Purpose – This paper aims to investigate customers’ perceptions of four service quality aspects – service environment, service delivery, game service, and food service – in the casino setting among Chinese players.

Design/methodology/approach – The study examined the proposed model through a 2(gambler type: leisure versus hardcore) x 2(gender: male versus female) multivariate analysis of variance of the four casino service quality aspects.

Findings – Based on a sample of leisure and hardcore casino players, the results show significant differences between the two types of patrons on the four casino service dimensions. In addition, significant gender-by-player interaction is revealed. Research limitations/implications – This study sheds new light on the understanding of the direct and moderating roles of gender and type of casino players on service evaluation in the literature. The research findings should be interpreted with caution as the results are derived from a Vegas-like casino in Macau among a mass-market Chinese casino clientele.

Practical implications – The findings extend service research by illuminating perceptual differences in different casino service quality dimensions in the Asian leisure milieu. Casino operators should take customers’ gender and player type into account and design service offerings that are more attractive to female and leisure consumers, as they represent a large potential casino clientele.

Originality/value – The findings extend the customer contact model and further the understanding in regard to the service quality perception in the burgeoning casino gambling industry in the Far East.