For more than a decade the American Gaming Association has been behind a growing movement throughout the industry to emphasize responsible gaming education and practices. In 1998, the AGA created Responsible Gaming Education. In 2003, it enacted its first code of conduct covering responsible gaming practices.

For the 12th annual RGWE, August 3-7, the AGA is inviting gaming employees to “Know the Code,” pledging to patrons, the public and coworkers to keep responsible gaming practices an ongoing part of daily operations.

Consistent exemplary practices are more essential than ever as gaming expands throughout the U.S. and the world, said AGA President Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr.

“Here at home, regulators are making responsible gaming a priority from the very beginning,” said Fahrenkopf, adding that newer commercial gaming jurisdictions like Kansas and Pennsylvania require casino operators to submit responsible gaming plans along with their license applications. The philosophy is also gaining traction worldwide, even though in many jurisdictions, like Asia, the concept of responsible gaming is relatively new.
   
Problem Prevention
Where does the AGA come in? Through its association with the National Center for Responsible Gaming, founded in 1996, the organization and its members—chiefly casino owners and operators and gaming suppliers—support scientific research to develop practical, real-world solutions to recognize and prevent problem gambling, and promote responsible gaming that’s entertaining and fun.

It is important to note that, although the NCRG’s funding comes largely through AGA members, it maintains “stringent firewalls” between those benefactors and its research projects to ensure that the gaming industry does not influence study outcomes. 

NCRG research has led to recent, encouraging information about the nature and course of gambling disorders—information that casino workers may review during RGEW 2009.

Pathological gambling, first identified as a disorder by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980, has been characterized from the outset as a chronic, progressive disease that only worsens over time. However, a 2008 NCGR study at Harvard Medical School suggests that the disorder should not be so rigidly classified; published last year in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, the study reports that these disorders taken on an individual basis can “fluctuate within the full spectrum from the most severe form to recovery.”

The potential for recovery in identified problem gamblers makes it even more important for industry professionals to understand disordered behavior, and know what steps to take when they see it.

At Yale University, said Fahrenkopf, the NCRG Center of Excellence will examine the effects of the drug naltrexone on problem gambling. And the NCRG Center at the University of Minnesota will develop a model of impulsivity that will lead to the early identification of young adults at risk for pathological gambling.

Harrah’s Helpers
While RGEW is just one week long, for gaming operators, the focus on responsible gaming is a year-long commitment. During Responsible Gaming Education Week, companies like Harrah’s Entertainment put a little extra emphasis on reminding their front-line team members about company policies and the importance in addressing this issue.

“Responsible gaming is really integrated into what we do everyday,” said Jennifer Shatley, vice president of responsible gaming policies and compliance for Harrah’s. “This week is a week where we really emphasize to our employees that we are a company committed to responsible gaming and we reinforce the policies that we have in place.”

During RGEW, Harrah’s holds a refresher course on company policies pertaining to responsible gaming for some 50,000 team members. That number is in addition to any new hires who go through a longer course on the company’s responsible gaming policies.

Harrah’s asks that its front line team members take it upon themselves to report to a supervisor (a responsible gaming ambassador) when a customer makes a comment they find concerning and indicative of the fact that a person may have a problem. At that point, the ambassador will look at the comments and decide how to proceed.

That usually involves talking to a customer and making sure they know there are ways for them to get help, including measures like self-exclusion.

“They serve as a conduit of information to let people know what resources are out there,” Shatley said.

As the first U.S. gaming company to create a responsible gaming program back in the ’80s, Harrah’s has long held a commitment to this issue.

“This week is a week for everyone in the industry to raise awareness of responsible gaming, but it is something that we do all the time,” Shatley said.

By Marjorie Preston

Marjorie is Managing Editor of Casino Connection Atlantic City.

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