Outdoor headshot of Douglas Walker, a smiling man with wavy brown hair  wearing a suit jacket and a mixed-stripe blue shirt.

Douglas Walker, Ph.D.


Professor of Economics

Education

Auburn University - Auburn, Alabama
Ph.D., Economics, 1998

Kansas State University - Manhattan, Kansas
B.S., Business Administration, 1993

Research Interests

Economic and social impacts of legalized gambling, public economics, applied microeconomics

Courses Taught

  • ECON 200  Principles of Microeconomics
  • ECON 310  International Economics
  • ECON 317  Microeconomic Analysis
  • ECON 360  Economics of Gambling
  • ECON 400  Senior Seminar

Selected Publications 

“The Relationship Between U.S. Economic Indicators and Casino Industry Performance” (2024) with A. Meister and R. Sobel. Gaming Law Review, 28(1): 8-27.

“A Comparison of Clustered and Isolated Casino Performance in Missouri” (2023) with T. Nesbit. UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal, 27(1): 71-91.

“Quitting While You’re Ahead: Evidence for Individual Gambling Thresholds from a Survey of Massachusetts Gamblers” (2022) with D. LaPlante and S. Nelson. Journal of Gambling Business and Economics, 15(1): 3-24.

“Did Video Gaming Expansion Boost Municipal Revenues in Illinois?” (2021) with G. Wagner. Southern Economic Journal, 88(2): 649-679.

“The Conceptual Framework of Harmful Gambling: A Revised Framework for Understanding Gambling Harm” (2020), with M. Hilbrecht, D. Baxter, et al. Journal of Behavioral Addictions 9(2): 190-205.

“The Effect of Casino Proximity on Lottery Sales: Evidence from Maryland” (2017) with W. Cummings and C. Cotti. Contemporary Economic Policy, 35(4): 684-699.

“Setting Win Limits: An Alternative Approach to ‘Responsible Gambling’?” (2015) with S. Litvin, R. Sobel, and R. St-Pierre. Journal of Gambling Studies, 31(3): 965-986.

Honors & Awards

  • Distinguished Research Award for 2008-09, College of Charleston, School of Business and Economics

Related News


three individuals smiling at camera

Battleship of Experiments: The Fight Against Brain Cancer

Aug 20, 2026

Read more about "Battleship of Experiments: The Fight Against Brain Cancer"
Brya Jackson

U.N.-stoppable: Student Raises Her Voice to the Global Level

Aug 19, 2026

Read more about "U.N.-stoppable: Student Raises Her Voice to the Global Level"
College of Charleston logo

106 Coming Street Project: Community Engagement Council to Meet

Aug 18, 2026

Read more about "106 Coming Street Project: Community Engagement Council to Meet"