Most gambling concerns are seen by the overwhelming majority of people as cold profit seeking entities completely unconcerned about the communities where they live. But this is not accurate. According to the American Gambling Association as high as 91% of its affiliates have deployed social responsibility programs financed with a percentage of the companies’ profits. 

91% of these companies have established programs to help compulsive gamblers find their way back to sobriety. Others promote the development of intellectual skills and yet others simply support praiseworthy philanthropies like the Saint Jude Hospital for children with cancer.; the Smile Train; Wounded Warrior; and the Salvation Army. In 2017, US gaming companies donated $367 million to charitable causes, while their employees completed 422,000 hours of volunteer work for the same year.

 Philanthropic practices by US corporate entities has extended to many foreign markets. That for instance is the case of 5 Dimes the successful sportbook founded by William Sean Creighton. Founded in the late 1990s 5Dimes quickly gained significant traction. And almost immediately Mr Creighton launched the company’s corporate social responsibility programs. These evolved from his profound gratitude to Costa Rica, where he created 5Dimes and chose as his home. Programs are enveloped into four main areas: skill building at the primary school level; celebration of Christmas; sports with emphasis on soccer and protecting the environment. The programs benefit low-income communities and either strengthen children skills through after schools’ programs at places like La Casa, an after school day care, or train children in sports, particularly soccer. Christmas programs cover rural; indigenous and low-income schools plus one residence for seniors. Recycling of electronic devices and other digital tools is part of the program to protect the environment. And while all these programs have no relation to each other they do follow the industry trend of caring for communities.