ATLANTIC CITY — Golden dragons extend greetings in English, Chinese and Vietnamese from roadside billboards along the Atlantic City Expressway.

The most powerful of the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac, the dragon is brash, generous and optimistic. Atlantic City casinos, like their counterparts in Las Vegas and Macau, are hoping to capitalize on that festive spirit as they prepare for the start of the Lunar New Year today.

“There’ve always been some smaller scale efforts in place, but we really started with the ballroom functions, the merchandise and the foods five years ago,” said Steve Hann, vice president of casino marketing at Caesars Atlantic City.

Lunar New Year, which typically occurs in late January or early February, has historically been one of Las Vegas’ most successful holidays.

In February 2010, when the holiday coincided with the Super Bowl, casino revenue spiked 13.9 percent, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Last year, casinos in the Chinese gambling mecca of Macau broke a world record with a single-day gaming revenue of $185 million.

Hann, who oversees Asian marketing for all Caesars casinos in the Atlantic region, said the holiday hasn’t yet reached those heights locally. But it does draw many tourists, Asian and non-Asian alike, during a slow time of year.

“We really enjoy doing this and the whole company gets behind it,” he said. “We’re constantly looking for ways to build upon it, to make it more diverse and larger as we go forward.”

With a growing Asian-American population — in Atlantic County, it grew by 63 percent between 2000 and 2010 — Hann said casinos have begun marketing directly to the community.

Borgata and Tropicana both joined Caesars’ holdings in erecting billboards along the Atlantic City Expressway this year.

Hann said his company advertises in Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese publications throughout the region. It also erected a similar billboard in the heart of New York City’s Chinatown.

But catering to these distinct communities also means being sensitive to their respective cultures. Read the rest of this entry »

Good afternoon Contractors/Partners,

The Office of Problem Gambling, in partnership with UCLA Gambling Studies Program, is happy to announce registration for the 2012 Problem Gambling Training Summit.  Registration is open.  The Summit is an annual training to provide the latest information on problem and compulsive gambling and is open to anyone who is interested in attending. This year’s theme is “Building a Foundation for Multi-cultural Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Services.”  The Summit will include presentations appropriate for: health care providers, CPGTSP providers, nonprofit organizations, community leaders & organizations, alcohol & other drug agencies, the recovery community, gambling industry personnel, governmental leaders, law enforcement personnel and the general public. The Summit will be held in San Diego, CA and the deadline to register is February 17, 2012.

Attached, you will find a flyer and registration form for the 2012 Problem Gambling Training Summit Registration in San Diego.

FREE Registration
FREE Continuing education units

7.5 continuing education units will be offered for: PhD, PsyD, MFT, and LCSW Licenses; CAADAC/CFAPP certified counselors and those authorized to receive BBS CEU’s.

Please note: the Summit is not a refresher course for the California Problem Gambling Treatment Services Program, nor is it a replacement for it.  Phase II training will be scheduled in the Spring 2012 after the Summit.

Please distribute the attached information to your contacts/partners.  OPG would like to thank you for your continued support, partnership, and assistance in distributing this important information.

If you have any questions, please call the Office of Problem Gambling at 916-327-8611 or email us at opg@adp.ca.gov.
Thank you,
Amy Tydeman
Dept. of Alcohol and Drug Programs
Office of Problem Gambling
1700 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone (916) 323-0528
Fax (916) 323-2000

By BRIGID BRETT — For the North County Times | Posted: March 19, 2010 12:01 am |

When “Tom” first started going to the casinos and playing blackjack, it wasn’t a problem. It was just a way of having fun, relieving a little stress, being social. And it made him feel important, especially when things weren’t going well at work or at home.

I was introduced to Tom through Dr. Suzanne Pike of the San Diego Center for Pathological Gambling. Pike, a licensed clinical psychologist and licensed certified gambling counselor, has been treating Tom for his gambling addiction.

Read the rest of this entry »

Listen to the Cantonese NICOS Radio ad on problem gambling here:

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