Industry Best Practices: Spotlight on Harrah's Code of Commitment
Casino companies today are taking steps to promote responsible gaming at the corporate level, at their properties and within their communities. One company, in particular, has taken this initiative one step further, adopting a Code of Commitment that not only addresses responsible gaming but also governs the way the company does business in all areas.
Harrah's Entertainment, Inc., a longtime industry leader in responsible gaming, introduced its Code of Commitment in 2000. The Code was implemented at every property, with Harrah's Chairman and CEO Phil Satre promoting and pledging the highest standards of corporate accountability.
"We are a leading company in an industry that is often mischaracterized and misunderstood by gaming opponents and by segments of the general populace," Satre said. "By publicly and unequivocally describing the principles by which we do business, the Code signals our willingness to be held accountable for our actions—not only by regulators and legislators, but also by our shareholders, employees, customers and communities."
Divided into three sections, the Code pledges Harrah's quality of service to guests, employees and the community. Within each section, the code defines the company's responsibilities to its stakeholders addressing several topics such as, responsible gaming, advertising, employee advancement and education, and community partnership.
The Code's first section—directed at Harrah's guests—outlines the company's responsible gaming initiatives. These initiatives include refusing to cash welfare or unemployment checks, honoring customer self-exclusion, displaying problem gambling help-line numbers in publications and supporting those help lines financially, educating employees about problem gambling, and being vigilant in preventing underage gambling.
The second and third sections of the Code extend beyond the company's promotion of responsible gaming. Harrah's pledges to its employees to treat them with respect and provide them opportunities to build satisfying careers. The third commitment pledges to communities where Harrah's is located to help make them vibrant places to live and work and to market Harrah's casinos responsibly.
In an effort to effectively communicate the Code of Commitment, Satre conducted employee seminars at nearly all of Harrah's casino properties nationwide. He also made presentations to the regulatory agencies in states where Harrah's operates its casinos.
In addition to Satre's presentations, Harrah's communicated the Code of Commitment to the public by placing an advertisement in the Wall Street Journal and inserting promotional information in several newspapers in gaming jurisdictions, including the Atlantic City Press and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
As part of the company's pledge to fulfill the goals established in the Code of Commitment, a management position was created at Harrah's corporate headquarters. The Code of Commitment manager oversees the properties' implementation of the Code and reinforces among employees the importance of its message. Harrah's believes that the role of the employee is key. Not only has the Code become a part of Harrah's new-hire orientation, every employee is being surveyed to determine the extent to which Harrah's is living up to the standards outlined in the Code of Commitment.
"We have long believed that the industry and our company have a responsibility to address problem gambling issues head-on," said Satre. "There are people who need help controlling their behavior, and we do not want those struggling with pathological gambling problems to frequent Harrah's casinos. Surveys clearly indicate our employees feel better about working for a company that genuinely cares about the way it does business, and that our guests and communities share similar sentiments."
