The Massachusetts Gaming Commission held its inaugural responsible gambling conference, “Using Research to Rewrite the Playbook” this week.
Attendees from multiple states gathered at the AC Marriott Hotel in Worcester to engage in discussions about the evolving gaming industry amid its growth.
“Sports betting is here. Gambling is here. While there are many benefits that come with this growth, we need to know what’s working so we can build on proven tools,” said MGC interim Chair Jordan Maynard.
“To stay on the forefront of gambling expansion, collaborating between the diverse individuals who work across the continuum of prevention, intervention and treatment remains essential,” said Marlene Warner, CEO of the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health.
During the conference, Dr. Rachel Volberg shared findings from the Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts and Connecticut Impact Study. She revealed that 67.5 percent of people in Massachusetts in 2021 believe that gambling is too widely accessible, compared to 15.6 percent in 2013.
Mark Vander Linden, MGC’s executive director of research, discussed the newly proposed national voluntary self-exclusion program.
“There really is not an example in Massachusetts or New England or within the country that allows VSE reciprocity between states. So, an individual that enrolls in the voluntary self-exclusion program in Massachusetts is not extended to a statewide voluntary self-exclusion in Rhode Island or Connecticut or New York,” he said.
