Causal relationships between table game players' perceptions of service quality, perceived winning, and game spending : Moderating effects of demographic factors

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the roles of five drivers of service quality (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) and perceived winning in the gaming behavior of table game players; and second, to test the moderating effects of table game players' demographic and situational factors (gender, education level, parenting status, and proximity to a casino). Design/methodology/approach – A review of the current literature in the above‐mentioned areas revealed 13 theoretical hypotheses, from which the authors derived a structural model. The model was tested utilizing data collected from 383 US casino patrons that primarily played table games during visits to casinos. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were utilized to test the proposed theoretical relationships. Findings – The results indicate that various dimensions of perceived service quality (including tangibles, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) in casinos, as well as casino patrons' perceived winning have considerable influence on their satisfaction. Brand affect and game spending were found to be influenced by the patron satisfaction with table games. The relationship between perceived empathy and table game satisfaction was stronger for females than for males; the relationship between perceived winning and table game satisfaction was stronger for those with lower levels of formal education; and the relationship between table game satisfaction and game spending was stronger for table game players without children and for those residing near a casino. Originality/value – This study provides an empirical analysis of the effects of perceived service quality at table games and perceived winning on table game players' satisfaction, brand affect, and game spending. The results of this study may be utilized to aid casino operators to better tailor their marketing efforts and improve returns on investments.