MGM Resorts International donated $360,000 to the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) in support of two separate two-year research projects designed to understand, prevent, and address 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,” says Stephen Martino, senior vice president and chief compliance officer of MGM Resorts International, in a prepared statement. “We’re pleased to continue our financial support of the ICRG and its critical work around responsible gaming best practices.”
Since its establishment in 1996, the ICRG has become a prominent funding source in responsible gaming and problem gambling research, yielding articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The contribution will help fund research designed to educate treatment providers, researchers, advocates, operators, regulators, and public policy makers about responsible gaming and problem gambling.
Arthur Paikowsky, ICRG president, says, “We salute MGM Resorts International 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 longstanding and continuing support of the ICRG.”
The donation comes as MGM Resorts International continues its commitment to train and educate more than 60,000 of its employees on the benefits and risks associated with gambling. This is in tandem with the company’s utilization of its responsible gaming program, GameSense. Developed and licensed to MGM Resorts International in 2017 by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation in Canada, GameSense focuses on positive, transparent, and proactive conversations with players about how to gamble responsibly. The ICRG’s research will be shared with other licensees of the GameSense program as well as other operators who may benefit from its findings.
As mobile sports betting and iGaming continue to expand rapidly across the country, the ICRG is focused on collaborating with key operators, such as MGM Resorts International, to bring a focused approach to research and education aimed at protecting vulnerable populations. MGM Resorts International’s mobile and desktop gaming app, offered by BetMGM, a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Entain, is currently available in 28 markets, providing customers an array of responsible gaming tools and resources.
This partnership and collaboration with other industry advocates includes the American Gaming Association (AGA). MGM Resorts and BetMGM are both official partners of the AGA’s “Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly.” public service campaign to educate new and seasoned bettors on responsible sports wagering.
