He received his Ph.D. in economics from Auburn University in 1998. Prior to coming to the College of Charleston, he taught at Auburn, Louisiana State University, and Georgia College. His research focus is on the economic and social effects of casinos and other types of legalized gambling. His book, The Economics of Casino Gambling, was published in 2007 by Springer. His gambling research has also been published in journals including American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Journal of Gambling Studies, Public Finance Review, and Review of Regional Studies. His email is WalkerD@cofc.edu.