ICRG News

The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) has released the publication, “Gambling and Public Health: A Guide for Policymakers.” The guide is based on the latest research on gambling disorder and responsible gaming. It was written for state legislators, regulators, public health professionals and others concerned about the impact of gambling on public health. The free guide is available for download from www.ncrg.org/resources.

Shayna Adams has joined the NCRG staff as program officer. She will be responsible for assisting with the grants program, social media and NCRG educational programs. Shayna served as a research analyst for the Framingham Heart Study. She received the MPH degree at Boston University School of Public Health with specialization in epidemiology.

The NCRG recently awarded an NCRG Center of Excellence in Gambling Research and four Seed Grants. The center grant of $355,001 was awarded to Dr. Wendy Slutske at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Dr. Slutske’s project seeks to fill the void of research on community-based studies of gambling disorder. Because so few disordered gamblers seek treatment, treatment populations cannot be considered representative of all disordered gamblers; hence, the need for broad community-based studies to answer questions about the origins and trajectory of gambling disorder.

Focusing on four unique datasets from Sweden, New Zealand, Australia and a US sample of reservation-dwelling Native Americans, Slutske’s team will pursue the following questions: (1) is living in a disadvantaged neighborhood a (potentially malleable) environmental cause of disordered gambling (DG), and if so, why? (2) where among the ~20,000 genes in the human genome are the variants associated with the risk for DG, and do these overlap with the genetic variants associated with the risk for other conditions such as alcohol use disorder?, (3) are there certain environments in which the genetic risk for DG is more likely to be expressed?, (4) when in the life course is DG more or less likely to first emerge?, and (5) are the causes of DG similar across the lifespan?

The NCRG also recently awarded four Seed Grants:

The NCRG is pleased to announce that nearly $2 million was pledged to research and education on gambling disorder in 2016. Several major casino operators pledged $1.155 million to support the organization’s mission of funding innovative research and education about gambling disorder and responsible gaming. An additional $610,000 was raised through annual contributions and conference sponsorships. These commitments put the NCRG over the $27 million mark in fundraising since its establishment in 1996.

Donald W. Black, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Director, Psychiatry Residency Training, Vice Chair for Education, Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

• First and foremost, thanks to our multi-year, pledged donors whose generous and continuing support provides NCRG with stability and the ability for long-term planning: Las Vegas Sands Corp., MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, Boyd Gaming Corporation, Penn National Gaming Inc., Wynn Resorts, Reed Exhibitions, and Churchill Downs Incorporated. We also deeply appreciate the companies and individuals who contributed to the NCRG through participation in the 2014 Gaming Hall of Fame, the AGEM/AGA Golf Classic Presented by JCM Global, and the 2014 NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction as sponsors.
  

New gambling research is not usually represented at the premiere national scientific meetings focused on addiction. If you are a young investigator with new gambling-related research to present, you can help fill the void! Apply for an NCRG Travel Grant category to support your participation in conferences such as College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD), the American Psychological Association, the Society for Neuroscience and other academic meetings.

Aug. 21, 2-3 p.m. ET | Click here to register

The field of gambling disorder has seen many changes over the past year, many of which are due to the American Psychiatric Association's fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the Affordable Care Act. Many private health insurance policies and plans exclude treatments for gambling disorder from insurance coverage. However, healthcare providers specializing in disordered gambling have hoped that the Affordable Care Act and the strengthening of the federal mental health parity law would address this shortcoming. But is this the case?

We know that increasing awareness on gambling disorders and responsible gaming is important to you. At the NCRG, it is important to us too, and we want to develop a plan to enhance our efforts.

As the NCAA basketball tournament hits its stride, fans around the nation are filling out brackets and possibly placing bets on the game. While gambling can be fun if you’re of legal age, it’s not a risk-free activity. For some college students, gambling for fun can turn into a serious problem and have a negative impact on their lives.

To help address this issue, the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) is proud to announce the launch of its College Gambling Awareness Campaign, bringing new resources to www.CollegeGambling.org. These new and invaluable resources, including the BetOnU College Gambling Survey, a shareable video and an information-packed toolkit, were developed to further help college health professionals and administrators educate students about gambling-related harms and responsible gaming.