Corporate social responsibility and the gaming industry: a contradiction in terms?

The majority of academic literature, public opinion and popular press articles relating to gambling and in particular electronic gaming machines (EGMs) in Australia, adopts the view that it is a serious problem, both to susceptible individuals and to the wider community. The common stance is that EGM manufacturers, operators and Australian state governments could, at the very least, become much more socially responsible and as a result of not doing so, abrogate their duty of care thereby forfeiting their legitimacy. We are therefore interested in exploring the extent to which we can evaluate the current practices of the gaming industry against the precepts of CSR. We conclude that, although there are justifications for the view that gaming is a serious social issue and that there are instances of unethical practices by EGM manufacturers and operators, the majority of manufacturers and operators satisfice at the level of compliance. Subject to manifold criticism however, any critical view of CSR has to go beyond compliance to a question of the degree of incorporation of CSR principles.