A new training approach at MGM resorts is teaching frontline workers how to recognize gambling harm before it escalates.
On the casino floor, the warning signs of problem gambling can be subtle: a guest staying too long, chasing losses or showing mounting distress. A training course used by MGM is trying to help resort workers notice those clues sooner, according to the Las Vegas Sun.
The Sun reported that Susan Savage, vice president of customer development at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, is among the executives involved in the effort. The program is aimed at giving workers practical tools to identify behavior that may signal a guest is in trouble and to respond appropriately.
That matters in Las Vegas, where the casino economy is built on high-volume play and constant customer contact. The city’s resorts have long promoted entertainment and hospitality; this training underscores a more cautious side of the business, one centered on intervention and responsibility.
For newcomers as well as longtime locals, the lesson is plain: the modern Las Vegas casino is not just about encouraging play, but also about recognizing when play has become a problem, the Las Vegas Sun reported.