Forum on Responsible Gambling

by Sasha C. Russell, Program Specialists – Communications, the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

Panelists Dr. Rachel Volberg (left), Principal Investigator on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s (MCG) Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA) study and Keith Whyte (middle), Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, pose for a picture with MCG’s Director of Research and Problem Gambling, Mark Vander Linden (right).

On Monday, October 28^th, the Council collaborated with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MCG) to host the Forum on Responsible Gaming at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

There are numerous provisions in the Expanded Gaming Act to mitigate harm which may occur through the introduction of casinos and slot parlors. One such provision is for the Commission to adopt a Massachusetts Responsible Gaming framework that will guide the development of regulation and assist gaming operators in establishing a site-based responsible gambling program.

This forum was solely dedicated to the topic of responsible gambling. The goal was to provide the Commissioners and the community with an understanding of the basic concepts of responsible gambling. Information and research on elements and characteristics of a responsible gaming program were discussed amongst a panel of experts.  

Mark Vander Linden, MCG Director of Research and Problem Gambling, welcomed the Commissioners and attendees to the forum. He clarified that the purpose of the forum was to shape a document, Commission policy, and to assist the gaming industry in developing what processes they need to implement in order to mitigate problem gaming. Responsible gambling is woven into the statute, and therefore, it is important that the time is taken to fully comprehend all that it means.

MCG Chairman, Stephen P. Crosby, explained that because of the statute, along with an industry-wide recognition of the importance of responsible gambling best practices to mitigate the potential negative effects of expanded gambling, they created the position that Vander Linden now holds. In addition, they sought out a research team to take a deep data-driven look into the social and economic impact of gambling in the Commonwealth. Panelist, Dr. Rachel Volberg, is the Principal Investigator for this study.

Warner talked on problem gambling as a public health concern for Massachusetts. She expressed the importance of the Council’s neutral stand point when it comes to legalized gambling in the Commonwealth, and also noted that problem gambling as a public health concern requires several things in order to be successful in the future. One critical component is consensus regarding parameters. She stated, “Consensus regarding parameters is just one thing that we are here to discuss today, but the questions are so large that it is just the tip of the iceberg—the who in terms of responsibility and involvement is very unclear, as well as the question of who efforts are focused on (most severe or those with possibility of problem), the what and how is quite debatable as you’ll hear this afternoon, and the why and where, while seem clear at very first glance, are hard to distinguish. Are we worried about incidence or prevalence, prevention or treatment, and do we worry about Mass. residents that gamble in Mass, or do we care or worry if they gamble in other New England states, and how about the people from other places that gamble here and then leave?” 

Warner was followed by,

·       Dr. Howard Shaffer, Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School and Director of the Division on Addiction, discussed responsible gambling: from concept to practice,

·       David O. Stewart, Counsel, Ropes and Gray, and legal and regulatory advisor to the American Gaming Association (AGA), talked about the origins of the American Gaming Association (AGA) Code of Conduct & an industry perspective on responsible gambling governmental regulation, and

·       Keith Whyte, Executive Director, National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), discussed the unique position Massachusetts is in to design model standards & a national call to action.

Stewart confirmed the industry’s awareness, "We didn't get into responsible gambling because we had to. We did it because it's the right thing to do." 

Dr. Jeffrey Marotta, Clinical Associate Professor, Oregon Health & Science University, and President/Senior Consultant, Problem Gambling Solutions, moderated the afternoon panel discussion. Marotta opened the discussion with an overview on example responsible gambling frameworks.

The panel included:

·       Dr. Natasha Dow Schull, Associate Professor, Program on Science, Technology, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author of Addiction by Design, presented on technological design features of gaming machines,

·       Marotta followed Schull’s discussion by discussing advertising and marketing practices in terms of responsible gambling,

·       Dr. Lia Nower, Director of Gambling Studies, Rutgers University, spoke on player information/informed decision making,

·       Dr. Robert Ladouceur, Professor Emeritus, Laval University, centered his conversation on pre-commitment - before engaging in gambling activities, people would be able to set a limit to how much they will gamble,

·       Whyte talked about play tracking with behavior analytics,

·       Dr. Debi LaPante, Director of Research and Academic Affairs, Division on Addiction, discussed responsible gambling strategies regarding casino employee training,

·       Ladouceur presented on self-exclusion Programs: a step in the right direction,

·       Nower focused on self-exclusion: legal and policy considerations,

·       Warner talked about the importance of on-site counseling space & collaborations, and

·       Volberg noted the importance of evaluating responsible gambling efforts.

The forum concluded with a discussion between the Commissioners and Experts, which allowed questions and concerns to be raised. Chairman Crosby asked, “How do we come up with best practices now that we have all of this information?”

Whyte responded by reiterating the importance of strengthening partnerships with organizations such as the Mass. Council and the NCPG, as well as researchers, providers, and people affected by gambling problems. In addition, he said that MCG and partners should keep in mind the regulatory statutes as guiding principles when developing best practices in regards to responsible gambling.

Nower advised the Commissioners to pick one issue and create a working group. Once that issue is resolved, move on to the next.

The Forum was filled with helpful information, and was the promising start to creating responsible gambling standards that will be successfully implemented before the casinos break ground.