Scientists Gather For Conference On Gambling Addiction

National Center for Responsible Gaming, The George Washington University to Host Ground-breaking event

Jan 12, 1999

KANSAS CITY, MO.—Fifteen of the most noted research scientists in the U.S. and Canada will meet February 5, 1999, on the campus of The George Washington University to discuss ‘New Directions in Gambling Addiction Research’ at a conference sponsored by the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) and GW.

The keynote address, ‘Addiction is a Brain Disease and It Matters,’ will be delivered by Dr. Alan Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. NCRG-supported researchers will report findings on the use of the latest technology in genetics and neuroimaging to understand disordered gambling behavior. Papers will also be presented on youth gambling. At the luncheon and afternoon sessions of the conference, there will be debate on the definition of pathological gambling and discussion of prevention issues.

Maj. Gen. Paul A. Harvey, chair of the NCRG’s governing board, says the mental health problem of gambling addiction warrants much further study. ‘The public is confused, and rightly so, about problem gambling. The NCRG is making great strides in meeting the need for research on this disorder and in generating more informed dialogue.’

Since its founding in 1996, the NCRG has committed $1.5 million in research grants to institutions including Harvard Medical School, the University of Minnesota, and the City of Hope National Medical Center. The NCRG is a division of the Gaming Entertainment Research and Education Foundation, a separately incorporated, independent, nonprofit organization affiliated with the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Advance registration for ‘New Directions in Gambling Addiction Research’ conference is required. Contact the National Center for Responsible Gaming at 816-531-1878 or visit www.ncrg.org for a schedule and registration form.