The NCRG is excited to announce its participation in a newly convened Responsible Gaming Collaborative, made up of key stakeholders in the gambling industry and other sectors. This collaboration includes the National Council on Problem Gambling, the National Center for Responsible Gaming, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas International Gaming Institute, Harvard University’s T.H. Chan Public School of Health, Yale School of Medicine, the National Indian Gaming Association, the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. It was formed to provide a diverse set of stakeholders that will aim to align the industry and create transformative change in the Responsible Gaming landscape. This collaborative will also open discussion for effective and cost effective responsible gaming programs and hopes to bridge the gap between scientific research and gambling regulation and policies.

See full press release here:https://www.americangaming.org/newsroom/press-releasess/industry-academics-and-advocates-unite-launch-responsible-gaming

NCRG staffICRG NewscollaborationNCRGresponsible gaming

The NCRG is accepting applications for their Early Stage Investigator Grant until May 1, 2018.

Who

  • Are you interested in Gambling Disorder Research?
  • Are you within 10 years of completing your terminal degree?
  • Are you looking for mentoring and research experience?

If so, we invite you to submit an application for grant funding of up to 65,000/ per year for two years.

What

Applications must contain a research plan that has intrinsic research importance in the area of gambling disorder and must serve as a vehicle for learning methodology, theories and concepts needed to become an independent researcher in the field of Gambling Research.

When

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until May 1, 2018

Past Early Stage Investigator Awardees include:

  • Jennifer L. Tackett, PhD, University of Houston
    Aim: Investigate the extent to which dispositional traits (i.e. Extraversion and Neuroticism) and motivational pathways (i.e. approach and avoidance motivations) predict distinct pathways to youth gambling.
  • Heather Gray, PhD, Cambridge Health Alliance
    Aim: Use the actual online gambling transactions to describe the gambling behavior of the most active and “high risk” gamblers and to examine gamblers’ adaptation to new gambling opportunities.
  • Iris Balodis, PhD, Yale University School of Medicine
    Aim: Better understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between the stress response and engagement in risky behaviors in populations with gambling disorder.
  • Katherine Nautiyal, PhD, Columbia University and Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc.
    Aim: Determine the role played by the serotonin 1B receptor in the development of impulsive behavior through a mouse gambling behavioral model.

How

Download the detailed announcement and application form athttp://www.ncrg.org/research-center/apply-ncrg-funding-0

Please feel free to email Program Officer, Shayna Adams, atsadams@ncrg.orgwith any questions.

NCRG staffICRG Newsgambling disordergrant

Free Webinar!
2 – 3 :30 p.m., May 30, 2018

Educating Patrons and Employees about Responsible Gaming: What Does the Research Say?

Many responsible gaming practices are focused on educating patrons and personnel alike. But are these programs effective? Dr. Gray will show what research is saying about such programs.

Instructor:Heather Gray, PhD is associate director of academic affairs at the Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School (HMS) teaching hospital, and instructor in psychiatry at HMS. Among her many research interests, conducted in collaboration with Internet and land-based gambling operators in the US and internationally, is how people gamble and respond to interventions designed to promote responsible gambling.

Learning objectives:

  • Identify two programs geared to educate patrons and employees
  • Identify one finding from the research on employee education

The webinar is free but registration is required:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1235241228953197057

CE Hours:Attendees will earn up to 1.5 Continuing Education Hours. CE Hours are approved by NAADAC, NBCC and California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals. The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The NCRG maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

NCRG staffContinuing Education Opportunities

Opportunities to gamble have increased starkly over the last 50 years, and with it has come a shift in social attitude towards gambling. Wendy Slutske, PhD, recipient of a 2017 NCRG Center of Excellence Grant, set out to compare the role of genetics and environment from two National Twin Studies, collected about 50 years apart, on propensity to gamble.

What is the aim?

The aim of this study by Slutske, (2018), was to examine the difference in genetic and environmental factor contribution and overall prevalence of gambling involvement in the United States in 1962 versus 2002. It was hypothesized that both prevalence and heritability of gambling would be higher in 2002 than 1962 due to various social factors and the expansion of legalized gambling.

What did the researchers do?

The researcher completed a secondary analysis on the gambling propensity data of two national samples of young twins from National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test twin study (National Merit) and National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). The National Merit Study data was ascertained in 1962 from a sample of high school juniors that completed the National Merit Scholarship test and included 509 MZ twin pairs and 330 DZ twin pairs of an average 17 years of age. National Longitudinal (Add Health) data was ascertained in 2001-2002 from a sample of adolescents and young adults and included 220 MZ twins, and 182 DZ twins from 45 different states. Both studies included assessments of participation in gambling at the time, categorized into yes/no responses to various gambling activities. The considerable overlap in the two assessments allowed the researcher to compare prevalence of gambling activity and use a statistical model to compare the influence of genetic and environmental influences in gambling participation.

Why is this important

Twin studies are important to public health because they allow researchers to look at the comparative influences of genetics and environment on a certain behavior. This study is modeled after previously completed cigarette studies; which looked at the influence of social factors on smoking behavior. These found that as the social acceptability of smoking increased, prevalence and genetic heritability increased as well (Kendler et al., 2000; Mezquita et al. 2018). This present gambling propensity study set out to find whether gambling followed this same pattern of increased heritability and prevalence with increased social acceptance.

What did they find

Prevalence:The researcher found the prevalence of gambling activity (yes/no) of the 2002 Add Health full sample to be significantly greater than the 1962 National Merit full sample (75% versus 49%, with an odds ratio of 2.80, p

Genetic and Environmental Propensity:The researcher found there to be no difference in genetic contribution to gambling propensity between the two cohorts. It was also determined that all the variation in propensity to gamble in both cohorts was due to environmental factors, including both shared factors between twins, and factors that are unique to the individual.

Overall:The researcher was surprised by these genetic and environmental factors contribution to gambling propensity. She had hypothesized that genetic heritability would differ between the two cohorts, but this study proved that incorrect. The author offered that this could be due to environmental cross-state differences that existed in both 1962 and 2002.

Limitations

The first obvious limitation of this sample was that the ages of the samples differed, with National Merit participants all approximately 17 years old, and Add Health participants 18-26 years old. In addition, secondary analyses on previously obtained data hold inherent limitations, such as vulnerability to changing definitions, unknown confounders, and unknown effect of biases.

References

Slutske, W. S. (2018). Has the genetic contribution to the propensity to gamble increased? Evidence from national twin studies conducted in 1962 and 2002. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 21(02), 119-125. doi:10.1017/thg.2018.7

Kendler, K. S., Thornton, L. M., & Pedersen, N. L. (2000). Tobacco consumption in Swedish twins reared apart and reared together. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57, 886–892.

Mezquita, L., Sánchez-Romera, J. F., Ibáñez, M. I., Morosoli, J. J., Colodro-Conde, L., Ortet, G., & Ordoñana, J. R. (2018). Effects of social attitude change on smoking heritability. Behavior Genetics, 48, 12–21.

NCRG staffResearch Update

“Gambling Disorder & Addiction: Treatment, Prevention and Education” will be held for treatment providers on March 21-22, 2018 at the Sandia Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The program, cosponsored by NCRG and Sandia Resort & Casino, will cover a wide range of topics including responsible gaming, new research on gambling disorder, gambling problems among the military and veterans, the stigma of gambling disorder, motivational interviewing and Wellbriety, a Native American recovery movement.

Attendees can earn up to 10 continuing education hours. The cost is free but advance registration is required. For details, visit www.sandiacasino.com/responsible-gaming/.

NCRG staffContinuing Education Opportunitiescontinuing educationcontinuing education creditsgamblinggambling disordergambling educationNCRG

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, and the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) invite you to participate in a brief survey toexplore the possibility of a new national credential designed to recognize individuals with a specialty in gambling disorders.

Your input is valuable and will assist us in understanding the need for gambling education and training, and certificate or certification issues.

Should you have questions, please feel free to contact Christine Reilly at creilly@ncrg.org ‘

Take the Interest survey at:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NAADAC-NCRG-Gambling-Credential-Interest-Survey

NCRG staffICRG Newscredentialgamblinggambling disordergamingNAADACNational Center for Responsible Gamingphysiciansresponsible gambling trainingspecialists

The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) is pleased to announce the availability of research grants for the study of gambling disorder in 2018. The NCRG is committed to a multi-disciplinary approach and, therefore, welcomes applications from investigators in psychology, psychiatry, epidemiology, public health, sociology, economics, neuroeconomics, neuroscience and other relevant disciplines.

Eligible applicants included domestic or international public or private, non-profit or for-profit organizations. The Principal Investigator must have a PhD, MD or other terminal degree.

Funding mechanisms for 2018 are as follows:

  • Travel Grants (up to $1,500) for postdoc’s
  • Seed Grants (up to $30,000 for one year)
  • Large Grants (up to $75,000/year for 2 years)
  • Early Stage Investigator Grants ($65,000/year for 2 years)

For deadlines and to download forms, go tohttp://www.ncrg.org/research-center/apply-ncrg-funding-0

NCRG staffICRG Newsaddiction research grantsawardsfundingfundsgamblinggambling disordergaminggrantNational Center for Responsible GamingNCRGScholarships

The Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico (RGANM), a collaboration of many of the state’s Native American owned casinos, awarded NCRG with a grant of $300,000 to coordinate a competitive grants program on the impact of gambling on New Mexico, especially the state’s subpopulations. In December 2017, the NCRG awarded a grant of $291,868 toHBSA,a supporting organization of Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, to fund “New Mexico: A Study of at risk Youth and Adults.”

The aim of the grant is to examine gambling behavior among adolescents and adults across New Mexico with specific focus on subpopulations of race/ethnicity, military involvement, parents of minors, sexual minorities, housing unstable, and college students. Building on existing long-term relationships with prevention communities across the state, the investigators will use a culturally competent, mixed-methods data collection approach to gather data from youth and adults across all regions of the state including rural, frontier, tribal, and urban locations to estimate problem gambling prevalence and statistically model the association with co-occurring risk and protective factors.

The RGANM works to promote awareness of problem gambling and of the resources that are available across New Mexico. It provides educational materials about problem gambling, and funds treatment and counseling services. Among the association’s training efforts, every employee at every tribal member casino is required to take an annual class in recognizing problem gambling behaviors so that appropriate casino employees may offer that patron information and assistance.

The NCRG thanks the RGANM for its support of this important research.

NCRG staffICRG Newsaddictiongamblingminoritiesnew mexicostudentstreatment

Recovery from Trauma, Addiction, or Both

It is widely understood that trauma and addiction have a close relationship, but what are the deeper inner workings? How can one identify past trauma and addictive tendencies that have developed as a result? Lisa Najavits, Director of Treatment Innovations, LLC and former NCRG Scientific Advisory Board member has carefully drawn out the links between trauma and addiction, and self-help strategies tailored to each individual reader in her latest book, Recovery from Trauma, Addiction, or Both…Strategies for Finding Your Best Self. Dr. Najavits is also the author of a bestselling book Seeking Safety, which was published in 2002 as a treatment manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse.

Dr. Najavits’s book Recovery from Trauma, Addiction, or Both takes things a step further than her previous book by offering a framework for recovery aimed at the suffering individual themselves, while also allowing professionals a supplemental source for therapy. This book aims to assist one in finding their ‘best self’ and offers strategies for identifying past traumas and triggers, for any stage of healing. She offers tips for those just starting to address trauma or addiction, all the way to those that have healed and are looking for way to be there for others going through time times. Dr. Najavits includes personal stories from others in many sections, giving you a relatable and real perspective of someone else that has suffered.

This book is a unique variation of educational content on subjects, such as safe coping skills, body and biology, and the language of trauma and addiction. It also offers a hands-on approach with self-help exercises, such as the safe behavior scale, questions to ask yourself, and quantitative portrayals of compassion. Although not intended as a substitute for health care professionals, this book offers the reader a guide towards achieving one’s best self and gives a beacon of hope for recovery.

Najavits, L. M. (2017). Recovery from trauma, addiction, or both: strategies for finding your best self. New York: Guilford Press.

It is widely understood that trauma and addiction have a close relationship, but what are the deeper inner workings? How can one identify past trauma and addictive tendencies that have developed as a result? Lisa Najavits, Director of Treatment Innovations, LLC and former NCRG Scientific Advisory Board member has carefully drawn out the links between trauma and addiction, and self-help strategies tailored to each individual reader in her latest book,Recovery from Trauma, Addiction, or Both…Strategies for Finding Your Best Self. Dr. Najavits is also the author of a bestselling bookSeeking Safety,which was published in 2002 as a treatment manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse.

Dr. Najavits’s bookRecovery from Trauma, Addiction, or Bothtakes things a step further than her previous book by offering a framework for recovery aimed at the suffering individual themselves, while also allowing professionals a supplemental source for therapy. This book aims to assist one in finding their ‘best self’ and offers strategies for identifying past traumas and triggers, for any stage of healing. She offers tips for those just starting to address trauma or addiction, all the way to those that have healed and are looking for way to be there for others going through time times. Dr. Najavits includes personal stories from others in many sections, giving you a relatable and real perspective of someone else that has suffered.

This book is a unique variety of educational content on subjects such as safe coping skills, body and biology, and the language of trauma and addiction. It also offers a hands-on approach with self-help exercises, such as the safe behavior scale, questions to ask yourself, and quantitative portrayals of compassion. Although not intended as a substitute for health care professionals, this book offers the reader a guide towards achieving one’s best self and gives a beacon of hope for recovery.

Najavits, L. M. (2017).Recovery from trauma, addiction, or both: strategies for finding your best self. New York: Guilford Press.

NCRG staffBook Reviewsaddictionrecoveryself-helptherapytrauma

A recently published article in the peer-reviewed journalAddiction & Research Theoryprovided a new model for evaluating responsible gambling research. To ensure its dissemination beyond academia, the NCRG produced a white paper summarizing the study’s findings. The white paper,Responsible Gambling: A Review of the Research, is available for download atwww.ncrg.org(click on Resources and White Papers).

Warning messages on gaming machines. Self-exclusion programs. Programs to limit money and time spent gambling. These are just a few responsible gambling strategies in use around the world. Responsible gambling (RG) refers to programs that seek to prevent or reduce gambling-related harms.

Despite the proliferation of responsible gambling programs and studies about them, the article “Responsible Gambling: A Synthesis of the Empirical Evidence” found only 29 studies that were published in peer-reviewed journals and that met high quality research standards(Ladouceur,

Shaffer, Blaszczynski, & Shaffer, 2016). This means there is a dearth of evidence for the safety and effectiveness of many of the responsible gambling programs currently in use. Moving forward, it is vital that research on responsible gambling strategies be published in peer review journals and that subjects be real world gamblers, not convenience samples of, for example, college students. The NCRG joins the article authors inencouragingallstakeholders concerned about responsible gambling to develop science-based RG programs that are safe and effective.

References

Ladouceur, R., Shaffer, P., Blaszczynski, A., & Shaffer, H. J. (2016). Responsible gambling: a synthesis of the empiricalevidence.Addiction Research & Theory, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2016.1245294

NCRG staffICRG Newsaddictionresearch theoryresponsible gamingself-exclusionstrategy