[LAS VEGAS, NV] — [August 26, 2025] — The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to scientific research and education on gambling disorder and responsible gambling, announces the appointment of Eileen Moore Johnson as the new Chair of its Board of Directors.

With over 30 years of leadership experience in executive and operational areas of hospitality, casino gaming, and destination transportation, Eileen displays a notable interest in advancing responsible gaming practices through research driven education on problem gambling. She succeeds ICRG’s, now President, Michael Soll, continuing the organization’s mission to support evidence-based research and provide independent, peer-reviewed resources for policymakers, industry leaders, clinicians, and the public.

A Demonstrated Leader in Gaming and Hospitality

Most recently, Eileen served as General Manager and Strategic Advisor to The Boring Company’s Vegas Loop, where she helped guide the development and expansion of the first all-electric, zero-emissions underground public transportation system. 

Preceding her role at The Boring Company, she was the Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Scientific Games Corporation/Light & Wonder, where she was responsible for global human resources, sustainability, philanthropy, responsible gaming, and DEI initiatives.

Eileen also had a two-decade-long career in corporate strategy and operations at Caesars Entertainment, where she grew to Regional President, supervising four major Las Vegas Strip resorts. Her dedication to promoting responsible gaming throughout her career has been significant through her long participation and leadership of multiple properties and Responsible Gaming Committees.  

Commitment to Responsible Gaming and Community Service

Eileen is a sustained presence in the promotion of responsible gaming, demonstrated by her service on the ICRG Executive Committee, as a Founding Board Member of Global Gaming Women, and as a strategic advisor to boards in hospitality, technology, and e-commerce. 

Currently serving on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas College of Hospitality Dean’s Advisory Board, Eileen also plays a significant role in the progression of social impact initiatives in higher education. Formerly, she held board positions with the University of Houston, University of Indiana Southeast, the Muhammad Ali Center, and the Kentucky Science Center .

Advancing ICRG’s Mission

“The ICRG has significantly increased and diversified its research funding in recent years, and I am proud to help continue that mission,” said Moore Johnson. “I am honored to serve as Chair of the ICRG Board and to advance the belief that science drives best practices in policy, prevention, and treatment.”

Michael Soll, ICRG President, added: “Eileen’s remarkable leadership experience, diverse industry knowledge, and commitment to responsible gaming will help steer ICRG into our next chapter of growth and impact.”

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About the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG)

The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), founded in 1996, continues to serve as the only funding source for scientific research on gambling disorder and responsible gambling in the United States. It is recognized as a global leader on these topics and has yielded nearly 500 articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. For more information, visit www.icrg.org.

Media Contact:

Noelle Mancini
Operations and Marketing Manager
nmancini@icrg.org | 978.338.6610

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Michael Soll Named Next President of ICRG
Board member and gaming industry research veteran to lead organization beginning July 7

The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) today announced the appointment of Michael Soll as president beginning July 7. Soll succeeds Arthur Paikowsky who is credited with facilitating significant growth in high quality, peer-reviewed research at ICRG, transforming its ability to mitigate player harms and creating a more sustainable environment for the gaming industry. Paikowsky will join the ICRG board of directors and remain a valuable voice in the organization’s future. 

Soll has served on the ICRG board of directors since 2022 and brings nearly 30 years of gaming industry experience to the organization. Most recently, he has served as president of The Innovation Group (TIG), a premier research and advisory firm serving the global gaming, entertainment, and hospitality industries. Soll’s experience in gaming is matched by two decades of philanthropic leadership, where he has served actively as a board member, fundraiser and day-to-day administrator.

Soll began his career as a city planner and social policy analyst. His focus shifted to finance and hospitality after directing asset management at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, then serving as vice president, gaming and leisure equity research, at Bear Stearns & Co. Prior to joining TIG in 2008, he held planning and development roles at Hard Rock International and Caesars Entertainment, working in emerging U.S. commercial, tribal and international gaming jurisdictions. Soll was named one of “25 People to Watch” by Global Gaming Business magazine in 2019.

“Michael’s background makes him a particularly astute choice to lead the ICRG at this moment,” said Mark Lipparelli, ICRG Chair Emeritus. “The Innovation Group is perhaps best known for its rigorous industry research measuring the economic and social outcomes of gambling. The appointment of a gaming research expert like Michael gives us decades of first-hand experience balancing stakeholder interests with research integrity and quality. It really puts a point on the current needs of the organization.”

“I am honored and privileged to begin leading the ICRG, whose mission I became passionate about while serving its board of directors,” said Soll. “During his tenure, Art and team have instituted transformational changes that create a sustainable future for the organization – I’m excited to build upon Art’s work and help drive significant, high-quality research with actionable results.”

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About ICRG
The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), founded in 1996, continues to serve as the only funding source for scientific research on gambling disorder and responsible gambling in the United States. It is recognized as a global leader on these topics and has yielded nearly 500 articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Contact
Noelle Mancini
nmancini@icrg.org
978.38.6110

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NEW YORK – June 4, 2025 – The National Football League (NFL) today announced a partnership with the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) to address growing concerns around gambling behaviors among college athletes and students. The NFL Foundation will contribute $600,000 over three years to support independent, peer-reviewed research being led by the ICRG that aims to explore the prevalence, risk factors, and impacts of gambling behaviors in these populations. 

While initial studies have indicated that college athletes may be at higher risk for gambling problems, there remains a lack of comprehensive, current data on how college populations interact with online sports betting platforms. This NFL-ICRG initiative will empower independent researchers to explore a wide range of topics with the goal of informing data-driven prevention strategies, education, and policies aimed at reducing gambling-related harm. Grant applications will be peer-reviewed prior to the selection of the final recipient by the ICRG Independent Scientific Advisory Board.

Additionally, the NFL will fund an update to the ICRG’s “Talking with Children About Gambling” educational resources to equip parents, coaches, and educators with practical guidance to help prevent youth gambling exposure before college. Educational materials will be widely available online and distributed to schools, community sports organizations, and youth programs nationwide.

“We’re proud to partner with the ICRG to advance research that can drive meaningful solutions and address a critical gap in the understanding of gambling behaviors among college athletes and students,” said Anna Isaacson, NFL senior vice president of social responsibility. “This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to promoting responsible gambling and fostering a safe and supportive environment for athletes, fans, and communities.”

“The NFL has once again demonstrated its commitment to player and fan protection by supporting this critical research targeting young adults,” said Arthur Paikowsky, President of ICRG. “The NFL and ICRG together will make a meaningful contribution to understanding and implementing policies and programs that support a safer gambling environment.”

Strengthening the NFL’s Commitment to Responsible Gambling

The ICRG partnership builds on the NFL’s ongoing efforts to promote responsible gambling, complementing existing initiatives with organizations like the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC). 

Through these partnerships, the NFL continues to demonstrate its commitment to addressing emerging challenges in the ever-evolving sports betting landscape and to providing fans, athletes and communities with the tools and resources they need to engage responsibly.

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Media Contacts:

Alex Riethmiller, NFL, alex.riethmiller@nfl.com
Arthur Paikowsky, ICRG, apaikowsky@icrg.org

About the International Center for Responsible Gaming

The ICRG, for nearly 30 years, has been the leader in funding peer reviewed evidence-based scientific research to better understand gambling disorder and gambling problems.  Our goal is to provide tools to the gambling industry to mitigate harm to players and to support responsible gambling practices.  Funded research has been published over 500 times in some of the most prestigious journals in the world and research is being conducted in many countries across the globe.  For more information, visit www.icrg.org. 

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Las Vegas – [5/13/25] – The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) is proud to
announce that it has received a $200,000 grant from the Caesars Foundation to support cutting-
edge research and education programs aimed at reducing gambling-related harm and
enhancing responsible play initiatives across the globe.

This grant will fund a comprehensive range of ICRG programs in 2025, including $180,000
dedicated to competitive research grants and educational dissemination focused on topics such
as the biological and psychological mechanisms of gambling, co-occurring mental health
conditions, treatment innovation, public health messaging and the impact of gambling-related
policies. An additional $20,000 will support the program of the 26th Annual ICRG Conference on
Gambling and Addiction.

“This generous commitment from Caesars Foundation underscores their ongoing leadership in
corporate responsibility and dedication to advancing the science of responsible gambling,” said
Arthur Paikowsky, President of ICRG. “Together, we are helping ensure that policies, treatment
options, and prevention strategies are rooted in rigorous and independent scientific evidence.”

Caesars Entertainment has donated to the ICRG since 1997, with Caesars Foundation
donations beginning in 2022. The Company celebrated 35 years of its pioneering Responsible
Gaming program during Responsible Gaming Education Month last September and was the first
commercial casino company to address the challenges of problem gambling in the industry.

“We are proud to support the ICRG in their ongoing research and education on problem
gambling,” said Kiersten Flint, SVP of Corporate Social Responsibility and Internal
Communications at Caesars Entertainment. “Our partnership with the ICRG spans over 25
years, and we are honored to fund their important work. At Caesars, we prioritize making our
Responsible Gaming policies and programs accessible to all of our customers. The ICRG’s
high-quality research on gambling disorders and responsible gambling helps us and others
prevent gambling-related harm.”

The outcomes of this partnership aim to directly benefit the more than 2 million Americans living
with gambling addiction, as well as the estimated 5 million experiencing gambling-related
harms. ICRG will measure impact through academic publication, policymaker engagement and
industry adoption of evidence-based practices.

For more information about the ICRG’s mission or to get involved, please visit www.icrg.org.

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Media Contact
Noelle Mancini
nmancini@icrg.org
978.338.6110

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ICRG President Art Paikowsky shares, “Dr. Shaffer’s dedication to advancing research in gambling studies has been truly transformative.”

We thank Dr. Shaffer for his incredible impact and wish him the best in this new chapter! 

1996

Estimating the Prevalence of Disordered Gambling Behavior in the United States and Canada: A Meta-Analysis
Principal Investigator: Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., C.A.S., Harvard Medical School
Awarded $140,000 in 1996
Aim: Conduct a meta-analytic strategy to synthesize estimates of gambling disorder from 119 prevalence studies to determine a national rate of gambling disorder in the adult general population and subpopulations in the US and Canada. The findings were praised by the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of Pathological Gambling as the most reliable estimates to date (Pathological Gambling: A Critical Review, 1999).

1998

The Harvard Project on Gambling and Health
Principal Investigator: Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., C.A.S., Harvard Medical School
Awarded $465,069 in 1998
Aim: Investigate several streams of research on gambling and gambling disorders: 1) prevalence and measuring prevalence; (2) a public health framework for gambling; 3) a three-year study of the health risks of casino employees; (4) how gambling and other behavioral addictions are changing the notion of addiction; and (5) trends in gambling research and publications.

2001

Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders
Principal Investigator: Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School and Cambridge Health Alliance
Awarded $1.14 million a year from 2001 – 2009
The NCRG delegated the research and education functions of the NCRG to the Division on Addiction, Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching hospital of HMS, from 2001 to 2009. This grant supported the intramural research conducted by the Division on Addiction faculty and also the extramural research grants program that sponsored the research projects listed in this section from 2001 through 2008.

Blog Posts

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Key Findings: Gambling and Alcohol-Related Risks

The study, which followed over 4,300 U.S. adults for two years, found that fluctuations in sports gambling frequency were closely tied to changes in alcohol-related harms. While alcohol-related problems slightly declined overall, individuals who frequently engaged in sports betting were more likely to experience drinking-related issues.

Dr. Joshua B. Grubbs of the University of New Mexico, the study’s lead researcher, emphasized the significance of these findings:

“These results highlight the need for screening and intervention strategies targeting sports gamblers who also drink. The interaction between these behaviors may increase the risks associated with both.”

Given the rapid expansion of legal sports betting in the U.S., this study underscores the need for proactive harm-reduction strategies to protect consumers from potential co-occurring risks.

ICRG’s Commitment to Research and Responsible Gambling

As the largest independent funder of gambling research in the U.S., ICRG has played a pivotal role in advancing knowledge on gambling behaviors, addiction risks, and responsible gambling strategies. This latest study builds on prior ICRG-supported research, including:

• Sports bettors face higher risks of addiction compared to other gambling groups, with a strong link to binge drinking (JAMA Network Open, 2024).
• Impulsivity is a key predictor of high-risk gambling behaviors, reinforcing the need for tailored interventions (Addictive Behaviors, 2024).
• Not all sports betting carries the same level of risk, highlighting the importance of customized responsible gambling strategies (Journal of Gambling Studies, 2024).
• Marginalized communities require culturally sensitive harm-reduction efforts to address unique gambling challenges (Addictive Behaviors, 2023).
  

Recognizing Our Research and Funding Partners

Groundbreaking research like this is only possible with the support of our dedicated funding partners. We extend our gratitude to:

🎰 American Gaming Association
🏆 MGM Resorts International
📱 DraftKings
🏇 William Hill/US Caesars Entertainment
🎲 Entain
🏎️ NASCAR
🎸 Hard Rock International
⛳ The PGA
🎮 IGT

Their commitment to responsible gambling and evidence-based solutions helps advance research that informs industry best practices and public policy.

What’s Next?

This study is part of an ongoing effort to assess gambling behaviors over time, with additional research from this dataset currently under peer review. As sports gambling continues to expand, it is crucial that research-driven insights inform responsible gambling initiatives, public health policies, and industry best practices.

At ICRG, we remain committed to funding rigorous, independent research to promote safer gambling environments and evidence-based solutions.

📖 Read the full study and learn more about our work at JAMA Network.

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