International Center for Responsible Gaming President Arthur Paikowsky is proud of the research the organization has done since its founding in 1996. But that research needs to be disseminated in order for it to be worthwhile.
“Because if you invest in research and you’ve learned from it, we need to share it,” Paikowsky said Sunday during the ICRG’s 24th annual conference at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas. “And I think one of the things we recognize is that people in the mental-help space working with people who have gambling disorder or are harmed by gambling, they don’t have enough opportunities to learn from others. And (the conference) is our showcase to correct for it.”
Paikowsky admits that it has taken time to promote the organization’s mission to operators and others in the gambling space. But the past decade has seen “the industry at the highest levels” buy in to the need that gambling disorders need to be viewed as more than just a nuisance and that there’s an inherent responsibility to confront gambling problems.
“That’s part of the reason we’ve seen such exponential growth in our financial-resource development,” Paikowsky said. “We more than doubled the amount of money we raised from just a couple of years ago and that’s enabling us to do more research and provide more education opportunities. I think that we’re on the cutting edge of something really important.”
Paikowsky noted that since legal sports betting became more prevalent, companies such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM have increased their support of the ICRG. A representative from FanDuel recently attended an ICRG board meeting, a sign that the issue of problem gambling is being taken seriously.
That awareness is welcome after years of gambling disorders and addictions being perceived as the “the stepchild of addictions,” according to Paikowsky.
But recognition of gambling problems has increased. “At all levels, inside the industry, outside the industry, with legislators, regulators, it’s important,” he says, noting that more investment in the ICRG has opened the organization to more opportunities.
“We’re a really small organization and I’m the only full-time employee,” he said, adding that a part-time assistant, researcher, fundraiser, and marketing person accounts for the rest of the staff. “One of the things we’ve talked about is where we need to go. What are we going to do now that we have more resources.? Of course, we want to invest in research and in our organization, so we can be doing more.”
One area that Paikowsky envisions addressing through ICRG-sponsored research is online gambling.
“Because of this device,” he said, holding up his smartphone, “things have changed. I don’t think we understand that enough. Before, you had to get up in the morning, shower, then drive to a casino. Now, you have this available to you in states where it’s legal or in some cases illegal. How do we address the additional issues that may be created? That where some of our resources will be focused on.”
Paikowsky still hears from people at conferences who aren’t aware of the extent of gambling disorders and diseases. Being part of the Global Gaming Expo helps spread the message of the ICRG’s research and programs.
“From an awareness standpoint, doing this conference here means something, as opposed to doing it five Tuesdays from now,” he said. “We’re a brand like any other brand and exposure is important. We want people to know what we’re doing. We believe it’s important. The visibility here, and elsewhere, is important to us.”
Rege Behe is lead contributor to CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at rbehe@cdcgaming.com. Please follow @RegeBehe_exPTR on Twitter.
