Anthony F. Lucas

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Professor, Hospitality

Expertise: Casino marketing, Casino management, Business operations analysis, Slot operations

Biography

Anthony F. Lucas is a professor in UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, where he has developed award-winning research on the business aspects of the global gaming industry.

Lucas has worked extensively on the development of statistical models to better understand the effects of various casino marketing and operations-related variables on hotel-casino performance measures. He also developed several performance-potential models to explain the variation in individual slot machine performance. He has previously worked in areas of financial and operations analysis for Harvey’s Resort Hotel Casino, Harrah’s, MGM Grand, and the Palace Station Hotel Casino.

Lucas has published numerous articles in professional journals, including Cornell Quarterly and the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research. He has received awards for his research in the area of casino management, including the 2002 Best Article Award from Cornell Quarterly, CHRIE’s Wiley Research Award, and UNLV’s Boyd Research Award. Lucas co-authored Introduction to Casino Management, Principles of Casino Marketing, and Casino Operations Management, which are three of the most widely adopted textbooks in the field.

Education

B.S., Accounting, Ball State University
M.B.A., University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Ph.D., Hotel Administration, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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Anthony F. Lucas In The News

An Ace Up The Sleeve

Inside Asian Gaming

Poker may well be the most divisive game on the casino floor. From an operator perspective, is the foot traffic poker can drive enough to cover its revenue challenges? And do players spend as much time on slots and traditional table games as they do at the poker table? IAG takes a closer look.

Frank Floor Talk: Can players tell you’ve tightened your slots?

CDC Gaming

Some of you remember my long-running disagreement with UNLV professor Dr. Anthony Lucas on whether players can actually feel changes in slot hold. My position: they can over time. His position: proven research says they can’t. And frankly, his data is better than mine. But I still can’t shake the feeling I’m right. Some fresh numbers just gave me a little bit more ammunition.

How proposed Caesars, MGM deals could impact casino workers

Labor leaders and hospitality experts say most frontline employees are unlikely to face immediate impacts from the proposed transactions, though corporate and management positions could face greater scrutiny as new owners evaluate costs and operations.

Slot machines reign supreme in Arkansas casinos, generating $610 million in revenue in 2025

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Slot machines have been king in the Natural State since Arkansas legalized casino gambling, and it doesn't look like they'll be giving up their crown anytime soon.