Nov 25, 2008
Latest Disordered Gambling Research is Presented in Chicago
Jul 15, 2008
Chicago, Ill.– The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) today announced two new youth education initiatives, including the just-published brochure, “Talking with Children about Gambling,” which offers guidance for parents on how to deter their children from gambling and how they can help them avoid problem gambling and other risky behaviors. In addition, the NCRG’s newly created Task Force on College Gambling Policies is working to develop guidelines for campus policies to help curb under-age gambling activities on college campuses.
The two initiatives are part of the NCRG’s broader mission to expand its public education efforts to a wider audience, including young people. The brochure will be formally launched during Responsible Gaming Education Week, which will take place Aug. 4-8, when it will be distributed to casinos across the country. The Task Force, which held its first meeting on June 24, will hold a series of meetings throughout the coming months and announce final recommendations for a college gambling policy template during spring 2009.
Phil Satre, chairman of the NCRG, discussed these new efforts today at a local breakfast event sponsored by Bensinger, DuPont & Associates, which operates a national problem gambling helpline.
“Research shows that young people are at a higher risk for developing gambling disorders than adults,” Satre said. “About 1 percent of adults have the most severe form of gambling addiction, while anywhere from 2 percent to 7 percent of young people become addicted to gambling.1The NCRG is committed to protecting this vulnerable group through a better understanding of pathological gambling, as well as methods of prevention and treatment.”
Founded in 1996, the NCRG is the only national organization exclusively devoted to funding independent research on pathological and youth gambling, and to finding successful treatment options. The organization is committed to translating research into practical uses that will help individuals avoid gambling-related harms.
The NCRG’s visit to Chicago is part of a two-city public education and awareness campaign designed to share the latest research about disordered gambling and promote responsible gaming among a wider audience, including industry professionals, treatment providers, elected officials, regulators and the general public.
Featured speakers at today’s breakfast event included Satre; Christine Reilly, executive director of the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders; and Dr. Ken Winters, professor of psychiatry at University of Minnesota Medical School.
Throughout its 12-year history, the NCRG has received more than $22 million from gaming companies, equipment manufacturers, vendors and other similar organizations, an unprecedented level of funding from private sources for gambling research.
“Much of what is known about gambling disorders has been published within the past decade, and, during that time, the NCRG led the way for funding in this field. As a board member since the organization’s inception, and today as its chairman, I am very proud of what the NCRG has accomplished,” Satre said. “I look forward to the NCRG’s continued contribution to the growing base of science-based research on disordered gambling, and its continued efforts to explore new ways to turn research into practical education tools.”
For more information on the NCRG go towww.ncrg.org.
1Welte, J.W., Barnes, G.M., Tidwell, M.O., Hoffman, J.H. (2008). The Prevalence of Problem Gambling Among U.S. Adolescents and Young Adults: Results from a National Survey,Journal of Gambling Studies 24(2), 119-133.
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The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) is the only national organization exclusively devoted to funding research that helps increase understanding of pathological and youth gambling and find effective methods of treatment for the disorder. Founded in 1996 as a 501(c)3 charitable organization, the NCRG’s mission is to help individuals and families affected by gambling disorders by supporting the finest peer-reviewed, scientific research into pathological and youth gambling; encouraging the application of new research findings to improve prevention, diagnostic, intervention and treatment strategies; and advancing public education about responsible gaming. The NCRG is the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) affiliated charity.
NCRG funds provide grants to researchers to increase understanding of pathological gambling and find effective methods of treatment for the disorder. The funds are distributed through the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, a program of the Division on Addictions at Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information, visitwww.divisiononaddictions.org/institute.
Gaming Executive, Native American Expert and Former Lottery Professional Among New Directors
Feb 7, 2005
WASHINGTON –The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) has broadened its board of directors by electing a former lottery administrator, a Native American affairs expert and a former public official, all of whom have demonstrated a strong commitment to responsible gaming issues.
Jan Jones, a senior vice president at Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., Eileen Luna-Firebaugh, associate professor of American Indian studies at the University of Arizona, and Eric M. Turner, a former lottery administrator, were elected to the board at the organization’s bi-annual meeting in Las Vegas in December. The board also at that meeting established an advisory council comprised of leading experts who study or work in different aspects of the gaming industry to provide ongoing strategic counsel to the NCRG.
“With more Americans than ever visiting Native American casinos and playing lotteries, it is important for the NCRG’s responsible gaming education efforts to reach beyond the commercial casinos,” said NCRG Chairman Dennis Eckart. “The addition of such a diverse group of board members gives us the insight and expertise to keep pace with the rapidly expanding gaming marketplace and ensures that our programs will have an impact in every venue where people gamble.”
As senior vice president of communications and government relations at Harrah’s, Jones oversees Harrah’s responsible gaming programs and broader corporate social responsibility initiatives, as well as government relations, public relations and community relations for 28 casinos across the country under the Harrah’s, Horseshoe, Showboat, Rio and Harveys brand names. Prior to joining the company in November 1999, served as the mayor of Las Vegas from 1991 until 1999.
Luna-Firebaugh, a member of the Choctaw/Cherokee tribe, focuses on law and public policy in the area of American Indian studies. Luna-Firebaugh is a member of the Arizona Office of Problem Gambling advisory board and the program advisory board of the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders. From 1998 to 1999, she served on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of Pathological Gambling. She currently serves as a justice of the Appellate Court for the Colorado River Indian Tribal Court and as a tribal judge for the Sac River Band of the Chickamauga Cherokee.
Turner currently serves on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling and Scientific Games Corporation, a global marketing and technology leader in the lottery and pari-mutuel industries. He was the executive director of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission from 1992 to 1995, during which time he was elected treasurer and secretary of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries. In addition, he participated in the 1995 North American Think Tank on Youth Gambling Issues at Harvard Medical School.
NCRG’s new advisory council will provide strategic counsel and ongoing tactical and financial support to the NCRG. According to Eckart, establishing such a board provides an opportunity to broaden the organization’s base of support and serve as an additional resource for the NCRG. It also provides a way for potential and retired board members to be more involved in the organization, he said.
Inaugural members of the advisory board are Greg Avioli, executive vice president of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association; Thomas Brosig, faculty fellow at the University College at Tulane University, co-founder of Grand Casinos and a retiring NCRG board member; Marc Falcone, managing director of gaming, lodging and leisure equity research at Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.; Penelope Kyle, executive director of the Virginia Lottery; and Bo Bernhard, director of gambling research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The first task of the new advisory council will be to develop a mission statement for the group and begin to identify additional candidates for recommendation to the executive committee.
Other directors currently serving on the NCRG board are G. Thomas Baker, chairman of International Game Technology; Robert Boswell, senior vice president of Pioneer Behavioral Health; Roland Burris, of counsel at Burris, Wright, Slaughter & Tom, LLC; Glenn Christenson, executive vice president, CFO and CAO of Station Casinos, Inc.; Sue Cox, founding executive director of the Texas Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling; Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the American Gaming Association (AGA); Alan Feldman, senior vice president of public affairs at MGM MIRAGE; Richard Glasier, president and CEO of Argosy Gaming Company; Maj. Gen. Paul A. Harvey (Ret.), president and owner of PDH Associates, Inc.; Timothy Hinkley, president and COO of Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc.; David A. Korn, MD, assistant professor of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Toronto; Brian McKay, of counsel to Lionel Sawyer & Collins; Kevin Mullally, executive director of the Missouri Gaming Commission; Carol O’Hare, executive director of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling; Phil Satre, retired chairman of Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.; Glenn Schaeffer, president, CFO and treasurer of Mandalay Resort Group; Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D, C.A.S., associate professor of psychology and director of the Division on Addictions at Harvard Medical School; and Robert Stewart, senior vice president of corporate communications for Caesars Entertainment, Inc.
In addition to Eckart, officers include President William Boyd, chairman and CEO of Boyd Gaming Corporation, and Treasurer/Secretary Judy Patterson, senior vice president and executive director of the AGA.
The NCRG, the only national organization devoted exclusively to public education about and funding of peer-reviewed research on disordered gambling, was established in 1996. The NCRG supports the finest peer-reviewed basic and applied research on gambling disorders; encourages the application of new research findings to improve prevention, diagnostic intervention and treatment strategies; and enhances public awareness of pathological and youth gambling. To date, the casino industry and related businesses have committed more than $13 million to this effort, and the NCRG has issued more than $8 million in support of groundbreaking research on gambling disorders. For more information, visitwww.ncrg.org.
The NCRG established the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders in 2000. The Institute is a program of the Division on Addictions at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate. For more information, visitwww.hms.harvard.edu/doa/institute.
Findings Highlight Importance of Monitoring Gambling Behaviors as Young People Mature
May 8, 2003
Kansas City, MO– A recently released study funded by the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) revealed that problem gambling rates among the youth population had no significant changes over an eight-year span.
The University of Minnesota study, led by Ken C. Winters, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry, was motivated by concerns that early gambling involvement and continued exposure to gambling opportunities would trigger a meaningful increase in the rate of heavy gambling and problem gambling during late adolescence. The study was not able to validate these concerns.
The study did find, however, a considerable increase in “at-risk” youth gamblers, those individuals withpotentialto move toward a more severe level of problem gambling at some future time.
“The rapid expansion of legalized gambling has increased concerns that our country is producing a young generation of over-involved gamblers,” said Winters. “However, little is known about the course and outcomes of gambling behaviors from adolescence to young adulthood. This study provides the most scientific examination to date as to what happens to young gamblers as they age into young adulthood.”
The prospective examination involved interviews with 305 Minnesota-based students at three intervals (ages 16, 18 and 24) over an eight-year period. Although the study found no significant increase in the rate of problem gamblers from adolescence to young adulthood, it found several risk factors that would likely contribute to the potential for future gambling problems, including early interest in gambling, substance abuse, school problems, juvenile delinquency, being a male and parental history of problem gambling.
“Because of the significant increase in the rate of at-risk gamblers at the young adulthood stage, perhaps the most important assessment we can make from this study is the importance of monitoring the course of gambling behaviors as young people mature and to initiate prevention programs prior to the teenage years,” said Winters.
“Screening teenagers and young adults with a high-risk profile for possible gambling problems is a crucial element to prevention, as well,” Winters added. “Additionally, the possible etiological role of family history highlights the importance of educating parents about how their gambling behavior can negatively influence gambling attitudes of their children.”
“The Prospective Study of Youth Gambling Behaviors,” which was published inPsychology of Addictive Behaviors,was funded by the NCRG and the State of Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Past studies on youth gambling funded by the NCRG have similarly indicated that youth pathological gambling prevalence rates – although higher than adult prevalence rates – have remained stable over time.
‘This study provides a much needed scientific step in the right direction,” said Maj. Gen. Paul A. Harvey (Ret.), chairman of the NCRG. “Research into youth gambling is a priority for the National Center for Responsible Gaming – it will lead us closer to understanding why some youth are more prone to gambling problems than others and help us initiate better education and prevention programs.”
To date, the NCRG has committed more than $500,000 to research and education on youth gambling. The NCRG participates in an international think tank to address youth gambling as a public health issue, and provides support for a youth math curriculum “Facing the Odds: The Mathematics of Gambling and Other Risks.” Developed by Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions, the curriculum teaches statistics and probability in order to improve students’ ability to make informed choices when confronted with gambling opportunities.
Future research priorities in youth gambling will be to further understand the extent to which at-risk gambling develops into problem gambling and what factors mediate this outcome.
The NCRG was established in 1996 to address the need for a greater understanding of pathological gambling and related disorders. Since 1996, the NCRG has awarded $3.7 million in research grants to more than 20 institutions, and in 2000 awarded a $2.4 million contract to Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions to establish the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders to carry out the research initiatives first established by the NCRG.
Nov 13, 2008
WASHINGTON– The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) has named Dr. Marc Potenza as the recipient of this year’s Scientific Achievement Award in the senior investigator category in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of disordered gambling research. The senior investigator award honors scientists whose career work has led to important advancements, discoveries or developments in the field.
Potenza, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the problem gambling clinic at Yale University, was selected by an independent awards committee in recognition of his groundbreaking research on pathological and problem gambling. He has made contributions to the study of gambling disorders in the areas of population studies, genetics, treatment outcome research and neuroscience. Among the many milestones of his career is his completion of the first two brain imaging studies conducted in this field.
“Dr. Potenza has been a true pioneer in the field of disordered gambling research. His contributions not only have helped us better understand the disorder, but have helped lay the groundwork for future research,” said Phil Satre, chairman of the NCRG. “The NCRG is proud to honor Dr. Potenza for his continued commitment to excellence in advancing the field of disordered gambling research.”
The award will be presented at a reception on Nov. 16 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino during the 9thannual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction. The conference is sponsored by the NCRG and the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, a program at the Division on Addictions at Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.
Potenza’s initial groundbreaking brain imaging studies involving subjects with pathological gambling, published in 2003, showed differences in the brain activity of pathological gamblers compared with control subjects and laid the groundwork for future investigations of the neurobiological elements of pathological gambling. Potenza since has conducted research using brain imaging in clinical trials to help identify brain characteristics that may be able to predict whether or not a particular drug treatment will be successful for the patient. His current research also includes a brain imaging study that has found similarities in the brain activity of pathological gamblers when they experience gambling urges to the brain activity of people with cocaine dependence when they experience cocaine cravings.
Potenza has conducted significant investigations into a biological basis for pathological gambling. This research has included a study into the relationship between pathological gambling and major depression in men, which has helped the scientific community to better identify the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to pathological gambling. In his roles as director of the Women and Addictive Disorders Core, Women’s Health Research at Yale and director of neuroimaging at the Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) in West Haven, Conn., Potenza has conducted a substantial amount of research into the differences between men and women with pathological gambling, as well as pathological gambling in the context of co-occurring disorders.
Potenza also is internationally recognized for his research into the drug treatment for pathological gambling and has investigated a series of possible drug therapy treatments. He will lead a conference session on the topic of medication for gambling and alcoholic disorders at the 2008 NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction.
In addition to his research, Potenza regularly treats individuals with gambling problems and serves as an editorial board member for a number of peer-reviewed scientific journals including theJournal of Addiction MedicineandThe American Journal on Addictions. He has authored more than 100 research and theoretical articles and has contributed to more than 40 books. Potenza earned his M.D. at Yale University School of Medicine and his Ph.D. in cell biology at Yale University. He also is the first person to receive NCRG Scientific Achievement Awards in both the Young Investigator (2003) and Senior Investigator categories.
The recipients of the Scientific Achievement Award are selected by an independent committee of distinguished leaders in the field of addictions and gambling research chaired by Joseph T. Coyle, the Eben S. Draper Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Other members of the committee include Linda B. Cottler, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology in psychiatry at the Washington University School of Medicine; Richard I. Evans, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Houston; Peter E. Nathan, Ph.D., professor emeritus of community and behavioral health at the University of Iowa; and Christine Thurmond, administrative director at the Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance.
To obtain additional information on the NCRG’s conference visitwww.ncrg.org. To obtain press credentials for events related to the conference, or to arrange interviews with conference participants, contact Veronica Brown at 202-530-4526 or 703-470-1925 (from Nov. 15-21).
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The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) is the only national organization exclusively devoted to funding research that helps increase understanding of pathological and youth gambling and find effective methods of treatment for the disorder. Founded in 1996 as a 501(c)3 charitable organization, the NCRG is the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) affiliated charity. For more information, visitwww.ncrg.org. NCRG funds provide grants to researchers to increase understanding of pathological gambling and find effective methods of treatment for the disorder. The funds are distributed through the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, a program of the Division on Addictions at Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information, visitwww.divisiononaddictions.org/institute.
May 5, 2008
WASHINGTON– The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) today announced the creation of a national task force to develop science-based campus gambling policies. The NCRG Task Force on College Gambling Policy will be comprised of representatives from colleges and universities across the country and be coordinated by the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, a program of the Division on Addictions at the Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.
The task force will consider guidelines for various campus policies related to responsible gaming, including those that regulate student activities, athletics and health services, and make recommendations for ways to better communicate campus policies to parents and students. Final recommendations will be announced in 2009.
“NCRG-funded research has made a significant contribution to the growing pool of knowledge about gambling disorders and the types of programs that promote responsible gambling behaviors. This task force can build on this knowledge by translating research into real-world programs that can help students avoid gambling-related problems,” said Phil Satre, NCRG chairman.
According to Christine Reilly, executive director of the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, the colleges and universities represented on the task force have demonstrated not only their awareness of the potential for gambling-related problems among the student population, but the need to address the issue. All of these institutions already have some kind of gambling policy in place. Task force members come from geographically diverse institutions and reflect a cross section of disciplines. Members of the task force include:
- Stacy Andes, M.A., director of health promotion
Villanova University (Villanova, Pa.) - E. Ann Bailey, Ph.D.,director of housing and residential life
Mississippi State University (Mississippi State, Miss.) - William Buhrow, Psy.D.,dean of student services and director of health and counseling
George Fox University (Newberg, Ore.) - Karin Dittrick-Nathan, Ph.D., program chair and assistant clinical professor, Child, Family and School Psychology Program
University of Denver (Denver, Colo.) - Ann M. Doyle, M.Ed., C.H.E.S., outreach education coordinator, Alcohol/Drug Program
Bridgewater State College (Bridgewater, Mass.) - Peter Van D. Emerson, M.P.P., administrative associate for public policy Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School scholar in residence, Kirkland House
Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass.) - Gregory Johnson, M.D., director of Stillman Infirmary and After-Hours Urgent Care Clinic
Harvard University Health Services (Cambridge, Mass.) - Chris King, M.Ed., associate athletic director
University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) - Sally Morgan, M.A., director of the Office of Student Conduct
University of Nevada, Reno (Reno, Nev.) - Karen Moses, M.S., R.D., C.H.E.S., director of wellness and health promotion
Arizona State University (Tempe, Ariz.) - John Smeaton, Ph.D., vice provost for student affairs
Lehigh University (Bethlehem, Pa.) - Ryan Travia, M.Ed., director of the Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Services
Department of Behavioral Health & Academic Counseling
Harvard University Health Services (Cambridge, Mass.) - Kristy Wanner, M.Ed., gambling prevention coordinator for Partners in Prevention, a statewide coalition of Missouri universities
University of Missouri (Columbia, Mo.) - Christine Reilly, task force staff and executive director of the
Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders
Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School (Medford, Mass.)
The college gambling initiative addresses the findings of an NCRG-funded study of gambling and alcohol policies at U.S. colleges and universities. Conducted by Howard Shaffer and colleagues at the Division on Addictions in collaboration with the Harvard School of Public Health, the study showed that 42 percent of students in the sample reported having gambled during the past year. Yet, while all schools in the study had a student alcohol policy, only about 22 percent of those sampled had a gambling policy.
“Advancements in research have given us a greater understanding of gambling and other risky behaviors among college students, and we are fortunate to be working with individuals who can help us turn this research into practical policies that address gambling issues on campus,” Reilly said. “This is a unique opportunity to develop science-based standards for policies that not only address campus gambling activities, but ultimately prevent and reduce gambling-related harms.”
The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) is the only national organization exclusively devoted to funding research that helps increase understanding of pathological and youth gambling and find effective methods of treatment for the disorder. Founded in 1996 as a 501(c)3 charitable organization, the NCRG’s mission is to help individuals and families affected by gambling disorders by supporting the finest peer-reviewed, scientific research into pathological and youth gambling; encouraging the application of new research findings to improve prevention, diagnostic, intervention and treatment strategies; and advancing public education about responsible gaming. The NCRG is the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) affiliated charity. For more information, visitwww.ncrg.org.
The NCRG supports cutting-edge research on gambling disorders through the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, a program of the Division on Addictions at Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information, visitwww.divisiononaddictions.org/institute.
New Commitments From 11 Gaming Companies to Help Finance New Initiative
Oct 14, 2003
KANSAS CITY, Mo. –New funding commitments from several leading gaming companies, along with proceeds from three charity events held in 2003, have pushed total funding for the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) beyond the $12 million mark. The most recent funding commitments will be used to launch the NCRG’s new initiative aimed at approaching disordered gambling as a public health issue and bringing together, with the gaming industry, all those concerned with working toward the continued advancement of research and understanding of disordered gambling.
Funding commitments from 11 companies have already netted more than $1 million for the new effort. Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., International Game Technology (IGT), MGM MIRAGE and Park Place Entertainment Corporation each pledged $1 million over the next five years; Argosy Gaming Company, Boyd Gaming Corporation and Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., pledged $500,000 over the next five years; Aztar Corporation and Station Casinos, Inc., pledged $200,000 over the next five years; The Palms Casino Resort pledged $50,000 over the next five years; and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino pledged $37,500 over the next five years.
“Since the creation of the NCRG in 1996, the organization has done much to advance the field of research on disordered gambling,” said NCRG Chairman Dennis Eckart. “Most importantly, we have made significant progress toward the understanding of gambling disorders, and this field of research is more robust and respected than ever. The generous support of some of the world’s leading gaming companies have made these past accomplishments possible, and these recent contributions, from both new and old supporters of the NCRG, will lead us into the future. Disordered gambling is an issue that affects us all, and we look forward to playing a role in continued progress on the issue.”
In addition to the new funding commitments, three fundraising events from the past year generated sizeable contributions for the NCRG. This spring, two charity golf tournaments were held in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. JCM Corporation and the American Gaming Association (AGA) sponsored the tournaments, with Cooper Levenson April Niedelman and Wagenheim serving as a co-sponsor for the Atlantic City event. Together, the tournaments yielded $75,000 for the NCRG.
In addition, the NCRG raised $225,000 at the 15thannual Gaming Hall of Fame Charity Dinner and Induction Ceremony held in July as part of the grand opening festivities at the new Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J.
Since it was established in 1996, the NCRG has emerged as the pre-eminent source of funding for disordered gambling research, sponsoring educational programs, raising public awareness of the issue, and, most significantly, creating and funding the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders at Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions.
Now that this phase of development has stabilized, the organization is poised to enter its next phase, Eckart said.
A cornerstone of new NCRG initiatives is the fourth annual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction, scheduled for December 7-9, 2003, at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The conference, long popular within the addictions research and treatment communities, is expanding its program this year to include an entire conference track specifically aimed at these new audiences, providing a comprehensive, practical agenda for government and industry. The new track will offer a critical examination of the major issues facing the gaming industry, government regulators and public policy-makers.
“This conference will be an important step in opening dialogue among these groups,” Eckart said, “and the fruits of this collaboration will ultimately be a comprehensive public health approach to disordered gambling that takes us one step closer to meeting our goals.”
Beyond the annual conference, the NCRG plans to embark on several projects to create a dialogue surrounding scientific research on disordered gambling that will work to communicate to and educate a diverse audience base.
The NCRG, the only national organization devoted exclusively to public education about and funding of peer-reviewed research on disordered gambling, was established in 1996. The NCRG supports the finest peer-reviewed basic and applied research on gambling disorders; encourages the application of new research findings to improve prevention, diagnostic intervention and treatment strategies; and enhances public awareness of pathological and youth gambling. To date, the casino industry and related businesses have committed more than $12 million to this effort, and the NCRG has issued more than $6 million in support of groundbreaking research on gambling disorders. In 2000, the NCRG established the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders at Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions.
Experts to Examine Responsible Gaming through Scientific and Cultural Lenses
May 13, 2008
WASHINGTON– The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) will make its first foray into international programming next month with a series of educational sessions at Global Gaming Expo Asia (G2E Asia) in Macau. The event, to be held June 3-5 at Venetian Macao’s Cotai Strip Convention and Exhibition Center, will examine responsible gaming programs within both scientific and culturally specific frameworks, as part of G2E Asia’s corporate social responsibility conference track.
“We are thrilled to bring this important educational content to our new event in Asia,” said Courtney Muller, group vice president of G2E for Reed Exhibitions. “Responsible gaming was mentioned by all of our conference advisory board members as a critically important topic – who better to educate this booming market on that subject than the NCRG?”
The NCRG will sponsor two sessions at G2E Asia that will highlight different aspects of responsible gaming. The first, “Proactive Progress: A Science-based Framework for Responsible Gaming,” will educate attendees about the history of disordered gambling research, the results and implications of that research, and the practical applications for both industry and government that have been produced as a result.
The second session, “Lost in Translation: Responsible Gaming Programs in Asia,” will examine the responsible gaming programs currently used by Western casino operations and discuss how they may or may not translate to operations in Asia when considering the cultural differences of gamblers and employees.
The NCRG also will sponsor “Understanding the Need for Responsible Gaming,” as part of G2E Asia’s new Gaming Management Certificate program, developed in partnership with the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Singapore campus and the University of Macau. The one-day certificate program is a professional development course specifically designed to help gaming supervisors and managers upgrade their management skills to position themselves for future career advancement.
“We’re tremendously pleased to be able to bring the NCRG’s wealth of scientific and practical knowledge of disordered gambling and responsible gaming to the Asian market, where the rapidly expanding industry points to a clear need for research-based education on this vital subject,” said Phil Satre, chairman of the NCRG. “We look forward to establishing a strong relationship with the industry in Asia so we can begin developing effective responsible gaming programming there.”
For more information about the event, please visitwww.G2EAsia.comor contact Keli Wallace atkwallace@americangaming.org.
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The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) is the only national organization exclusively devoted to funding research that helps increase understanding of pathological and youth gambling and find effective methods of treatment for the disorder. Founded in 1996 as a 501(c)3 charitable organization, the NCRG’s mission is to help individuals and families affected by gambling disorders by supporting the finest peer-reviewed, scientific research into pathological and youth gambling; encouraging the application of new research findings to improve prevention, diagnostic, intervention and treatment strategies; and advancing public education about responsible gaming. The NCRG is the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) affiliated charity. For more information, visitwww.ncrg.org.
Nov 30, 2004
The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) will debut an online daily conference report, or blog, for the media during its fifth annual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction, which offers a comprehensive examination of international responsible gaming issues from the public policy, industry, legal and scientific perspectives.
The daily report will allow reporters unable to attend the event the ability to obtain information on the latest addictions research presented at the conference as well as understand the implications of this new research on public policy and industry initiatives related to responsible gaming. The report will include summaries of key sessions and contact information for session speakers from the previous day of the conference and allow the media to send an e-mail request for more detailed information on a particular subject matter. A link to the daily report will be delivered to reporters via e-mail each morning from Monday, Dec. 6 through Wednesday, Dec. 8.
- Highlights of the conference report will include summaries of sessions dealing with:
- The potential links between addictions
- Regulating gaming and its potential health consequences in a global economy
- Health risks for casino employees
- Problem gambling issues among Native American communities
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy for gambling disorders
- What genetics and brain scans are telling us about gambling addiction
- Addiction in an age of terrorism and social stress
The fifth annual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction, scheduled for Dec. 5 – 7 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, is co-sponsored by the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, a program at Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions. More than 300 researchers, treatment providers, public health officials, regulators and industry representatives are expected to attend this year’s event.
If you would prefer not to receive the daily conference report, please send request to Brooke_Shannon@TheWadeGroupInc.com.
The NCRG, the only national organization devoted exclusively to public education about and funding of peer-reviewed research on disordered gambling, was established in 1996. The NCRG supports the finest peer-reviewed basic and applied research on gambling disorders; encourages the application of new research findings to improve prevention, diagnostic intervention and treatment strategies; and enhances public awareness of pathological and youth gambling. To date, the casino industry and related businesses have committed more than $13 million to this effort, and the NCRG has issued more than $8 million in support of groundbreaking research on gambling disorders. In 2000, the NCRG established the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders at Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions. For more information, visitwww.ncrg.org.
The Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders is a program of the Division on Addictions at Harvard Medical School. In accordance with the Harvard University name policy, the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders should not be referred to as the “Harvard Institute…” or the “Harvard Medical School Institute…” For more information about the use of the Harvard name,visithttp://www.hms.harvard.edu/fa/use_of_the_Harvard_name.html.
National Center for Responsible Gaming Will Honor Scientific Excellence in Emerging Field
Dec 17, 2001
LAS VEGAS—The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG), which in five years has transformed pathological gambling research by supporting only the most rigorous and independent peer-reviewed investigations, has established an annual awards program that will recognize scientific contributions to this emerging field.
Nominations in seven categories will be accepted, including Early Career Contribution; Distinguished Career Contribution; Outstanding Journal Article; Outstanding Neuroscience Research; Outstanding Social and Behavioral Science Research; Outstanding Public Health Research; and Outstanding Public Policy Research.
A selection committee composed of members of the program advisory board of the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders at Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions will review all nominations. Members of the advisory board include leading academic researchers in the field of mental health and addictions, such as Herbert D. Kleber, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; David C. Lewis, M.D., professor of medicine and project director for Brown University; and Barry Kosofsky, M.D., Ph.D., associate neurologist, Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.
‘For a field that is relatively new compared to other areas of science, it is important that we recognize those individuals who have significantly contributed to the advancement of scientific knowledge focusing on gambling disorders,’ said Maj. Gen. Paul Harvey (ret.), NCRG board chairman. ‘The more scientific knowledge that is gained through rigorous research about this complex issue, the closer we are to having better applications for the diagnosis and treatment of problems.’
Awards will be given exclusively on the scientific merits of nominees and will be presented at the 2002 annual scientific conference sponsored by the NCRG and the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders at Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions. Sponsors of this awards program will include Argosy Gaming Corporation, Boyd Gaming Corporation, Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., MGM MIRAGE, Station Casinos Inc. and others.
The scientific awards program was approved by the NCRG board of directors, which met here earlier this month. The board meeting was held in conjunction with the 2001 annual conference, ‘Toward Meaningful Diagnosis of Gambling Disorders: From Theory to Practice.’ The two-day conference, which explored the issues associated with developing a clear definition of pathological gambling and methods for diagnosis, also was sponsored by the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling.
‘This is a very youthful field that’s just beginning to boom,’ said Howard Shaffer, Ph.D., director of Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions. ‘Because it’s a young field, we don’t know nearly as much as we think we do. My hope is that through continued scrupulous research, we will advance this field to a point where we can diagnose a pathological gambler before the destructive problems play out.’
The conference attracted approximately 140 attendees, including clinicians, academic researchers, treatment providers, public policy-makers, gaming regulators, gaming industry employees and staff from state councils on problem gambling.
The conference served as a forum to discuss the need for more research to help identify the nature of gambling disorders – to determine whether problem gambling is the core problem or is just a symptom of another problem, such as alcoholism or depression. Also discussed at the conference were several new studies that are in the planning stages to examine how problem gambling effects various segments of the population, such as women and youth.
In addition to the scientific awards program, the NCRG board also approved the implementation of a communications/media outreach plan for the NCRG to further raise awareness of the work being funded by the NCRG as well as its public education programs. The NCRG also hopes to raise its visibility as a valuable resource on responsible gaming for academics, industry and the media. As part of this communication effort, the NCRG, in conjunction with the American Gaming Association, released the first issue of Responsible Gaming Quarterly (RGQ), devoted to highlighting initiatives throughout the industry, government, academia and the treatment community to address disordered gambling.
The NCRG was established in 1996 to address the need for a greater understanding of pathological gambling and related disorders. Since 1996, the NCRG has awarded $3.7 million in research grants to more than 20 institutions, and in 2000 awarded a $2.6 million contract to Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions to establish the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders to carry out the research initiatives first established by the NCRG.
