Aga Awards Dinner Raises More Than $175,000 For Problem Gambling Research: Funds To Benefit National Center For Responsible Gaming

Oct 18, 2001

KANSAS CITY, MO—Supporters of the first annual AGA Awards Dinner Honoring America’s Gaming Greats, held Oct. 2, 2001, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, raised more than $175,000 to benefit the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG). Money raised for the NCRG works to fund scientific research and enhance public awareness of pathological and youth gambling.

The gala, sponsored by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and Global Gaming Expo (G2E), honored U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and entertainer Paul Anka for their contributions to the gaming industry. Park Place Entertainment Corporation was the first honoree to enter the ‘Million-Dollar Club,’ which was established for companies contributing $1 million or more to the NCRG. Boyd Gaming Corporation was also recognized for its outstanding financial support of the NCRG, including providing the initial funding to make the NCRG a reality and pledging $875,000 over a 10-year period. More than 70 companies and numerous individuals supported the dinner, with more than 650 in attendance.

‘This fund-raising event was an overwhelming success. We are grateful to everyone who participated – from the attendees to the generous donors who made the dinner possible,’ said Maj. Gen. Paul Harvey (Ret.), chairman of the NCRG board. ‘The funds raised will finance research that will ultimately help people and families affected by disordered gambling and help to eliminate underage gambling.’

Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., was a major contributor to the event, and provided generous in-kind donations in addition to hosting the event. Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada, a longtime supporter of the NCRG, also was a major underwriter of the dinner.

Cathy Ray and Ken Hamilton of KTNV – Channel 13 in Las Vegas joined Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the AGA, as masters of ceremonies for the event. Entertainment at the dinner was provided by Las Vegas dance troupe the Salseritos, as well as top acts the Scintas, who performer at the Rio, and Clint Holmes of Harrah’s Las Vegas.

Gala coordinators were Southern Wine & Spirits’ Rino Armeni; Sandy Peltyn of Martin and Peltyn, Inc.; and Don Snyder of Boyd Gaming. Punam Mathur of MGM MIRAGEÔ was the production coordinator, and the AGA Board of Directors served as the host committee.

The NCRG was established in 1996 to address the need for a greater understanding of pathological gambling and related disorders. In five years, the NCRG has transformed the gambling research field by supporting only the highest quality investigations of problem and underage gambling selected through an independent, rigorous peer review process. In 2000, the NCRG 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.

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Early Report On Gambling Disorder Study Holds Promise For Public Health Planners

Self-Exclusion Rolls May Hold Key to More Effectively Targeting Resources

Oct 7, 2004

LAS VEGAS—Self-exclusion programs, designed to help problem gamblers, may hold the key to more effectively targeting public health resources, according to preliminary findings in a groundbreaking research study of the Missouri Gaming Commission’s Voluntary Exclusion program reported here today.

“Our analysis of the 5,125 men and women who voluntarily banned themselves from Missouri’s riverboat casinos from 1997 to 2003 shows that Missouri public health officials can use the rate of self-exclusion to make informed decisions on how and where to allocate limited treatment and prevention resources,” said Christine Reilly, executive director of the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, who presented the findings before gaming industry leaders at this year’s Global Gaming Expo.

Reilly reported that researchers from Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions were able to confirm it is possible to use self-exclusion numbers to determine the disordered gambling prevalence rates both on a statewide basis, and, more importantly, at the county level.

According to the authors of the study, this means Missouri public health officials can use readily available self-exclusion program enrollment information to systematically update “estimated prevalence more efficiently, accurately and economically.” This means public health workers, regulators and lawmakers will be able to track levels of disordered gambling and determine appropriate prevention and treatment strategies on a more timely basis.

The current methods of establishing prevalence rates make it economically unviable to review rates frequently and are unable to provide the county-level information the Harvard approach provides.

Reilly told the gaming executives, that, although the findings she presented were specific to Missouri, the Harvard researchers are confident, upon completion, the full study will provide valuable guidance to other states.

Results presented Thursday represent Phase I of a two-part study of Missouri’s self-exclusion program. The objective of Phase I was to determine the relative prevalence of gambling disorders in Missouri’s counties and the city of St. Louis. Establishing the relative prevalence rates is important, according to the researchers, because it will help define the need for treatment at the county-level and provide accurate information to use in reducing the impact of disordered gambling on pubic health.

The study used information on the 5,125 Missouri-resident self-excluders enrolled for the complete calendar years of 1997 through 2003. It concluded that:

• Approximately 39,000 Missourians had a level III (the most serious level) gambling disorder within the past-year.
• Ninety-two percent of the Missouri self-excluders were from the Kansas City or St. Louis regions.
• Missouri self-excluders are younger than the state’s adult population: 83 percent of the self-excluders are between 24 and 54 years of age, whereas 57 percent of Missouri’s adult population is in that age range.
• The proportion of minorities is greater among self-excluders than Missouri’s population: 26 percent of self-excluders reported their race as other than Caucasian; whereas 15 percent of Missouri’s adult population is not Caucasian.

Phase II of the study, which will begin this fall, will determine:

• The effectiveness of the Missouri self exclusion program for helping people resolve their problems.
• What modifications might improve the program’s impact.
• What other assistance would improve healthy responses to combating gambling-related problems.

The Harvard study was made possible by a competitive grant from the Port Authority of Kansas City’s Problem Gambling Fund. Partial support came from the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, a program of the Harvard Medical School Division on Addictions, the National Center for Responsible Gaming and the Missouri Gaming Commission.

The Missouri Gaming Commission’s Voluntary Exclusion Program provided the self-exclusion enrollment database for the study.

Complete research results are available atwww.hms.harvard.edu/doa/html/library.htm. To obtain the password necessary to access the information, contact Chris Reilly at christine_reilly@hms.harvard.edu or 617-359-9904.

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 $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.

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Experts Will Convene To Examine New Model For Explaining Addiction, Implications For Treatment And Responsible Gaming

Conference Will Evaluate International Approaches to Responsible Gaming

Nov 23, 2004

The fifth annual National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) Conference on Gambling and Addiction will bring together leading researchers, clinicians, policy officials and gaming industry representatives to explore new findings that could change the way we identify, treat and assist individuals with addictive disorders and could help guide the industry and public policy officials in developing more effective responsible gaming programs. The event will also feature a comprehensive examination of international responsible gaming issues from the public policy, industry, legal and scientific perspectives.

WHAT:“Gambling and Addiction: Shared Causes, Managing Consequences,” co-sponsored by the NCRG and the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, a program of Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions.

  • Highlights of the conference include discussion of:
  • Relationship among all addictive disorders
  • Health risks for casino employees
  • Problem gambling issues among Native American communities
  • Regulating gaming and its potential health consequences in a global economy
  • Addiction in an age of terrorism and social stress
  • The effectiveness of public awareness campaigns on responsible gaming
  • Cognitive-behavior therapy for gambling disorders

WHO:Participants include more than 300 leaders representing the scientific, treatment, public health, public policy and industry sectors. Featured speakers include:

  • Peter Dean, chairman, Gaming Board of Great Britain
  • Dennis Eckart, chairman, NCRG
  • Timothy Hinkley, president and chief operating officer, Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc.
  • The Hon. Lana Oleen, majority leader, Kansas Senate
  • Howard Shaffer, director, Division on Addictions, Harvard Medical School
  • Nelson Westrin, vice chairman, National Indian Gaming Commission

WHERE:MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
Conference Center (third floor)
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas

WHEN:Sunday, Dec. 5 – Tuesday, Dec.

** For a full schedule of conference events, presentation abstracts, interview requests or other information, please call Holly Thomsen at 202-530-4508. From Dec. 4 – 8, her contact number will be 202-425-8954. A conference schedule is also available atwww.ncrg.org. Media check-in for the conference will take place at the on-site registration area, located in the Premier Ballroom Foyer on the third floor of the MGM Grand Conference Center. Conference speakers will be available for media interviews after their presentations and by appointment via phone or in person. Interview availability is not restricted to conference dates. **

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.

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Former U.s. Congressman Dennis Eckart Named Chairman Of NCRG

Announcement Follows Record-Setting NCRG Conference

Dec 18, 2002

LAS VEGAS –The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) today announced that Dennis E. Eckart, former six-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, has been elected as its new chairman.

Eckart currently is the president and chief executive officer of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association, the nation’s largest metropolitan chamber of commerce. In his new role as NCRG chairman, Eckart will serve as chairman of the board of directors, overseeing all operations and serving as spokesperson for the organization. He replaces Maj. Gen. Paul A. Harvey (Ret.), who served as the chairman of the organization since its founding in 1996. Harvey will remain on the NCRG board as an industry representative.

“I am excited to join the NCRG as the organization looks to the future,” Eckart said. “The NCRG has already provided more than $7 million to fund research on pathological gambling, and over the next few years, we will be looking to new challenges and new ways of providing leadership in the field of responsible gaming.”

We plan to establish the NCRG as not only the leading expert source of science-based research and information on gambling and health, but as a leading provider of proven educational, prevention and treatment tools. Helping to develop innovative programs to achieve these goals will be a major focus of my activities for the NCRG.”

While in the U.S. House of Representatives, Eckart served as chairman of the Small Business Subcommittee on Antitrust, Deregulation and Ecology and as a member of the House Energy and Commerce and the Education and Labor committees. Following his tenure on Capitol Hill, Eckart was a partner with Baker & Hostetler, LLP, a Cleveland-based law firm, where he remains of counsel.

Eckart’s election occurred at the NCRG’s annual board meeting held earlier this month in Las Vegas at the conclusion of the organization’s annual two-day conference. This year’s conference, “Rethinking Addiction: How Gambling and Other Behavioral Addictions are Changing the Concept and Treatment of Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders,” attracted a record number of attendees. More than 300 addictions researchers, treatment providers, public health policy-makers and gaming industry executives gathered to share insights into how new studies of problem gambling and behavioral disorders are expanding general theories about all addictions, including substance abuse. The conference was co-sponsored by the NCRG, Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders at Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions, and the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling.

In his opening remarks at the conference, Howard Shaffer, executive director of Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addiction, discussed how new areas of pathological gambling and behavioral research are returning the concept of addiction to its origins. He noted that recent studies using new technologies to study the brain have shown that anticipation of cocaine, money and beauty energize the brain’s reward system in the same way, indicating that the brain is the final pathway for all addictive behaviors.

“Behavioral disorders like pathological gambling allow us to observe the addictive process, unclouded by drugs or alcohol,” Shaffer said. “This new understanding eventually can result in improved prevention and treatment strategies for all addictive disorders.”

Other conference speakers discussed advancements in the addictions fields ranging from substance abuse to shopping to sex addiction. Some of the nation’s leading addictions researchers and treatment providers examined the common links between pathological gambling and other disorders and the efficacy of existing treatment paradigms in addressing current health issues. On the public health front, public health experts from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health discussed how the state is incorporating gambling issues into the continuum of services provided through state drug treatment services.

The NCRG, the only national organization devoted exclusively to public education about and funding of peer-reviewed research on pathological 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 $7 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, the world’s preeminent medical research institution.

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Gambling Research Group Receives $125,000 From Isle Of Capri Casinos

Nov 1, 2000

Kansas City, Mo.—The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) announced today a new five-year funding commitment of $125,000 from the Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. that will support scientific research on gambling addiction and youth gambling. The first national organization devoted exclusively to funding scientific research on disordered gambling, the NCRG has received multi-year pledges of more than $7 million from the casino industry since its founding in 1996.

‘We commend Isle of Capri President and COO John Gallaway for his strong commitment to responsible gaming’ said Maj. Gen. Paul Harvey, chairman of the NCRG board. ‘His willingness to provide long-term funding for the NCRG is a vote of confidence in our program.’ The Biloxi, Mississippi-based company operates riverboat, dockside and land-based casinos in Mississippi, Missouri, Louisiana, Nevada, Iowa and Colorado.

Isle of Capri Casinos joins the 30 commercial casino companies and other gaming-related businesses that have contributed to the NCRG over the past four years. ‘This support has enabled the NCRG to build a widely respected research grants program,’ Harvey said. ‘We believe that first-rate research will lead to effective prevention and treatment programs.’ The NCRG has awarded 23 grants to institutions such as Harvard Medical School, Yale School of Medicine, the University of Missouri, Columbia and Washington University, St. Louis.

The NCRG also promotes public awareness of gambling disorders and education for scientists and treatment providers. In December 2000, the NCRG will hold its annual conference in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information on the conference and the NCRG, 816-453-9964.

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Gambling Research Group Receives $75,000 From Argosy Gaming Company

Oct 10, 2000

Kansas City, Mo.—The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) announced today a new funding commitment of $75,000 from Argosy Gaming Company that will support scientific research on gambling addiction and youth gambling. The first national organization devoted exclusively to funding peer-reviewed research on disordered gambling, the NCRG has received multi-year pledges of more than $7 million from the casino industry since its founding in 1996.

‘We want to commend Argosy and its President and CEO James Perry for the company’s commitment to responsible gaming efforts,’ said Maj. Gen. Paul Harvey, chairman of the NCRG board.’ Argosy’s generosity and dedication will help the NCRG continue its funding of ground-breaking research on problem gambling and youth gambling.’ Argosy, based in Alton, Ill., operates five riverboats serving the areas near Baton Rouge, La.; Cincinnati, Ohio; St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo.; and Sioux City, Iowa.

Argosy Gaming Company joins the 30 commercial casino companies and other gaming-related businesses that have contributed to the NCRG over the past four years. ‘This support has enabled the NCRG to build a widely respected research grants program,’ Harvey said. ‘We believe that first-rate research will help us develop effective prevention and treatment programs.’ The NCRG has awarded 23 research grants to institutions such as Harvard Medical School, Yale School of Medicine, the University of Missouri, Columbia and Washington University, St. Louis.

The NCRG also promotes public awareness of gambling disorders and education for scientists and treatment providers. In December 2000, the NCRG will hold its annual conference in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information on the conference or on the NCRG, call 816-453-9964.

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Gaming Companies Raise Money To Support Problem And Youth Gambling Research

Jun 4, 2001

At the third annual JCM-AGA Golf Classic held May 21, 2001 at TPC Summerlin Las Vegas, Nevada, executives from casino operators, slot manufacturers and related industries contributed $50,000 to finance groundbreaking research on problem and youth gambling. The event, hosted by JCM American Corporation (JCM) and the American Gaming Association (AGA), raised funds for the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG).

‘JCM is committed to serving the gaming industry and strives to raise awareness to conduct gaming responsibly,’ stated JCM President Akiyoshi Isoi. ‘We are grateful to receive an overwhelmingly positive response from registrants, sponsors and auction donors, who helped make this the most successful tournament yet.’

The NCRG was created by the gaming industry to address problem and youth gambling through independent research and education. The organization also promotes public awareness of problem and youth gambling through conferences and other programs for researchers, treatment providers, gaming industry personnel and public policy makers. The research will lead to effective prevention and treatment of problem gambling and has the potential to unravel the mysteries of a whole range of addictive disorders.

‘We are extremely grateful to JCM and the American Gaming Association for their continued commitment to addressing problem and youth gambling,’ said NCRG Chairman Major General Paul A. Harvey (Ret.). ‘This event was a tremendous success, and, together with the leadership represented here, we will continue to make great strides toward understanding these issues and educating people on how to responsibly enjoy gaming entertainment.’

Added AGA President and CEO Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr.: ‘This event is important because it will help fund quality research and contribute to a greater understanding of disordered gambling — a goal that everyone in the industry shares.’

The JCM/AGA Golf Classic event also included an auction conducted by Bill Acosta of the Flamingo and professional auctioneer Christian Kolberg, with a guest appearance from Melinda of the Venetian.

Contributors at the event included Anchor Gaming, Aristocrat Technologies, Inc., Bally/Alliance Gaming, Golf Augusta Pro Shops, Greenspun Media Group, Hi-Tech Gaming, IC Group, International Game Technology, PDS Financial, Reed Exhibition Companies, Shuffle Master Gaming, Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada and WMS Gaming.

JCM American Corporations, located in Las Vegas, Nev., is a manufacturer of high quality currency equipment. JCM introduced the bill validator specially designed for the gaming industry in 1985. Since then, the company has introduced a full line of revolutionary products including the World Bill Acceptor (WBA™), which has become the industry standard. JCM is committed to providing the industry with the utmost in security, efficiency and quality.

The AGA represents the commercial casino-entertainment industry by addressing federal legislative and regulatory issues. The association also serves as a clearinghouse for information, develops educational and advocacy programs and provides leadership on industry-related issues of public concern.

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Gaming Industry Expands Support Of Research Efforts

More Than $7 Million Pledged Since 1996 To Fund Problem, Youth Gambling Research

May 5, 1999

Kansas City, Mo.—The Gaming Entertainment Research and Education Foundation (GEREF) announced today new funding commitments of $1.95 million, bringing the total amount pledged by the casino industry to nearly $7 million since 1996. These funds will support disordered gambling research through the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG), a division of GEREF.

Maj. Gen. Paul Harvey, chairman of the GEREF, also announced its intention to broaden fund-raising efforts to include all segments of the gaming industry. ‘The additional financial support we are announcing today demonstrates the casino industry’s commitment to addressing pathological and youth gambling,’ Harvey said. ‘It is important, however, that other parts of the gaming industry do the same and it is our plan to launch an initiative, this year, that will involve the entire gaming industry in NCRG’s efforts.’

‘The unprecedented support of these companies is a vote of confidence for the research funded by NCRG and an acknowledgment of its great accomplishments in just three years,’ Harvey said.

The following donors have renewed their annual contributions of $100,000 for three years: Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., International Game Technology, The Lincy Foundation, Circus Circus Enterprises, Inc., and Mirage Resorts, Inc. In addition, Park Place Entertainment Corp. has pledged a total of $450,000 through the year 2002.

These contributors join the founding donors, Boyd Gaming Corporation and Station Casinos, whose 10-year financial commitments launched GEREF and the NCRG. Other donors include Aztar Corporation, Boomtown, Inc., Casino Data Systems, Inc., Coast Resorts, Inc., Empress Riverboat Casinos, Inc., Foxwoods Resort Casino, Harveys Casino Resorts, Hollywood Casino Corporation, Horseshoe Gaming, Inc., JCM American Corporation, Mission Industries, Mohegan Sun, Shuffle Master Gaming, Inc. and Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada.

The NCRG has established a highly competitive and widely respected grants program that has awarded $2.5 million to leading research institutions such as Harvard Medical School and Washington University, St. Louis.

The first NCRG grant supported the Harvard Medical School study of the prevalence of the disorder in the United States and Canada. A recently released report by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences praised the Harvard project for developing the most credible estimates of how many people suffer from gambling disorders.

The NCRG also promotes public awareness of gambling disorders and dialogue between scientists and clinicians through seminars and conferences. In February 1999, the NCRG sponsored the first-ever-academic conference on disordered gambling research at The George Washington University.

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Gaming Research Group Elects Cherokee Chief To Board

Mar 11, 1999

Kansas City, MO—Joyce C. Dugan, principal chief of The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Gaming Entertainment Research and Education Foundation. The foundation supports scientific research on problem and underage gambling through the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG).

Dugan joins the foundation’s 20-member board of directors, a distinguished group of educators, health care professionals, community and civic leaders and gaming industry representatives.

‘We are honored that Chief Dugan has agreed to serve on the board,’ said Major General Paul A. Harvey (Ret.), chairman of the foundation. ‘She has had a distinguished career as an educator and as a tribal leader.’ In making the announcement, General Harvey said it is important for the board ‘to be aware of the perspectives of the Indian tribes involved in commercial gaming.’

Dugan was elected principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in 1995. She is the first woman ever to be elected to this position. Previously she was a schoolteacher and superintendent of the Cherokee Central School system. Dugan has received the North Carolina Distinguished Woman Award, the Asheville Citizens/Times Citizen of the Year Award, and the Western Carolina University Alumni Award.

The Gaming Entertainment Research and Education Foundation raises funds for scientific research grants awarded through its division, the National Center for Responsible Gaming. The NCRG, an independent, nonprofit organization, is affiliated with the University of Missouri in Kansas City. It has awarded $2.6 million in grants in support of research on gambling disorders and youth gambling since its establishment in 1996.

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Gaming Research Group Elects Choctaw Chief To Board

Jan 12, 2000

KANSAS CITY, MO—Phillip Martin, tribal chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Gaming Entertainment Research and Education Foundation. The foundation supports scientific research on problem and underage gambling through the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG).

Martin joins the foundation’s 20-member board of directors, a distinguished group of educators, scientists, health care professionals, civic leaders and gaming industry executives.

‘We are honored that Chief Martin has agreed to serve on the board,’ said Maj. Gen. Paul A. Harvey (Ret.), chairman of the foundation. ‘As chief of one of the most successful tribes in the U.S., he brings outstanding leadership qualities to our work.’ Harvey said it is important for the foundation ‘to be aware of the perspectives of the Indian tribes involved in commercial gaming.’

Martin has been chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians for 40 years. He is credited with the transformation of the rural reservation into a vast economic machine that ranks as one of the state’s largest employers. In 1994, the Mississippi Choctaws launched the successful Silver Star Resort & Casino in Philadelphia, Miss.

The Gaming Entertainment Research and Education Foundation raises funds for scientific research grants awarded through its division, the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG). An independent, nonprofit organization, the NCRG has awarded $2.6 million in grants in support of research on gambling disorders and youth gambling since its establishment in 1996.

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