Casino gaming has spread across America, but its impacts remain unclear. This study extends research about crime impacts of gaming development in rural communities, addressing whether tourism growth leads to an increase in crime, or whether crime is an inherent by-product of gaming tourism. Using a sample of rural Colorado counties, this study compared crime effects in casino gaming counties, ski counties, natural resources access counties, and cultural tourist attraction counties. In contrast to conventional wisdom, this study found that ski counties had a significantly higher property crime rate than did gaming, natural resource access, and cultural tourist attraction counties. Results also suggest the presence of interaction effects between tourism types and growth levels, affecting crime rates. These results provide valuable information to communities considering tourism alternatives for economic development, and they also inform public policy.
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