As the year comes to an end, ICRG President Arthur Paikowsky shares insights on how 2024 has shaped the organization’s mission to assist the gaming industry in minimizing harm to players.

ICRG had a banner year in 2024, marked by remarkable growth in research and educational initiatives. Here are some highlights from Paikowsky’s recent interview:

Raising the Bar for Responsible Gaming

  • ICRG is currently managing 34 active research studies addressing key topics like sports wagering behavior, slot machine appeal, and the intersection of teen drinking and gambling.
  • This year’s funding has also supported three conferences and five webinars, expanding the reach of responsible gaming education.

ICRG remains committed to fostering collaboration, advancing research, and ensuring that player well-being stays at the forefront of gaming innovation.

Read the full interview with Arthur Paikowsky and learn how ICRG is driving the future of responsible gaming.

ICRG was excited to have a presence at this year’s SBC LatAm Conference, where our team—led by President Art Paikowsky and Senior Fundraiser Josh Belkin—introduced ICRG’s mission and initiatives to a new region. With a focus on responsible gaming and gambling disorder, we had the opportunity to connect with industry leaders from Latin America and South America, discussing how research leads to effective, sustainable solutions for gambling-related issues.

As ICRG continues to expand internationally, we’re more committed than ever to fostering a global understanding of gambling addiction, backed by our growing body of research. Meeting with like-minded professionals at SBC LatAm helped us share our insights and build partnerships focused on responsible gaming practices, harm prevention, and treatment strategies. Conversations at our booth highlighted the importance of data-driven solutions to help both individuals and the gaming industry make responsible choices—a strong step toward furthering our research mission on a global scale.

The International Center for Responsible Gaming is a key organization in the battle against problem gambling. As Innovation Group President Michael Soll (l.) notes, its research reveals some of the most pressing issues funded by major industry partners.

Sign in to this webinar, recorded on June 20, 2024, to watch Dr. Bonnie Lee, PhD, RMFT-S, RSW, professor in the Addictions Counseling Program and a research affiliate at the University of Lethbridge with over 25 years of counseling experience. Her research indicates that Congruence Couple Therapy can yield better outcomes than individual-based therapies for clients with gambling problems, highlighting the importance of identifying mechanisms of change in psychotherapeutic treatment models.

Click here to register and watch the webinar.

“For 25 years, JCM Global along with sponsors that include the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) and the American Gaming Association (AGA) have helped put on the Golf Classic, an event which helps raise money for the International Center for Responsible Gambling (ICRG). The mission of the ICRG is to help individuals and families affected by gambling disorders and help prevent the development of these issues through scientific research and evidence-based educational programming on gambling disorders and responsible gambling.”

Click here to view the full article!

April 1, 2024 Letter of Intent to Apply for a Large Grant (Two-year grant of up to $172,500)

May 1, 2024 Seed Grant (Great for pilot studies! One year grant for up to $46,000)

May 1, 2024 Dissertation Grants (Up to $5,000)

June 3, 2024 Special Initiative on the Language and Messaging of Prevention and Responsible Gambling Programs (Three-year grant up to $402,500)

June 10, 2024 Special Initiative on Sex, Gender and Gambling (Two-year grant of up to $172,500)

June 24, 2024 Special Initiative on Gambling industry Employees (Two-year grant of up to $172,500)

Click here for announcements and application forms!

Questions? Contact Christine Reilly, Senior Research Director (creilly@icrg.org).

The ICRG recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of research on gambling disorder and responsible gambling with the annual ICRG Scientific Achievement Award. The 2023 award will be presented at the ICRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction on Oct. 9, 2023.

We invite nominations in the following categories:

  • Research investigators at any stage in their career—early stage, mid-career or senior—whose research has made a significant contribution to the knowledge base about gambling disorder and responsible gambling.
  • Educators who have successfully mentored young investigators in the field or have excelled at promoting public awareness and education about gambling disorder and responsible gambling.
  • A recent publication in a scientific, peer-reviewed journal that represents seminal work in the field.

Guidelines for Submitting a Nomination

The nomination package must include the following:

1. Letter of recommendation: A detailed letter describing the worthiness of the nominee or nominated work, specifying the contribution to the field of gambling studies and significance.

2. Curriculum vitae (CV):

  • For individual nominees, include an up-to-date CV
  • For research investigators, include a comprehensive bibliography of the nominee’s publications

3. Publications: For research investigators, submit no more than five scientific publications representative of the nominee’s work. When nominating a publication, include a copy of the published version of the article. The publication must have been published in the same year or the year prior to the nomination.

Submit nomination materials to Christine Reilly (creilly@icrg.org) by Aug. 15, 2023. The selection committee, composed of distinguished scientists in the addictions field, will select the recipient of the 2023 ICRG Scientific Achievement Award. The award will be presented at the awards luncheon during the ICRG conference on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023.

Next webinar:


June 27, 2023
2-3:30 p.m. Eastern


Open Science in Gambling Research


Open Science (OS) is the movement to make scientific research, data and their dissemination available to any member of an inquiring society, from professionals to
citizens. OS is especially important in cases of gambling industry-funded research on gambling disorder and responsible gambling to ensure that the research process is
ethical, transparent, and unbiased.
The panel will first discuss OS strategies and then explore how OS principles and practices can be integrated with existing guidelines for industry-funded research on
gambling disorder and responsible gambling.

Panel:

– Debi LaPlante, PhD, Harvard Medical School and Cambridge Health Alliance
– Brett Abarbanel, PhD University of Nevada, Las Vegas
– David Mellor, PhD, Center for Open Science

Learning Objectives:
As a result of this program, learners will be able to:
– Apply the principles of OS to research on gambling
– Critically analyze any bias in industry-funded research

The webinar is free but advance registration is required:

Click here to register!

The March 14th ICRG webinar featured a conversation between four leading researchers in the field of gambling disorder/responsible gambling (RG). They conversed about issues arising from investigations of RG programs and discussed future prospects for the field. Watch the recorded version at https://reedexpo.zoom.us/rec/play/aa7960tlTWPLzHMgOG8VlCEETAoVyOKU8pVBMO2ecJUod5BfQ-rLHD1r4xKpW82z-lq9L1wcI4ajhRT8.A6ot2xYamXXU9ixT?continueMode=true

Thanks to the generosity of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the ICRG has added a new position to its staff. The Director of Tribal Nations Relations and Communications will work to expand ICRG’s relations with Native American tribes involved in tribal gaming and develop a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy for ICRG.

RESPONSIBILITIES

●Serve as staff liaison to the ICRG board’s Tribal Gaming Initiatives Committee.

●Provide input in all ICRG’s tribal-related efforts.

●Coordinate the annual conference for treatment providers in cooperation with the Sandia Resort and Casino in New Mexico; specifically, research and invite speakers and prepare promotional materials for the event.

●Promote the adoption of the Sandia conference model in other jurisdictions and coordinate those programs.

●Help the President and Senior Fundraiser source funds from tribal gaming entities for support of research and education on gambling disorder and responsible gambling.

●Coordinate all communications and marketing for the ICRG including news releases, monitoring ICRG profile in the media, handling all media inquiries to ICRG, social media, website updates and promotion of ICRG educational programs.

●This position requires travel approximately 25% of the time

QUALIFICATIONS

●Minimum of B.A. degree

●Two years of nonprofit management/university experience

●Excellent writing skills and experience with communications and marketing

●Excellent interpersonal skills: the ability to interact with diverse internal and external constituents.

●Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, working both independently and as a team member.

●Familiarity with tribal gaming is required.

●Deep understanding of tribal life and customs required.

Remote work is possible.

Send cover letter and resume to Christine Reilly (creilly@icrg.org).