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This paper presents an econometric analysis of taxpayer compliance, exploring its relationship with audit rates, penalties if detected, tax rate schedule, income level, and sources of self-employment income. Using data drawn from theAnnual Report of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service [IRS, various] and the Data Book [IRS, various]for 1980 to 1995, the audit rate and penalty rate are both effective deterrents to noncompliance. The effectiveness of these two policy instruments depends upon the individual's level of income. It seems the higher the income level, the more effective these instruments are. In general, compliance increases with the level of income but at a decreasing rate. It is also found that individuals tend to comply less as the marginal tax rate rises. Again, such tendency is more pronounced for high-income taxpayers than for low-income taxpayers. (JEL H20, H24, H26) *University of Kentucky--U.S.A. *" Francis Marion University--U.S.A. The authors are grateful to an anonymous referee for helpful comments and suggestions. 186ALI ET AL.: TAXPAYER COMPLIANCE 187 various]. The audit rate and penalty rate both serve as effective deterrents to noncompliance. The effectiveness of these two policy instruments depends upon the individual's level of income. It seems the higher the income level, the more effective these instruments are. In general, compliance increases with the level of income but at a decreasing rate. It is also found that individuals tend to comply less as the marginal tax rate rises. Again, such tendency is more pronounced for high-income taxpayers than for low-income taxpayers.The plan for this study is as follows. The second section reviews the existing theoretical and empirical literature on tax compliance. The third section develops an econometric model for tax compliance. The fourth section reports the estimated model and presents new empirical evidence on how audit rates, penalty rates and tax rates affect compliance. Some concluding remarks are presented in the fifth section.

In this study an econometric model is developed to examine the determinants of the demand for casino gaming, specifically the demand for slot machine wagering at riverboats and racinos. In addition to examining the effects of traditional demand variables, the effect on wagering of variables such as location of a wagering facility and of government restrictions, is examined. A unique measure of accessibility of market area customers to a facility and to competing facilities was developed. The demand for wagering at a facility was found to increase as access by customers in its market area increases and to decrease as access by its customers to competing riverboats, racinos or Indian casinos increases. Government restrictions were found to have an adverse effect on wagering at a riverboat. On the other hand, wagering at a riverboat was found to increase when such restrictions were imposed on competing riverboats. The presence of total loss limits and restrictions on boarding times at a riverboat were found to have reduced wagering by 36% and 35%, respectively. With respect to traditional demand variables, slot machine wagering demand was found to be price elastic at the beginning of the sample period declining to slightly below unit elasticity by the end of the period. Table games offered at a gaming facility were found to be substitutes for slot machines. Demand was found to be negatively related to per capita income at lower income levels and positively related at higher income levels. The proportion of income wagered was found to be greater at upper and lower income levels relative to middle income levels. Demand was found to be positively related to days of operation and number of slot machines.

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