penn National Gaming’s (NYSE:PENN) Hollywood Casinos in Columbus and Toledo, and at Rock Gaming LLC’s Horseshoe Casino Cleveland.

“New openings in areas seemingly devoid of gaming supply, like Columbus, still manage to meaningfully cannibalize from casinos located up to 130 miles away,” the report said.

Hollywood Casino Columbus pulled in $137 of revenue per slot per day in November, indicative of a competitive market, Bumazhny said. Anything below $200 per slot shows saturation, he said, with less-competitive markets notching daily revenue numbers north of $300 per machine.

Representatives from Hollywood Casino Columbus and the Ohio Casino Control Commission were not immediately available for comment.

Fitch’s 2013 report calls for a “mostly stable” U.S. outlook for gaming as competition increases and operators continue to focus on growth and maintain financial flexibility.

Evan Weese is web coordinator for Business First.

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/12/19/ohios-gaming-industry-has-state.html

Reality Check: How much revenue will the city get from Horseshoe casino?

Reality Check: How much revenue will the city get from Horseshoe casino?

Cincinnati City Council held a session on Monday talking about how to use tens of millions in casino revenue that will starting flowing to the city next year.

But is council getting ahead of itself? How much money is actually going to come in? What is the best way to use that money?

 

Ben investigates in a Reality Check you won't see anywhere else.

Declining Revenue, Market Saturation: We Told You So!

November 21. 2012

Third-quarter gross operating profits fall 18 percent in Atlantic City casinos

By Katie Eder

 

Atlantic City's casinos saw a 17.9 percent decrease in gross operating profit during the third quarter of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, according to industry-wide figures released today by the Division of Gaming Enforcement.

Gross operating profit for the industry, including Revel, was $149.5 million in the third quarter of 2012, compared to the $182.1 million the properties posted in the third quarter of the previous year, when Revel had not yet opened.

Aside from Revel, which reported a $36 million gross operating loss, only Atlantic Club was in the red, with a gross operating loss of $2.3 million at the end of the quarter. Without Revel, the 11 other casinos would have seen a combined 2.3 percent increase for the quarter.

The 12 casino properties posted $949 million in total net revenue — a 1.6 percent increase from $933 million posted for last year's third quarter, when Revel did not yet exist.

On the heels of the release of its numbers, Revel announced it is in discussions with its lenders to provide additional capital for liquidity and certain gaming projects. Though it is still negotiating the amount, Revel said it expects to obtain the additional funding within 45 days.

While casino revenue declined in the third quarter, the DGE reported net revenues in food, entertainment and rooms rose by 3.8 percent, excluding Revel, and 17 percent counting Revel.

http://www.njbiz.com/article/20121121/NJBIZ01/121129946/Third-quarter-gross-operating-profits-fall-18-percent-in-Atlantic-City-casinos

Reality Check: Casino revenues may not live up to promises? [video on link]
Posted: Nov 20, 2012

Cincinnati City Council held a session on Monday talking about how to use tens of millions in casino revenue that will starting flowing to the city next year.

But is council getting ahead of itself? How much money is actually going to come in? What is the best way to use that money?

 

Ben investigates in a Reality Check you won't see anywhere else.

 

http://www.fox19.com/story/20153227/reality-check-how-much-revenue-will-the-city-really-get-from-the-casino

Casino construction resumes Wed.

Casino construction resumes Wed.
Written by
Alexander Coolidge

DOWNTOWN —

Messer Construction Co. announced it will resume construction of the future Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati on Wednesday – just five days after an accident injured more than a dozen workers and halted work.

Messer, the project’s construction manager, said it is beefing up safety proceedures to prevent further incidents. It also vowed to continue aiding inspectors in ongoing investigations into Friday’s collapse of a part of the second floor.

“Worker safety remains the priority of all parties involved as we resume work on this important project,” Messer president Tom Keckeis, said in a statement. “We are confident that our augmented protocols for supervising, inspecting and verifying all work performed in the construction schedule can be performed safely, or it will not go forward.”

Friday’s accident occurred when concrete workers poured cement for a floor onto sheet metal that was resting on a steel beam that broke away.

The accident has spurred two investigations. The federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration is investigating the cause to ensure the safety of workers, while third-party structural engineers employed by the casino developer are looking into the cause, damage and remedies required, which the city will review.

Messer declined to discuss details of the incident, but investigators have approved work to resume. The company said its “project design and safety teams have reviewed all aspects of the construction, safety and inspection protocols, and we are implementing additional procedures to prevent this from happening again.”

The announcement comes hours after Cincinnati’s top building official said partial construction activity could resume as early as this week.

Amit Ghosh, chief building officer, said the emerging casino complex is a large site, and work could resume away from the section where the floor collapsed. He indicated work could resume first on the 2,500-car parking garage, which is a separate building.

“The site will hopefully be mobilized later this week,” Ghosh told city council members during a briefing on the investigations after the accident.

(Page 2 of 2)

He declined to discuss potential causes of the accident, but disclosed it is a common practice that steel beams are not always permanently affixed to the framework when they are first installed. He said it’s possible the beam that failed last week may not have had all the bolts installed or fully tightened to permanently secure it before it failed.

“Some were temporarily connected because other beams were not in place yet,” he said, adding afterward he didn’t know how many bolts were installed in the failed beam or how many would ultimately hold it in place.

Bob May, owner of RJM Consulting in Monfort Heights, said it is a common construction practice to erect steel without fully tightening all bolts to allow for some adjustments, but those bolts should be tightened and inspected before any load – such as a concrete floor – is placed on those beams. May’s firm manages construction projects for commercial clients, and he teaches classes in constrcution methods at the University of Cincinnati.

“Before you pour concrete, a special inspection should have taken place,” he said.
Ghosh said Messer Construction Co., the project’s construction manager, has promised the city it will ensure steel beams will be permanently installed before future concrete pouring is conducted.

“We have said, and they have agreed, that all connections they make from now on will be completely connected and we will get a structural engineer’s report before every pour that’s made,” he said.



Steel probed in casino collapse
Written by Alexander Coolidge and Lisa Bernard-Kuhn

DOWNTOWN — Steel beams fabricated by a Jackson, Miss., firm and installed by J&B Steel Erectors Inc. of West Chester will be examined as part of dual investigations into the collapse last Friday of the future Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati.

Probes by the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and the city of Cincinnati are ongoing to determine why a steel beam supporting a section of the second floor collapsed while cement workers poured concrete on sheet metal on top of it.

Scott Allen, OSHA spokesman, said investigators will be talking to key contractors on the job: J&B, which began installing the steel frame last September; Jostin Constuction, which was pouring the cement during the collapse; Woolpert, the civil engineer that crafted the building specifications; and Messer Construction Co., the construction manager that oversees the project.

“We’ll look at all aspects to determine the cause,” said Scott Allen, an OSHA spokesman.

Construction of the future Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati remained halted on Monday as investigators continued to examine potential causes. At least 13 unidentified workers were hospitalized; one remained in serious condition at Bethesda North on Monday.

OSHA and city officials declined to speculate how long their separate reviews will take or how soon they will clear the site to resume construction. Both have to give the okay for work to continue. A specific cause does not have to be determined, just that building design and work conditions are deemed safe, they said.

Experts said construction work might resume in a few days or in several weeks, depending on the complexity of the investigation.

The city is investigating after building officials evaluated the site on Friday. The city is awaiting findings by structural engineers working for the casino, which the developer will forward to city officials.

Amit Ghosh, the city’s chief building officer, is scheduled to brief the city council’s Major Transportation and Infrastructure Projects Subcommittee today on the accident, the investigation and the impact.

(Page 2 of 2)

Allen said OSHA had inspectors examining the site with some contractors over the weekend. He said once investigators have assessed the site, they will likely supervise the cleanup, which could yield additional clues.

Ihab Saad, chairman of the Department of Construction Management at Northern Kentucky University, said the more complicated the investigation, the longer it takes to restart work and ultimately conclude the inquiry. Work could resume in a few days or a few weeks.

“The construction site is quite large – they could resume work in areas not deemed to be dangerous,” he said.

Saad is not involved with the project and declined to speculate on the cause of the accident.

However, he noted that steel beams are routinely inspected with ultrasound for small cracks and breaks before they’re used in a construction job. He was also skeptical of a design flaw, since plans have been reviewed by engineers, inspectors and contractors.

Saad said the bolts holding the beam that gave way may have too tight or not tight enough.

A final cause of the accident may not determined for as long as six months. OSHA is still investigating a similar incident that befell Horseshoe casino construction six weeks earlier in Cleveland, but workers resumed development after one week.

Toya Estes, president of J&B Steel, expressed concern for injured workers and vowed to help investigators.

“Our prayers are with the injured workers and their families and we stand ready to provide any assistance to them that we can,” said Estes in a written statement. “We, along with all other contractors on the project, are cooperating with OSHA and other investigators to identify the causes of this accident and to see that the potential for any future problems are corrected immediately.”

Estes’ firm is a subcontractor to Jackson, Mississippi-based Steel Service, which fabricated the steel for the job.

Messer and Jostin issued similar statements of concern along with pledges of full cooperation over the weekend. Woolpert deferred to developer Rock Gaming and Messer for comment. Rock Gaming officials said it’s too early to know why the accident occurred.


Casino site after collapse


Casino Collapse Is Second In Two Months For Developer Rock Gaming LLC, At Least 20 Injured (VIDEO)

Ohio: More Crime Cameras Added to Over-the-Rhine

More Crime Cameras Added to Over-the-Rhine

Eight new cameras are now in Over-The-Rhine -- on poles and buildings, where people doing bad things just don't seem to notice. Now there are 50 around town -- and that's just the beginning of the high-tech crime fighting. Local 12's Deborah Dixon tells us what's next and what the cameras can see that cops can't.

Officer Tony Peters watches high-def video from 50 cameras all day long -- pretty cool if it were football. But Peters is not watching for the blitz -- he's watching for bad behavior. 24 hours after this camera went up, he watched as a man loaded up and smoked a crack pipe. Then he called for help. "I think a few of them dumb founded and surprised they have people who look out for police."

Peters is looking out for police too. He tells the officer exactly where to find the crack. "We give them an idea what they're coming into before they arrive."

Where crime cameras are, crime is going down. Police believe cameras contribute. Bad guys know they're getting arrested, they just don't always know why. "We have cameras near campus, on the west side, East Price Hill, and a couple in the West End."

Cameras are set to be added in Evanston, Walnut Hills, Avondale, near the casino, the banks and along the river. And when people all over the world come here for the World Choir Games next summer? "Wherever the World Choir Game venue is, our intent is to have a camera close by or in the area. People have an expectation of being safe, that's what we want too is create a safe environment."

Craig says cameras aimed at a public corners is not a "Big Brother" thing ... but a bad guy thing. "You don't want to commit crimes in City of Cincinnati someone's going to be watching."

Donations or grants paid for all of the cameras.