What was responsible gambling like when you entered the gaming space? 

Just a few months after my start, the entire world shut down due to the pandemic. At our retail properties, our RG program focuses on responsible alcohol service, restricting underage and Time Out Ohio enrollees from entering the gaming floor, and other efforts that require an assessment of a patron’s appearance and behavior. With the pandemic came masking and other unique requirements, making these assessments more difficult. Still, our properties rose to the occasion to overcome those new wrinkles. 

What has changed since then? 

The launch of sports gaming in 2023 introduced our casinos and racinos to a new customer base. Like Poker, sports gaming patron demographics differ from our typical Slots and Table Games patrons. With that, we are still learning how those patrons may present problem gambling indicators.

 How can sharing the operator's point of view inform responsible gambling conversations? 

We’ve welcomed problem gambling service professionals in for training on our Table Games offerings. This unique experience provides great insight to the mechanics of a typical Table Games experience. With this knowledge, problem gambling service professionals are better equipped to have substantive conversations with their clients about the Table Games experience.

What steps are you taking to expand responsible gambling efforts in the future?

 It’s important that we remain engaged with problem gambling service professionals in our communities. We are very fortunate in the cities we operate to have great partners that are always willing to come to property to help promote responsible gaming. We are also working with our regulators (and problem gambling service providers) to offer Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training to staff. Finally, we want to keep our ear to the ground on trending issues related to Problem Gambling and Responsible Gaming. One great way to do this is to attend the annual Ohio Problem Gambling conference. We were also fortunate enough to attend the national conference this year.

What was responsible gambling like when you entered the gaming space?

When I first entered the space, responsible gam was gaining increased focus and attention, and rightfully so with the industry’s rapid expansion and ever-changing landscape. Still, programs and priorities varied greatly from operator to operator, often contributing to confusion or a lack of clear applicability for the player. What I remember most from that time were the early efforts to bring together these fragmented approaches and move toward a model that was unified, proactive, and engaging. Those efforts showed the power of collaboration and helped set the stage for operators to lead by example, proving that when we work together, responsible gaming moves forward.

What has changed since then?

What stands out to me is how much responsible gaming has become part of our organizational culture. At MGM Resorts, our leaders champion it, our employees embrace it, and I’m proud to work for an organization that treats it as a real priority. We’re also honored to partner with organizations in our communities, like the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio, the Ohio Lottery, and the Ohio Casino Control Commission, because we know this work can’t be done alone. When we align as stakeholders, responsible gaming is stronger, more visible, and more impactful.

How can sharing the operator's point of view inform responsible gambling conversations?

For us, it’s all about transparency. We take pride in making responsible gaming part of everything we do, and we share our approach with communities, universities, and local organizations to keep the dialogue moving forward. In responsible gaming there isn’t any competition. We’re all playing on the same team and have the same focus. When we take this approach, we build trust, strengthen collaboration, and drive sustainability.

What steps are you taking to expand responsible gambling efforts in the future?

Looking ahead, we’re expanding our employee GameSense training nationwide. These efforts have resulted in over 120 GameSense Advisors at MGM Northfield Park who are ready to provide support to our guests. As a global organization, we’re leveraging who we are to make a positive impact on millions of guests around the world, and we own the responsibility to strengthen our communities. We’re also investing hundreds of thousands of dollars annually into research that is actionable and ensures responsible gaming evolves alongside the industry. This dedication reinforces that responsible gaming is not just part of what we do, but that it’s part of who we are. This is how we move forward with purpose.