The Entain Foundation U.S. announced it will provide a founding grant to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for a pioneering betting and gaming research initiative.
The project, a first for the U.S., will blend scientific research with operational expertise to apply best practices in responsible gambling, policy and health.
The Entain Foundation U.S. is a nonprofit organization funded by Entain, the global sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment operator and co-owner of BetMGM with MGM Resorts International. The grant illustrates Entain’s continuing commitment to responsible gaming policies and practices.
Officials at UNLV’s International Gaming Institute said the initiative will take a multidisciplinary approach to develop innovative strategies and establish evidence-based best practices to apply research insights to operational programs. The initiative will focus on all gaming, including sports betting, online gaming and eSports wagering, in relation to problem gambling, responsible gaming, public health, education, economic impacts, research and technology.
Bo Bernhard, UNLV vice president, Economic Development and executive director of UNLV’s International Gaming Institute, said, “For the first time in this field, this initiative brings vital academic research in the U.S. to the public domain in dozens of applied settings. We are actively moving beyond the traditional ‘research center,’ since this project will translate scientific research into actionable, operational programs that can be implemented in real venues by operators, regulators, legislators, clinician, and other stakeholders.”
Martin Lycka, Entain senior vice president for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling and trustee of the Entain Foundation U.S., said, “We continue to support research around the world, but this initiative goes well beyond that and brings into focus what has been missing from this space: practical implementation of the research that will benefit the customer base and the industry itself.”
