NCRG Webinars Feature Most Highly Rated Presenters From The 2015 Conference

Did you miss the 2015 NCRG Conference on Gambling Addiction? No problem! The NCRG Webinar Series is presenting two of the top-ranked speakers in the next two sessions!

Many disordered gamblers started gambling at a young age and that’s why it’s important to address gambling by children and adolescents. On April 7, 2016, Duke University Professor Scott Huettel will present his innovative research in the webinar, “Rethinking Teenage Behavior: New Research on Adolescents’ Risky Choices.”Dr. Huettel’s investigation reveals that young people are actually more rational in their economic choices than assumed, although still in need of guidance in their decision-making processes. The webinar is scheduled for 2 – 3:30 p.m. EDT. Clickhereto register for this free webinar.

On May 5, 2016, Dr. Andrew Kayser, University of California, San Francisco, will present,“Waiting is the Hardest Part: Impulsivity, Addiction and the Brain.”He will discuss the latest research on cognitive control, dopamine and impulsivity – and the impact that the brain has on addictions and gambling disorder. The webinar is scheduled for 2 – 3:30 p.m. EDT. Clickhereto register for this free webinar.

Attendees who log-in for the entire program will receive continuing education certificates for 1.5 CE hours reflecting the following approvals:

  • The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) is approved by theAmerican Psychological Associationto sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The NCRG maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • The National Center for Responsible Gaming is approved to provide continuing education byNAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals(provider number 100793).
  • The NCRG is anNBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider(ACEP) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements. The ACEP is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. (#6474).
  • This program was approved by theIllinois Certification Board(Program Number 12997). Assigned categories: Counselor II, CARS II, MISA I OR II, PCGC I OR II, CCJP II, CRSS I OR II, MAATP II, NCRS II, CFPP II

Hope you can join us for these stimulating programs!

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Grants Available For Research On Gambling Disorder In 2016

Grants Available for Research on Gambling Disorder 2016

This year the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) is celebrating20 yearsof funding high quality, peer-reviewed scientific research on gambling disorder. Since 1996 the NCRG has awarded more than$18 millionin support of investigations of gambling disorder and youth and college gambling through its competitive grants program. The NCRG is proud to continue this mission by offering Travel Grants, Seed Grants and Centers of Excellence in Gambling Research Grants in 2016.

Travel Grants are designed to support post-doctoral investigators presenting research on gambling disorder at major scientific meetings that do not normally feature gambling-related presentations. Applicants may request up to $1,500 for economy air travel, lodging, ground transportation, meals and early-bird registration fees. Applications for Travel Grants may be submitted any time.

Seed Grants support research activities such as pilot studies, secondary analysis of existing data and development of research methodology. Applicants may request up to $30,000 in direct costs for these one-year grants. The application deadline for 2016 is August 1.

The NCRG Centers of Excellence in Gambling Research Grants grants provide long-term institutional funding for broad, multidisciplinary investigations on gambling disorder. Applicants may request up to $350,000 in direct costs for a period not to exceed three years. Letters of intent to apply for a center grant are due June 1, 2016. Applicants invited to apply for a center grant will submit their proposals on October 3, 2016.

The NCRG welcomes applications from investigators in psychology, psychiatry, epidemiology, public health, sociology, economics, neuroeconomics, neuroscience and other relevant disciplines.

Detailed grant announcements and application forms are available for download atwww.ncrg.org/research-center. For questions about the NCRG Grants Program contact Christine Reilly, Senior Research Director, atcreilly@ncrg.orgor Nathan Smith, Program Officer, atnsmith@ncrg.org.

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Travel Grants Available For 2016 Collaborative Perspectives On Addiction

Grants Available for Research on Gambling Disorder 2015

The fourth annualCollaborative Perspectives on Addictionwill be held March 18-19, 2016, in San Diego. This year’s theme is “Reducing Health Disparities through Addiction Science and Practice.”The deadline for poster proposals to be considered for travel awards is Dec. 4, 2015. If your topic is focused on disordered gambling, consider applying to the NCRG for aTravel Grant. NCRG will provide up to $1,500 in support of registration fees and travel expenses.

Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction is sponsored by theSociety of Addiction Psychology(Division 50 of the American Psychological Association), which promotes advances in research, professional training, and clinical practice within the broad range of addictive behaviors.

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Thank You To The Sponsors Of The 2015 NCRG Conference On Gambling And Addiction!

The NCRG salutes the sponsors of the 2015 conference, held Sept. 27-29, 2015, in Las Vegas in conjunction with Global Gaming Expo. Our top Platinum Sponsors,Las Vegas Sands CorporationandMGM Resorts International, underwrote the two highlights of the conference: respectively, the Poster Session and Reception on Sunday evening and the NCRG Awards Luncheon on Monday.

Gold Sponsors includedBoyd Gaming Corporation,IGT,Potawatomi Hotel & CasinoandWynn Resorts, Ltd.Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc.was a Silver Sponsor, and Bronze Sponsors includedBet Buddy,BMM Testlabs,Gaming Laboratories International, andPenn National Gaming, Inc.Finally, we could not have managed the conference without the invaluable assistance of theAmerican Gaming Association,Reed ExhibitionsandGlobal Gaming Expo. The support of these corporations and organizations have made it possible for NCRG to continue to deliver a high quality educational experience at a cost accessible to all attendees.

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NCRG Sponsors Free Workshop For Ohio Clinicians

Dr. Jon E. Grant

The NCRG has teamed withOhio Mental Health and Addiction Servicesand theDrug Free Action Allianceto offer Ohio treatment providers a one-day workshop,Identification and Treatment of Gambling Disorder. Scheduled for Oct. 15, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio, the program will be led byDr. Jon E. Grant, professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at The University of Chicago. Dr. Grant is not only one of the leading researchers on gambling disorder but also is actively involved as a clinician, seeing many disordered gamblers in his practice.

This workshop will present what is known about the biology of people with gambling problems and how people with gambling problems think. The presentation will discuss developmental issues, genetics and cognitive aspects of gambling. In addition, Dr. Grant will focus on evidence-based treatments used for disordered gamblers, common comorbidities of such clients gamblers and evidence-based treatment options.

This seminar has been approved forsix CE hoursfor nurses, counselors, social workers, chemical dependency professionals (treatment and prevention) and psychologists.

The workshop is free but pre-registration is required. Online registration is available athttps://www.drugfreeactionalliance.org/calendar/event/176

The workshop reflects the NCRG’s goal of strengthening the capacity of treatment providers to serve clients with gambling problems through partnerships with key health organizations and agencies.

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NCRG-funded Study Questions Conventional Wisdom About Youth

Teenagers are known for making risky decisions. But does research support this assumption?A new study from Duke University, funded in part by the NCRG, found that adolescents aged 10 to 16 can be more analytical in their economic choices than many slightly older adults. Published in the October-December issue of the journal,Cognitive Development, the study suggests that not only should we give teenagers more credit for rationality but also that parents should help children hone their cost-benefit analysis skills in making real-life decisions (Youngbin, Payne, Cohen, & Huettel, 2015). One of the authors, Scott Huettel, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke, explained that while not as irrational as usually characterized, adolescents don’t use the simple rules of decision-making as effectively as adults. For example, young adults are more sensitive to positive outcomes than adults. This accounts for the many risky behaviors observed in this age group, including gambling.

What are the implications of this research for preventing youth gambling? Join us at theNCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction, Sept. 27-29, 2015, where Dr. Huettel will discuss this research. There’s still time to register! Clickherefor online registration.

References:

Youngbin, K., Payne, J. W., Cohen, A. L., & Huettel, S. (2015). The rational adolescent: Strategic information processing during decision making revealed by eye tracking.Cognitive Development,36, 20–30.http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2015.08.001

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Earn Ceus At The 2015 Conference On Gambling And Addiction!

16th Annual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction

Psychologists, social workers, counselors and other healthcare providers can earn up to 15 continuing education hours at the 16thAnnual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction. Scheduled for Sept. 27-29, 2015, in Las Vegas, the NCRG’s conference is approved byNAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals; theNational Council on Problem Gambling, theAmerican Academy of Health Care Providers in the Addictive Disorders, theNational Association of Social Workers, theCanadian Problem Gambling Certification Boardand theCanadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation.

The NCRG is also approved by theAmerican Psychological Associationto sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The NCRG maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

To obtain a discounted registration fee, register by Sept. 4, 2015 atwww.ncrg.org/conference.

We hope to see you in Las Vegas!

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NCRG Announces Conference Speakers For 2015

The NCRG is proud to announce the outstanding roster of speakers for the NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction, scheduled for Sept. 27-29, 2015, in Las Vegas:

  • William C. Moyers, vice president of public affairs and community relations at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.
  • Bruce S. Liese, Ph.D., A.B.P.P.,professor of family medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center and leading CBT trainer
  • Jon E. Grant, M.D., J.D., M.P.H.,professor, department of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience, The University of Chicago
  • John F. Kelly, Ph.D.,Elizabeth R. Spallin Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and founder and director of the Recovery Research Institute at the Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Irene and Fred Johnson,Esk’etemc, a First Nations people in British Columbia
  • Holly Hagle, Ph.D.,director of the National Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment Addiction Technology Transfer Center (National SBIRT ATTC) at IRETA (Institute for Research, Education & Training in Addictions)
  • Victor Ortiz, M.S.W., L.A.D.C. I, C.A.D.C. II,senior director of programs and services at the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling
  • Kahlil Philander, Ph.D.,director of social responsibility at the British Columbia Lottery Corporation
  • Scott Huettel, Ph.D., Jerry and Patricia Hubbard Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University
  • Andrew Kayser, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology, University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine
  • Wendy Slutske, Ph.D.,professor of psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia
  • Simo Dragicevic,Founder and CEO, Bet Buddy
  • Richard T.A. Wood, Ph.D., GamRes Ltd.
  • Patrick Haggerson, program director, ethno-cultural activities, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
  • Katherine Spilde, Ph.D., chair, Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming, San Diego State University
  • Heather Gray, Ph.D., associate director of academic affairs, Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance, and instructor in psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
  • Ken C. Winters, Ph.D.professor of psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School
  • Tim Fong, M.D., associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA
  • Peter Cohen, The Agenda Group
  • Howard Stutz,Las Vegas Review Journal
  • Roger Gros, publisher,Global Gaming Business

For more details about the 16th Annual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction, visitwww.ncrg.org/conference

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NCRG @ Iaga: Join Us In Vancouver For The Latest Research On Responsible Gaming

The NCRG has made it a priority to disseminate research findings on gambling disorder and responsible gaming beyond academia. We are especially committed to ensuring that credible scientific research informs gaming regulations designed to reduce gambling-related harms. Toward this goal, the NCRG has teamed up with the International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) to presentNCRG @ IAGA, a one-day conference scheduled for June 2, 2015, the day before IAGA’s International Gaming Summit begins at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver.

IAGAis an international association of gaming attorneys, industry financial experts, casino executives, regulators, consultants and educators. We are very excited about this opportunity to showcase the latest research for the leaders responsible for developing and implementing regulations and responsible gaming programs.

NCRG @ IAGA will feature discussions of research on self-exclusion programs, pre-commitment strategies, responsible gaming in new jurisdictions and what we can learn from healthy, recreational gamblers. Leading scientists such as Drs. Robert Ladouceur and Jon E. Grant will report on their research and the involvement of gaming operators, regulators, manufacturers and others involved in gambling will ensure a lively exchange of ideas about these issues.

NCRG @ IAGA is offered free of charge but registration is required. For more details, go tohttp://www.theiaga.org/ncrg-iaga.

NCRG @ IAGA attendees who decide to stay for the International Gaming Summit, June 2-5, 2015, will need to register athttps://iaga.memberclicks.net/attend-the-gaming-summit. IAGA is offering a 5 percent discount on all completed registrations through April 20, 2015.

Many thanks to Peter Cohen, The Agenda Group, Kirsten Clark, executive director of IAGA, and IAGA for making this event possible!

Hope you can join us in Vancouver!

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Save The Date For New NCRG Webinar!

Friday, April 3, 2015
2 – 3:30 p.m. (EDT)

Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment: Research Priority for 2015

Speaker: Ken C. Winters, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychiatry
University of Minnesota Medical School

Moderator: Christine Reilly
Senior Research Director, National Center for Responsible Gaming

The 2015 research grants program of the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) will focus on investigations of SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment) in order to improve identification of disordered gamblers, explore the efficacy of brief interventions for this population and increase the rate of disordered gamblers referred to treatment. This webinar is intended to help researchers interested in applying to the NCRG for an SBIRT project. However, healthcare providers and public health professionals will also find this program useful in view of the fact that SBIRT is being implemented by many state and national organizations, including the Addiction Technology Transfer Centers associated with SAMHSA. In addition, treatment providers and public health professionals interested in collaborating with researchers on an SBIRT research project are also encouraged to participate.

The webinar will be led by leading SBIRT researcher, Ken C. Winters, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Medical School and chair of the NCRG’s scientific advisory board. He will discuss: (1) the concept of SBIRT and the research base for this approach; (2) why SBIRT is a promising approach for addressing gambling problems and disorder; and (3) the logistics of applying for an NCRG grant.

Registration is free!Click here to register.

Continuing Education

Attendees who log-in and attend the entire program will receive continuing education certificates for 1.5 CE hours. Clickherefor a list of agencies that approve NCRG continuing education hours.

Learning Objectives: As a result of this webinar, attendees will be able to:

  • Identify three major goals of screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment programs
  • Provide two reasons why SBIRT is a promising approach for addressing gambling problems and disorder

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