US casino giant MGM Resorts International has announced a donation of $360,000 to the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) to support two 2-year research projects aimed at understanding, preventing and addressing potential risks associated with gambling.
“These research projects are critical to the continued success of the industry and are in the best interest of our guests, company, employees, and the communities where we operate,” said Stephen Martino, Senior Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer, MGM Resorts. “We’re pleased to continue our financial support of the ICRG and its critical work around responsible gaming best practices.”
Stephen Martino
Since its establishment in 1996, the ICRG has been a leading source of funding for research on responsible gaming and gambling problems, producing articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. This contribution will fund research to educate treatment providers, researchers, advocates, operators, regulators, and public policymakers on responsible gaming and gambling issues.
Arthur Paikowsky, ICRG President, said: “We salute MGM Resorts for supporting our research that will answer the many questions we have about the impact of gender on gambling disorder and address the health risks of casino employees. The ICRG is very grateful for the company’s long-standing and continuing support of the ICRG.”
The donation comes as MGM Resorts continues its commitment to train and educate over 60,000 of its employees on the benefits and risks associated with gambling. This is in line with the company’s use of its responsible gaming program, GameSense.
Developed and licensed to MGM Resorts in 2017 by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), GameSense focuses on positive, transparent, and proactive conversations with players about responsible gaming. The ICRG’s research will be shared with other GameSense licensees and other operators who could benefit from its findings.
As mobile sports betting and iGaming rapidly expand across the US, the ICRG is focused on collaborating with operators like MGM Resorts to offer a research and education-based approach to protect vulnerable populations. MGM Resorts’ mobile and desktop gaming app, offered by BetMGM, a joint venture between MGM Resorts and Entain, provides customers with a range of responsible gaming tools and resources.
MGM’s partnerships and collaborations with industry advocates include the American Gaming Association (AGA). Both MGM Resorts and BetMGM are official partners of the AGA’s public service campaign Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly., which educates both new and experienced bettors on responsible sports betting.
