(PR NEWSWIRE) Oklahoma Adults Take 1.32 Million Casino Gambling Trips in 2002 A cording to National Survey Oklahoma Adults Take 1.32 Million Casino Gambling Trips in 2002 According to Nat onal Survey State Gamblers Average 3.2 Casino Trips Per Year; Oklahoma Indian Casinos and Las Vegas are Top Destinations LAS VEGAS, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nearly 413,000 Oklahoma adults gambled at a casino in 2002. The findings are reported in Profile of the American Casino Gambler: Harrah's Survey 2003, a comprehensive study of gaming enthusiasts in the United States which includes specific data on gamblers in Oklahoma and the Oklahoma City DMA (Designated Market Area). (Logo: newscom.com Oklahoma casino players averaged 3.2 casino trips to gamble in 2002 - a total of 1,321,000 casino visits for the year. The Survey, commissioned by Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: HET), is available at www.harrahs.com. The findings are based on three nationwide studies - The Roper Reports, conducted by Roper ASW, and the U.S. Gaming Panel and A Night In The Life Of A Casino Gambler, both conducted by NFO WorldGroup. The top casino destinations for Oklahoma gamblers were Oklahoma Indian casinos and Las Vegas, which captured 29 and 16 percent of all casino trips respectively. Gamblers from the Oklahoma City DMA made a total of 685,000 casino visits in 2002. The 208,000 Oklahoma City-area casino players took an average of 3.3 annual trips. The casino gambling participation rate (percent of adult population that gambled in a casino in the last 12 months) was 17.2 percent in Oklahoma and 18 percent in Oklahoma City. The national participation rate was 26 percent. "The Harrah's Survey findings should inform the public policy discussion about gaming in Oklahoma," said Gary Loveman, president and CEO of Harrah's. "A large number of Oklahoma citizens as well as residents in surrounding states partake in casino entertainment and would enjoy a broader choice in gaming destinations closer to where they live. Gambling dollars along with hotel and entertainment spending are flowing to other states, when they could be boosting tax revenues, jobs and capital investment in Oklahoma." NATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE HARRAH'S SURVEY Casino Visitation -- More than a quarter of Americans age 21 and older - 26 percent or 51.2 million - gambled at a casino in 2002. -- The number of casino trips in 2002 was 297.2 million. -- On average, gamblers visited a casino about once every two months - 5.8 trips per year. Player Demographics -- The median household income of casino gamblers - $50,716 - is more than 20 percent higher than that of the overall U.S. population - $42,228. -- Americans in upper income brackets have the highest casino gambling participation rates (percentage of adults who gambled at least once in a casino in the last 12 months) and those in the lowest income brackets have the lowest rates. More than a third - 34 percent - of individuals with annual household incomes in excess of $95,000 gambled in a casino in 2002, while only 21 percent of those with annual incomes of less than $35,000 gambled in a casino. -- The typical casino player is middle-aged and more likely to be female. The median age of casino gamblers is 47. The male-female ratio of casino gamblers is 46 percent/54 percent. -- Among Americans, the highest casino gambling participation rate is in the 51 to 65 age group (30 percent of casino gamblers). -- Casino players are more likely than non-gamblers - 46 percent versus 41 percent - to hold white-collar jobs. Where Casino Players Live Five states generated more than one-third of casino trips in the United States during 2002, with 17 percent of casino trips originating in California alone. Other findings include: -- Illinois generated the second-most casino trips (15,020,000); Nevada, New York, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Florida and Missouri round out the top 10 states. -- Florida became a top 10 state for the first time, supplying 10.5 million casino trips (4 percent of the U.S. market share) despite a lack of convenient gaming destinations for residents. -- 31 states each generated more than 2 million casino trips last year. Arkansas (roughly 2.2 million trips) was added to the list in 2002. -- The highest casino gambling participation rates occur among residents living in the West (35 percent) and North Central (29 percent) census regions. -- Of the 26 states with casino participation rates greater than the national average of 26 percent, only nine are east of the Mississippi. Money Management Casino gamblers tend to be more experienced investors, and their financial portfolios are more varied than those of non-gamblers. -- 39 percent of casino gamblers view themselves as intermediate or knowledgeable investors (versus 29 percent of non-gamblers). -- Gamblers like relatively aggressive investment options that provide a greater opportunity for long-term earnings, including mutual funds and stocks. The biggest differences between gamblers and non-gamblers occur in retirement/pension plan investing (50 percent of gamblers versus 40 percent of non-gamblers) and mutual fund investing (23 percent versus 15 percent). -- 46 percent of gamblers share the main responsibility for investment decisions with someone else in their household as opposed to 38 percent of non-gamblers, who are more likely to say someone else has most or all of the responsibility. Travel & Entertainment Casino players tend to be more active and willing to try new things when it comes to travel and entertainment. -- 51 percent of gamblers go out for entertainment at least twice a week (versus 37 percent of non-gamblers). -- Gamblers average 7.6 meals out a month versus 6.6 for non-gamblers. -- Based on reported travel activities in the past year, gamblers are far more likely to engage in a variety of vacation and outdoor experiences: trip to the lake/shore/beach (64 percent for gamblers vs. 49 percent for non-gamblers); took a camping/hiking trip (26 percent vs. 16 percent); took a trip to a historical site inside U.S. (25 percent vs. 18 percent); went on resort vacation (24 percent vs. 8 percent). -- Gamblers are more likely to have taken a vacation of 5+ days in the past year (63 percent versus 47 percent). -- Both gamblers and non-gamblers (68 percent equally) seek safety/security first in their approach to travel. Gamblers are more likely to try new places (61 percent versus 47 percent). Non-gamblers are more budget conscious when they plan travel (54 percent versus 48 percent for gamblers). Consumer Choice & Lifestyle Gamblers are more likely to spend money on travel, new cars and special friends, but the typical casino player is more selective in his or her shopping habits. -- 13 percent of casino players plan to buy a car within the next two years (versus 9 percent of non-gamblers). -- Even though gamblers have higher incomes than non-gamblers, they look for deals. 62 percent of gamblers often or fairly often shopped at the store with the best prices (versus 52 percent of non-gamblers). Gamblers are more likely to use coupons (56 percent versus 51 percent) and buy in bulk (47 percent versus 35 percent). -- Non-gamblers are more likely to attend a place of worship at least once a month (63 percent non-gamblers vs. 52 percent gamblers). -- 50 percent of gamblers reported having a date on a "romantic occasion" during the past month as opposed to 40 percent of non-gamblers. A Night in the Life of Casino Gambler On a typical night at the casino: -- Most gamblers (53 percent of respondents) like to stay in an upper floor room with a view at a casino hotel. -- Buffets by far are gamblers' favorite restaurants in casinos (57 percent). And 54 percent of gamblers typically take two passes at the offerings. -- Hearts are gamblers' favorite card suit (40 percent) followed by spades (31 percent). -- The song that best captures the casino atmosphere according to gamblers is "Viva Las Vegas" (34 percent) followed by "All Night Long" and "Celebrate" (both 24 percent) -- Soda (36 percent) is the preferred drink when gamblers are playing casino games. -- Cherries (37 percent) are gamblers' favorite classic slot machine symbol. Games of Choice Slot machines and electronic gaming devices, particularly quarter slots, are the most popular casino games among Americans. -- 74 percent of casino gamblers prefer to play slot machines and video poker. 14 percent prefer table games. Blackjack/21 is the favorite. -- Slot machines are most popular for both men and women. 81 percent of women gamblers prefer slot machines. 67 percent of men prefer the slots. -- 20 percent of men prefer table games, while only 8 percent of women do. Table games are most popular among young adults and least popular among older adults. About Harrah's Survey 2003 "Profile of the American Casino Gambler: Harrah's Survey 2003" is based on three nationwide studies: Roper Reports Roper ASW administered face-to-face interviews to a nationwide sample of 2,000 men and women, 18 years of age and older, in respondents' homes. The Roper ASW research used in compiling this Profile was conducted in four waves between January and December 2002. The margin of error is approximately +/-3%. U.S. Gaming Panel NFO WorldGroup mailed a survey questionnaire in 2002 to a panel of 100,000 adults (25,000 adults per quarter) 21 years of age or older within the Continental United States. The survey generated 64,753 respondents from which NFO identified the U.S. Gaming Panel, a nationally representative sample of 16,438 casino players. The margin of error is approximately +/-1%, and can vary between +/-2% and +/-5% depending on sample segmentation. A Night in the Life of a Casino Gambler NFO mailed a survey questionnaire in June 2003 to 3,300 individuals 21 years of age or older who were pre-identified as having gambled in a casino in the prior 12 months. The survey generated 2,523 returns. The margin of error is approximately +/-2%. Founded 65 years ago, Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. operates 26 casinos in the United States, primarily under the Harrah's brand name. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its target customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Additional information about Harrah's Entertainment is available at www.harrahs.com. SOURCE Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. -0- 09/26/2003 /NOTE TO EDITORS: Harrah's Survey relating to specific states are available on prnewswire.com./ /CONTACT: Brent Burkhardt of Harrah's Entertainment, +1-410-986-1303, or +1-410-299-2528 (cell), bburkhardt@tbc.us/ /Photo: NewsCom: newscom.com AP Archive: photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com / /Company News On-Call: prnewswire.com /Web site: harrahs.com / (HET) CO: Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.; NFO WorldGroup ST: Nevada, Oklahoma IN: CNO TRA LEI SU: SVY *** end of story *** (PR NEWSWIRE) Pennsylvania Adults Take 8.85 Million Casino Gambling Trips in 20 2 According to National Survey Pennsylvania Adults Take 8.85 Million Casino Gambling Trips in 2002 According to National Survey State Gamblers Average 4.8 Casino Trips Per Year; Atlantic City is Top Destination LAS VEGAS, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- More than 1,845,000 Pennsylvania adults gambled at a casino in 2002. The findings are reported in "Profile of the American Casino Gambler: Harrah's Survey 2003," a comprehensive study of gaming enthusiasts in the United States which includes specific data on gamblers in Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh DMAs (Designated Market Areas). (Logo: newscom.com Pennsylvania casino players averaged 4.8 casino trips to gamble in 2002 - a total of 8,857,000 casino visits for the year. The Survey, commissioned by Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: HET), is available at www.harrahs.com. The findings are based on three nationwide studies - The Roper Reports, conducted by Roper ASW, and the U.S. Gaming Panel and A Night In The Life Of A Casino Gambler, both conducted by NFO WorldGroup. The top casino destination for Pennsylvania's gamblers was Atlantic City, which captured 74 percent of all casino trips. Gamblers from the Philadelphia DMA (which includes parts of Delaware and New Jersey) made a total of 13,096,000 casino visits in 2002. The 1,819,000 Philadelphia-area casino players took an average of 7.2 annual trips. The Pittsburgh DMA generated 345,000 casino gamblers who took 1,068,000 trips in 2002, or an average of 3.1 trips per person. The casino gambling participation rate (percent of adult population that gambled in a casino in the last 12 months) was 20.9 percent in Pennsylvania, 33.4 percent in Philadelphia and 16.1 percent in Pittsburgh. The national participation rate was 26 percent. "Pennsylvania residents are voting with their feet and pocketbooks for casino entertainment," said Gary Loveman, president and CEO of Harrah's. "Unfortunately for them, Pennsylvania public policy insists they cross state lines to do so." NATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE HARRAH'S SURVEY Casino Visitation -- More than a quarter of Americans age 21 and older - 26 percent or 51.2 million - gambled at a casino in 2002. -- The number of casino trips in 2002 was 297.2 million. -- On average, gamblers visited a casino about once every two months - 5.8 trips per year. Player Demographics -- The median household income of casino gamblers - $50,716 - is more than 20 percent higher than that of the overall U.S. population - $42,228. -- Americans in upper income brackets have the highest casino gambling participation rates (percentage of adults who gambled at least once in a casino in the last 12 months) and those in the lowest income brackets have the lowest rates. More than a third - 34 percent - of individuals with annual household incomes in excess of $95,000 gambled in a casino in 2002, while only 21 percent of those with annual incomes of less than $35,000 gambled in a casino. -- The typical casino player is middle-aged and more likely to be female. The median age of casino gamblers is 47. The male-female ratio of casino gamblers is 46 percent/54 percent. -- Among Americans, the highest casino gambling participation rate is in the 51 to 65 age group (30 percent of casino gamblers). -- Casino players are more likely than non-gamblers - 46 percent versus 41 percent - to hold white-collar jobs. Where Casino Players Live Five states generated more than one-third of casino trips in the United States during 2002, with 17 percent of casino trips originating in California alone. Other findings include: -- Illinois generated the second-most casino trips (15,020,000); Nevada, New York, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Florida and Missouri round out the top 10 states. -- Florida became a top 10 state for the first time, supplying 10.5 million casino trips (4 percent of the U.S. market share) despite a lack of convenient gaming destinations for residents. -- 31 states each generated more than 2 million casino trips last year. Arkansas (roughly 2.2 million trips) was added to the list in 2002. -- The highest casino gambling participation rates occur among residents living in the West (35 percent) and North Central (29 percent) census regions. -- Of the 26 states with casino participation rates greater than the national average of 26 percent, only nine are east of the Mississippi. Money Management Casino gamblers tend to be more experienced investors, and their financial portfolios are more varied than those of non-gamblers. -- 39 percent of casino gamblers view themselves as intermediate or knowledgeable investors (versus 29 percent of non-gamblers). -- Gamblers like relatively aggressive investment options that provide a greater opportunity for long-term earnings, including mutual funds and stocks. The biggest differences between gamblers and non-gamblers occur in retirement/pension plan investing (50 percent of gamblers versus 40 percent of non-gamblers) and mutual fund investing (23 percent versus 15 percent). -- 46 percent of gamblers share the main responsibility for investment decisions with someone else in their household as opposed to 38 percent of non-gamblers, who are more likely to say someone else has most or all of the responsibility. Travel & Entertainment Casino players tend to be more active and willing to try new things when it comes to travel and entertainment. -- 51 percent of gamblers go out for entertainment at least twice a week (versus 37 percent of non-gamblers). -- Gamblers average 7.6 meals out a month versus 6.6 for non-gamblers. -- Based on reported travel activities in the past year, gamblers are far more likely to engage in a variety of vacation and outdoor experiences: trip to the lake/shore/beach (64 percent for gamblers vs. 49 percent for non-gamblers); took a camping/hiking trip (26 percent vs. 16 percent); took a trip to a historical site inside U.S. (25 percent vs. 18 percent); went on resort vacation (24 percent vs. 8 percent). -- Gamblers are more likely to have taken a vacation of 5+ days in the past year (63 percent versus 47 percent). -- Both gamblers and non-gamblers (68 percent equally) seek safety/security first in their approach to travel. Gamblers are more likely to try new places (61 percent versus 47 percent). Non-gamblers are more budget conscious when they plan travel (54 percent versus 48 percent for gamblers). Consumer Choice & Lifestyle Gamblers are more likely to spend money on travel, new cars and special friends, but the typical casino player is more selective in his or her shopping habits. -- 13 percent of casino players plan to buy a car within the next two years (versus 9 percent of non-gamblers). -- Even though gamblers have higher incomes than non-gamblers, they look for deals. 62 percent of gamblers often or fairly often shopped at the store with the best prices (versus 52 percent of non-gamblers). Gamblers are more likely to use coupons (56 percent versus 51 percent) and buy in bulk (47 percent versus 35 percent). -- Non-gamblers are more likely to attend a place of worship at least once a month (63 percent non-gamblers vs. 52 percent gamblers). -- 50 percent of gamblers reported having a date on a "romantic occasion" during the past month as opposed to 40 percent of non-gamblers. A Night in the Life of Casino Gambler On a typical night at the casino: -- Most gamblers (53 percent of respondents) like to stay in an upper floor room with a view at a casino hotel. -- Buffets by far are gamblers' favorite restaurants in casinos (57 percent). And 54 percent of gamblers typically take two passes at the offerings. -- Hearts are gamblers' favorite card suit (40 percent) followed by spades (31 percent). -- The song that best captures the casino atmosphere according to gamblers is "Viva Las Vegas" (34 percent) followed by "All Night Long" and "Celebrate" (both 24 percent) -- Soda (36 percent) is the preferred drink when gamblers are playing casino games. -- Cherries (37 percent) are gamblers' favorite classic slot machine symbol. Games of Choice Slot machines and electronic gaming devices, particularly quarter slots, are the most popular casino games among Americans. -- 74 percent of casino gamblers prefer to play slot machines and video poker. 14 percent prefer table games. Blackjack/21 is the favorite. -- Slot machines are most popular for both men and women. 81 percent of women gamblers prefer slot machines. 67 percent of men prefer the slots. -- 20 percent of men prefer table games, while only 8 percent of women do. Table games are most popular among young adults and least popular among older adults. About Harrah's Survey 2003 "Profile of the American Casino Gambler: Harrah's Survey 2003" is based on three nationwide studies: Roper Reports Roper ASW administered face-to-face interviews to a nationwide sample of 2,000 men and women, 18 years of age and older, in respondents' homes. The Roper ASW research used in compiling this Profile was conducted in four waves between January and December 2002. The margin of error is approximately +/-3%. U.S. Gaming Panel NFO WorldGroup mailed a survey questionnaire in 2002 to a panel of 100,000 adults (25,000 adults per quarter) 21 years of age or older within the Continental United States. The survey generated 64,753 respondents from which NFO identified the U.S. Gaming Panel, a nationally representative sample of 16,438 casino players. The margin of error is approximately +/-1%, and can vary between +/-2% and +/-5% depending on sample segmentation. A Night in the Life of a Casino Gambler NFO mailed a survey questionnaire in June 2003 to 3,300 individuals 21 years of age or older who were pre-identified as having gambled in a casino in the prior 12 months. The survey generated 2,523 returns. The margin of error is approximately +/-2%. Founded 65 years ago, Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. operates 26 casinos in the United States, primarily under the Harrah's brand name. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its target customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Additional information about Harrah's Entertainment is available at www.harrahs.com. SOURCE Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. -0- 09/26/2003 /NOTE TO EDITORS: Harrah's Survey relating to specific states are available on prnewswire.com./ /CONTACT: Brent Burkhardt for Harrah's Entertainment, +1-410-986-1303, or +1-410-299-2528 (cell), bburkhardt@tbc.us/ /Photo: NewsCom: newscom.com AP Archive: photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com / /Company News On-Call: prnewswire.com /Web site: harrahs.com / (HET) CO: Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.; Roper ASW; NFO WorldGroup ST: Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware IN: CNO TRA LEI SU: SVY *** end of story ***
(COMTEX) B: Russian oil exports forecasted to reach 160m tons in 2003 B: Russian oil exports forecasted to reach 160m tons in 2003 Khanty-Mansiysk , Russia, Sep 26, 2003 (RosBusinessConsulting via COMTEX) -- According to the forecasts of the Russian Energy Ministry, Russian oil exports will amount to more than 160m tons in 2003. Gas exports are forecasted to reach about 200bn cubic meters this year, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Ivan Matlashov told RBC in Khanty-Mansiysk today. According to the ministry's data, Russian oil exports outside the CIS were 156.322m tons in 2002. Oil exports to Belarus amounted to 13.928m tons and some 16.344m tons were supplied to Ukraine. Russian gas exports were 128.824bn cubic meters last year. In the first eight months of 2003 some 1.052bn tons in fuel equivalent were produced in Russia. Matlashov reported these figures at an international investment forum in Khanty-Mansiysk. Copyright (C) 2003, RosBusinessConsulting. All Rights Reserved -0- *** end of story ***
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