MGM Resorts is adopting the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s award-winning GameSense program as part of its efforts to advance responsible gaming efforts across all of its North America properties, the company announced Wednesday afternoon.
GameSense was introduced by the BCLC in 2009 as a player-driven program that helps players better understand gambling and the risks involved, while adopting behaviors and approaches that minimize the onset of problem gambling.
The program, which was named Best Overall Responsible Gambling Program in 2010 by the World Lottery Association and won the National Council on Problem Gambling’s Social Responsibility Award in 2015, will be rolled out in all of MGM’s U.S. properties by the end of 2017.
It is the first time that such a program will be licensed and implemented by a major commercial casino company.
“MGM is excited to adopt the GameSense platform and to form this dynamic research enterprise,” said Alan Feldman, MGM Resorts International Executive Vice President of Global Industry Affairs.
GameSense has also been implemented by the Connecticut Lottery, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and several Canadian provinces – including Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
MGM said that its rationale for adopting the program is to improve problem gambling education and awareness among its customer base while raising industry standards on approaching problem gambling.
“Our vision for GameSense is to transform the guest experience at our properties by providing a program that is rooted in enhanced customer service, player education, and leading research,” said Feldman.
In addition to providing education and resources on the types of games found in a casino and the probabilities of winning and losing, GameSense also gives players tools to gamble responsibly. For example, it teaches players how to abide by time and monetary limits, how to be transparent with family and friends with regard to gambling habits and how to utilize voluntary self-exclusion programs.
The agreement between MGM and BCLC was announced Wednesday at the New Horizons in Responsible Gaming Conference in Vancouver.
“We believe it’s our role to take the lead in providing better responsible gambling programming that supports our players, helps reduce harm and strengthens the gaming industry as a whole,” said Jim Lightbody, BCLC’s president and chief executive.
Lightbody also expressed enthusiasm that a major casino operator would soon be running with the program.
“We are thrilled MGM Resorts recognizes the value of our GameSense program, and wants to align with us to further the positive role it can play in reducing gambling-related harm,” he said.
MGM also committed to providing $1 million over five years to help fund a partnership with the University of Nevada Las Vegas International Gaming Institute. The program will create a consortium of internationally-renowned responsible gaming experts and will seek to add a dimension of data-driven and science-based expertise to responsible gaming literature.
