Can Gambling Be Green?
55 million Americans played poker in 2005. Las Vegas’ poker industry alone accounts for billions of dollars and players fly around the world to attend high stakes championships. Casinos like the Monte Carlo can have annual energy costs upwards of $5 million. It’s a far cry from eco-friendly…or is it?
You might not immediately associate flashy card games in energy intensive, 24-hour casinos with eco-sensitivity, but even the poker industry is trying to make strides in the green economy.
It’s no news that world poker tours are a carbon suck; flying a few thousand people to one destination doesn’t come with a low carbon footprint. Add to that the waste and energy use associated with casinos. But change is brewing.
Switching to Online
Playing online poker instead of flying to far-off destinations certainly comes with a lower footprint, but because of the ongoing issue of legalization – online gambling was banned by Congress in 2006 – and taxation, playing online isn’t simple. Lifting that ban could encourage more players to stay home instead of travel to poker games away from home, cutting carbon costs associated with travel.
Unfortunately, it’s unknown what kind of environmental impact lifting the ban would actually have. In fact, lifting the ban could lead to an increase in online gaming, and with it, energy use. Considering most household computers emit 40-80 grams of greenhouse gas emissions per hour, the impact of millions of computers being turned on to play in online poker games could in fact become an eco-unfriendly disaster.
For the time being, some members of the poker community are advocating carbon offsets, at least ensuring that jet-set poker players consider their carbon footprint.
A Greener Sin City
Although it’s easy to assume the city known for gaudy lights, imported oysters and endless Ferraris doesn’t care much about its environmental impact, Las Vegas is actually making strides. One of professional poker’s epicenters, Las Vegas is an energy intensive city, but according to the Brookings Institute the Las Vegas metro area ranks 18th in per capita carbon emissions from transportation and residential energy use among the nation’s 100 largest metro areas. It’s even the least toxic city in the U.S.
Las Vegas has put many initiatives in place to reduce its carbon footprint, including running its vehicle fleet with alternative fuels and implementing a progressive water policy. Even the most expensive, privately funded construction project in U.S. history, the building of the MGM Mirage’s City Center, was done with L.E.E.D. in mind, and recently scored a Gold certification.
The Green Poker Niche
EGM Green makes eco-friendly casino gaming products, meaning you can play a hand of cards on a table made from FSC-certified wood and recycled synthetic materials. And you thought the fashion world was the only luxury industry to start going green.
These changes don’t herald immediate green status for the gambling industry, but they are indicators of progress.
Photo Credits: http2007, EGM Green
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5 Comments
December 4th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Fascinating. Thanks, Anna!
I think this is one of those topics like the US Army finding greener ways to blow things up. There’s the thing, and then there’s how the thing’s done.
However, despite the examples listed, I can’t shake off the feeling that gambling is indelibly hand-in-hand with excess. It’s about wish-fulfilment and self-gratification. And while the companies offering gambling services may be toeing the line, the punters will still be addicted to the wasteful, who-cares-I’m-on-a-roll lifestyle that traditionally accompanies gambling.
I hope I’m being narrow-minded and wrong…
December 4th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Yes, Mike is being narrow minded. I wonder if he has any fun and ever has it with anyone. Just because it’s activity you don’t personally approve of, doesn’t make it wrong for others to engage in. Some sins are quite green, you know.
This was a very good presentation from Anna, I might add.
December 4th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
I wasn’t saying gambling is “wrong” in any way and I certainly wouldn’t use the word “sin”, capital or small “s”. That’s kinda preachy and, yup, not fun at all.
I was making the point about gambling being associated with large amounts of wastefulness, as cited in the article.
And I agree – very good presentation.
December 5th, 2009 at 9:55 am
I hear Mike loud and clear. It’s one thing to play Poker with your buddies over a few beers. It’s another to create an industry around it, one that has always been linked to excess, from organized crime (talk about excess!) to the Native American phenomenon of going from habitat loss to casino life. What a stretch, and how sad. Vegas will come to a halt soon enough, I’m sorry to say, because I love the shows and the discount shopping, the only lures worth going for. They continue to build ginormous towers and hotels despite the energy issues. It cannot go on forever.
December 5th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
@Luanne. I’m of the opinion that any industry or company, even casinos, can find a way to operate sustainably, and responsibly. I mean this from a social and environmental standpoint.
If there can be a green hotel, there can be green casinos. If there can be a green ranch, there can be green gambling. We just have to provide some positive ideas to the casino owners who aren’t thinking about it.
I immediately go to notions like bamboo poker chips, easing way up on air conditioning, planting rooftop gardens on casino buildings, funding habitat and Native American history preservation projects with casino fees and taxes, and better education and counseling about gambling in the towns that have them.
But the trick is getting casino and hotel owner-operators of these businesses to believe it is worth while, and that they will remain in business more profitably or longer if they implement such measures.
GREAT story!
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