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.
According to NCRG Executive Director Russell Sanna, “The guide offers 29 recommendations for state government and other entities charged with public health responsibilities.” These include the following:
- Integrate gambling disorder into existing behavioral health services.
- Replace outdated terms with gambling disorder, the recognized term used by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
- Reconsider traditional prevalence studies used to determine the rate of gambling disorder.
- Devote more public health resources to at-risk populations such as African Americans, military veterans and young adults.
- Support science-based responsible gaming policies and programs.
The guide is based on the deliberations of the leading scientists in the field who convened at a state of the science meeting in 2016. It will be distributed at the August meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures in Boston.
