National Conference on Gambling Addiction and Responsible Gambling Arrives in Boston

Posted on: July 19, 2022, 11:00h. 

Last updated on: July 19, 2022, 12:16h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

The 2022 National Conference on Gambling Addiction and Responsible Gambling takes place this week in Boston. The annual congregation will focus this year on “advocacy, awareness, and assistance” in combating societal harms that gambling might present.

National Conference Problem Gambling NCPG
The National Council on Problem Gambling holds its 2019 National Conference on Gambling Addiction and Responsible Gambling in Denver. The 2022 event is set for Boston. (Image: NCPG)

More than 600 attendees are set to attend the exhibition, which is organized by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). The in-person conference, scheduled for this Thursday and Friday, July 21-22, is billed as the world’s largest annual gathering of gaming industry professionals collectively focused on working to limit gambling disorders.

There is great strength in bringing together stakeholders in the fields of responsible gambling and problem gambling to discuss new technology, solutions, and partnerships. Each year we look forward to hosting the national conference and allowing it to serve as a conduit for connection, learning, and innovation,” explained Keith Whyte, NCPG executive director.

Founded in 1972, the NCPG’s primary focus is to serve as an advocate for the problem gambler and his/her family. The national nonprofit says it takes no formal position for or against legalized gambling and its continued expansion.

Massachusetts Responsible Gaming Leader

The Westin Boston Seaport District hotel near Boston Logan International Airport is the host of the 2022 NGCP Gambling Addiction and Responsible Gambling conference. This year’s convention is in conjunction with the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health.

Hosting the event in Boston is most fitting, NCPG officials say, because of Massachusetts’ strong commitment to limiting gambling disorders. When Massachusetts legalized commercial casino gambling through its 2011 Expanded Gaming Act, lawmakers required the state’s licensed gaming properties to incorporate a responsible gaming program called GameSense into their resorts.

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation developed GameSense. The Canadian product is described as a “player-focused responsible gambling program that encourages players to adopt behaviors and attitudes that can reduce the risk of gambling disorders.”

The state mandates each Massachusetts casino to offer the GameSense program to its patrons. Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield, and Plainridge Park have in-casino GameSense information kiosks that provide gamblers with various resources.

GameSense staffers can help better explain casino games and odds and assist gamblers in deciding how to set time constraints to limit their losses. MGM Resorts found the GameSense program so beneficial that the Las Vegas-based casino giant deployed the initiative across most of its domestic properties.

Sports Betting Summit

The NCPG responsible gaming convention will cover an array of topics, but sports betting will be of considerable focus. The exhibition will feature a “Safer Sports Betting Summit” that will bring together stakeholders in sports and gambling.

The summit will discuss numerous elements of the ongoing expansion of legal sports betting in the US, including the challenges sportsbooks face in assuring that their books and online wagering platforms do not elevate problem gambling disorder rates. A key subject that will be considered is debating what responsible gambling roles and responsibilities should fall on the professional leagues and college athletics departments.