As the gaming industry continues to set revenue records, as sports betting and igaming expand across the United States, as cashless payment systems become more available, one issue threatens to derail much of the progress that’s been made: gambling addiction.
Most, if not all gaming operators, have protocols and programs in place to help gamblers with issues.
The Entain Foundation is going a step further. On Wednesday the not-for-profit organization announced it is providing a founding grant to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for a new betting and gaming research initiative to address problem gambling through the university’s International Gaming Institute. The grant will serve as seed funding for the Center for Gambling, Policy, and Health at UNLV (pending final approval by the university) and could potentially yield groundbreaking results.
“Not only do we need to understand how to treat problem gambling, we need to figure out how to prevent someone from becoming a problem gambler,” said Jennifer Shatley, a research assistant at IGI, in an email. “Using a multidisciplinary approach, we plan to take a holistic look at all aspects of gambling from various perspectives, including problem gambling, responsible gaming, public health, education, economic impacts, research, and technology.”
Entain Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling Martin Lycka said via email that UNLV’s International Gaming Institute was selected because it’s “the most accomplished gambling-related research organization in the world. Furthermore, Entain has a long-standing and very fruitful academic relationship with UNLV.”
Shatley noted that IGI views itself as a “solution center” for addiction and behavior excess and stands out because it is “the world’s first truly applied academic center dedicated to problem and responsible gambling.” Its staff includes experts in psychology, sociology, business and law, and experts in gaming environments.
“We will take our cutting-edge science `into the trenches’ — into gambling environments and technology spaces, into real-world settings, onto sports fields, and more — all the while applying the latest scientific research to our unparalleled business and operations expertise,” Shatley said.
But all the research and experts in the world go for naught if no actionable programs are produced. Lycka said it’s expected that the Center for Gambling, Policy, and Health’s multidisciplinary approach will yield responsible gaming research that can be put to practical use by gaming operators.
“We believe that gambling operators around the world clearly understand the importance of evidence-based approaches to address this important issue,” Shatley said. “For many years, the IGI has been a highly-respected international resource for the gambling community and, we expect the Center for Gambling, Policy, and Health to continue this tradition.”
The Entain Foundation is the not-for-profit arm of Entain, a global sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment group operating through BetMGM, a joint venture with MGM Resorts International, in the U.S.
