The American Gaming Association recently launched the Responsible Gaming Collaborative to identify programs and policies that encourage responsible gaming, help prevent problem gambling and hold government accountable for supporting effective solutions. The collaborative is made up of leading gaming industry organizations, academic professionals and advocacy groups.
AGA President and Chief Executive Officer Geoff Freeman said, “It’s time to comprehensively review existing responsible gaming policies and regulations. We must drive a new discussion around proven, effective programs and ensure that governments are appropriately allocating resources.”
Those resources include hundreds of millions of dollars the gaming industry annually provides governments for responsible gaming research and treatment. However, the use of those funds is not consistent across jurisdictions and no programs have been established to ensure accountability.
Freeman noted, “The word ‘Collaborative’ was chosen deliberately. Our goal is to work with regulators, policymakers, experts, advocates and other stakeholders to find the best solutions and direct resources to them.” In addition to the AGA, Responsible Gaming Collaborative participants include:
- National Council on Problem Gambling
- National Center for Responsible Gaming
- University of Nevada-Las Vegas International Gaming Institute
- Harvard University T.H. Chan Public School of Health
- Yale School of Medicine
- National Indian Gaming Association
- Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers
- North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries
- National Thoroughbred Racing Association.
National Council on Problem Gambling Executive Director Keith Whyte said, “This Collaborative with its diverse set of stakeholders is a welcome step forward to creating a unified approach to addressing problem gambling.” National Center for Responsible Gaming Executive Director Russell Sanna added, “No one party or way of thinking is ever enough to create transformative change. That’s why this group is so essential. We appreciate healthy dialogue and debate and are striving to use focused, evidence-based proposals to drive improvement – in both industry practices and government regulations.”
In the coming months, the Collaborative will conduct a comprehensive review of current responsible gaming policies and regulations; identify successful and unsuccessful programs ; determine which regulations are based on solid evidence; determine whether government resources are being properly allocated to effective programs and prevention; develop a set of recommendations and industry best practices; and work with regulators and other stakeholders to understand the best approaches.
