Mark Nichols

Mark Nichols is a Professor of Economics at the College of Business, University of Nevada, Reno. His research focuses on the economic, social, and behavioral impacts of gambling and risk-taking, particularly in casino gambling contexts. He has explored topics such as gambling regulation, fiscal impacts of casinos, and the relationship between gambling and crime. His work also extends to sports economics, including NFL betting market biases and marijuana demand elasticity.

Education:

• B.S. in Economics, University of Central Florida (1990)
• Ph.D. in Economics, Florida State University (1994)

Research Interests: Professor Nichols examines gambling's effects on public finance, economic development, and crime rates. He combines empirical methods with behavioral economics to analyze biases in gambling behaviors (e.g., slot machine wagering). Recent work explores marijuana demand dynamics using crowd-sourced data and fiscal impacts of legalized gambling.

Awards and Recognition:

• Foundation Professor, University of Nevada (2015)
• Senior Scholar Mentor (2013)
• Graduate Faculty Excellence in Teaching (2017, 2012)

Teaching and Advising: Teaches courses in macroeconomics, econometrics, and economic research methods. Advises graduate and undergraduate students in the Department of Economics.

Labs/Teams: No formal lab mentioned, but collaborates with researchers on gaming economics projects.