NCLGS consists of lawmakers from states with legal gambling industries, including Arizona. The non-profit aims to promote policies and best practices for responsible gambling. Its resolutions support effective gambling oversight.
The new resolution outlines various responsible gambling requirements that NCLGS urges states to implement. These include using some gambling revenues to fund problem gambling resources, age restrictions, and self-exclusion programs.
Specific standards encouraged include:
- Requiring gambling operators to develop and maintain comprehensive responsible gambling policies, including staff training, self-exclusion options, and prominently displaying problem gambling resources.
- Partnering with nonprofits and public health organizations to provide community education campaigns on responsible gambling and available treatment options.
- Equipping all gambling venues, both online and retail, with resources and educational materials to promote responsible play and identify signs of potential problems.
- Funding state-sponsored problem gambling hotlines that offer confidential counseling services 24/7.
- Making treatment programs and services widely available for those experiencing gambling addiction issues.
- Restricting extensions of credit at casinos and sportsbooks to minimize excessive losses.
- Studying demographic data to identify and address groups at higher risk of problem gambling.
States like Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Oregon have been praised for instituting strong, responsible gambling guardrails like comprehensive self-exclusion options, funding counseling and treatment services, and algorithmic monitoring to detect issues.
Some specific examples include;
- Pennsylvania uses a portion of gambling revenues to fund free treatment and counseling services for problem gamblers. The state also maintains a robust voluntary self-exclusion program.
- Michigan requires online gambling operators to utilize algorithmic monitoring to detect excessive play and partner with a state problem gambling helpline to intervene when issues arise.
- Oregon mandates that 2% of net gambling revenues go toward problem gambling treatment programs. The state also prohibits extending credit to players.
- Massachusetts prohibits gambling venues from allowing self-serve alcohol and requires regular employee training on identifying and responding to possible addiction issues.
- Ohio compiled demographic data that led to targeted responsible gambling education in vulnerable communities.
Arizona was specifically praised for its efforts, including;
- Arizona allows individuals to ban themselves from gambling activities atArizona casinos, racetracks, online sportsbooks, and other gaming venues by signing up for the state’s self-exclusion list.
- The minimum period is one year, but people can choose to be on the list for up to five years or lifetime to prevent access to gambling.
- Arizona was one of the first states to implement an online self-exclusion process incorporating geo-location tech to prevent those on the list from accessing sports betting apps within Arizona.
- Individuals are also provided counseling and treatment resources when they join the self-exclusion program.
- Groups like the American Gaming Association have hailed Arizona for these robust self-exclusion policies that aim to help problem gamblers.
By providing a blueprint of ethical gambling industry safeguards, the state of Arizona and the NCLGS resolution will offer all states guidance to adopt more robust responsible gaming frameworks that protect consumers.
