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Survey: N.H. residents make lots of casino trips
New Hampshire residents made nearly a half-million separate trips to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun during the past 12 months, according to a behavioral survey released recently by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Policy Analysis.
The survey, Part 3 of a seven-part survey determining New England residents' attitudes toward casinos and slot parlors, found that New Hampshire residents, who comprise approximately 3 percent and 2 percent of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun patrons respectively, made more than 466,000 trips to the southeastern Connecticut casinos during the past 12 months. Approximately 92 percent of New Hampshire residents visiting Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are 30 years of age and older.
Overall, 1 in 5 New Hampshire residents surveyed -- approximately 19 percent -- reported visiting either Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun in the past 12 months, with women comprising 62 percent of New Hampshire residents visiting the Connecticut casinos and men accounting for 38 percent of New Hampshire's casino visitors.
"New Hampshire residents' desire for casino gambling, and the recreational and entertainment amenities it offers, continues to increase each year," said Dr. Clyde W. Barrow, CFPA director. "It is clear that New Hampshire residents of all economic and educational backgrounds view casino gambling as acceptable entertainment and will continue to pursue that experience in Connecticut if denied the opportunity to do so in their home state, or unless a similar opportunity is offered in Massachusetts or Rhode Island."
Of the four states surveyed -- Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine -- 83 percent of Granite State residents visiting Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun possessed at least some college experience: an associate degree, a bachelor's degree, or post-graduate work. Specifically, 71 percent of New Hampshire residents patronizing the two casinos reported having a bachelor's degree or higher -- the highest percentage of any of the four states' residents surveyed.
By income, 89 percent of New Hampshire residents visiting the two Connecticut casinos reported having annual incomes of $45,000 or more, including 39 percent who had annual incomes of $75,000 or more. Only 6 percent of Massachusetts residents visiting the casinos had incomes of $25,000 or less.
New Hampshire residents also exhibited a propensity to spend money on non-gambling amenities at the two casinos, such as food, lodging, retail and other entertainment. Barrow said many New Hampshire residents view their Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun visits as "mini-vacations," resulting in more time spent at the casinos and in southeastern Connecticut.
"They're spending more time in that region overnighting, attending a cabaret show or sporting event, shopping and dining at restaurants," Barrow said, "so they're going to be making more non-gambling expenditures than their Connecticut counterparts."
In early March, the CFPA will release its fourth annual New England Gaming Update, which tracks spending by residents of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and New York at the Connecticut casinos, Rhode Island VLT parlors, and Bangor, Maine's recently opened slot parlor.
Last year's study found that in 2005, New Hampshire residents spent $73 million at the two casinos.
Massachusetts residents spent approximately $1.1 billion -- $890.3 million and $190.4 million, respectively -- while Rhode Islanders spent an estimated $322.5 million at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun.
Overall, the survey showed 83 percent of women and 51 percent of men reported that they primarily play slot machines. In fact, 60 percent of the slot machine players at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are women.
Casino-goers age 40 and over are more likely to play slot machines and, in general, the older the patron, the larger the percentage of people who report that they primarily play the machines. The average slot machine player at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun is a woman age 40-plus, with at least some college experience and an annual income of $25,000 to $75,000 per year.
Overall, 65 percent of slot machine players at the two casinos have annual incomes of $45,000 or more. In addition to gambling, these players are likely to spend money on food, lodging and retail.
Conversely, 35 percent of men reported that they primarily play table games at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, and 83 percent of all table game players at the two casinos are men. The average table game player at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun is a male under age 40, with at least some college experience and earning $75,000 or more a year.
Overall, 81 percent of table games players have annual incomes of $45,000 or more, while 56 percent of table games players have annual incomes of $75,000 or higher.
In addition to gambling, these players are likely to spend money on food, lodging, golf and patronizing the casinos' entertainment venues.
Nearly 60 percent of Foxwoods' high-stakes bingo players are women, and the average high-stakes bingo player at Foxwoods is a young woman age 21 to 29, with some college experience and an annual salary of between $25,000 and $45,000. In addition to gambling, these players are likely to spend money on food and entertainment.
Both men and women visitors to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun rated the casinos' general atmosphere and physical attractiveness, slots machines, table games, bars and restaurants, geographic proximity to their homes, and concerts and other entertainment as amenities important to them. |
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