gambling in alberta - Research Services - University of Lethbridge

thinking in an interpretative act; facts and values are inseparable; and science and all other
human activities are value laden” (Mitchell & Egudo, 2003). The person-centred interview
enabled the researchers to become further grounded in the context of social interface that led
to specific meanings developing about gambling that were both culturally and regionally
specific.
The specific questions that were posed were as follows:
1. What impacts, if any, have you seen as a result of the introduction of the new casino in
your community?
2. Have you seen an increase in general business activity in the area?
3. Have you seen any change in crime in the area?
4. What have some of the beneficial impacts been?
5. What have some of the negative impacts been?
6. Overall, do you believe that the casino has been beneficial or harmful to your
community?
The final phase of the research involved a thematic analysis to extract themes central to the
pertinent issues through “careful reading and re-reading of the data” (Rice & Ezzy, 1999, p.258).
This involved identifying an important comment or interview moment and coding it accordingly.
Coding provided an organization and categorization of the data from which central themes
were then identified and developed. Data collection and analysis proceeded simultaneously,
and transcripts were re-read to ensure accuracy and thematic applicability to the original data.
The section that follows is an attempt to identify the major positive and negative features of
gambling and local casinos from a municipal perspective. It is divided into Mayoral Perspectives
and Community Representatives Perspectives. The subsequent section provides a more indepth
examination of the primary issues identified.
Mayoral Perspectives on Local Gambling and Casinos
Perceived Positive Aspects of Gambling and Casinos
The majority of mayors (5/7) considered their casino(s) to be a positive community feature.
However, most were less supportive of VLTs. Four considered the casinos to be good corporate
citizens based on their interface with the local community and their charitable actions. In this
vein, gambling’s larger provincial role in supporting community activities was also cited as
positive. All mayors indicated their appreciation of the additional gambling-related funding
they had received for policing from AGLC.
Most mayors also believed there to be a positive economic impact of both gambling and the
local casino. Casinos were considered to be economic generators by virtue of the fact they
brought in tourist dollars, attracted local businesses, and provided employment opportunities.
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