2018 Critical Issues in Responsible Gaming

Wednesday, May 16 – Critical Issues in Responsible Gaming Workshop
10 a.m.	Responsible Gambling: Collaborative Innovation, Identifying Good Practice and Inspiring Change Keynote Speech by John Hagan, IAGA Secretary, Partner with Harris Hagan, and Deputy Director of GamCare In this compelling keynote, John will consider the social responsibility landscape in the UK and how industry, responsible gambling experts, academics, researchers and treatment providers can work together effectively to achieve meaningful change in live gambling environments. His comments will look at how the industry can engage openly with its customers in relation to responsible gambling, enable informed choice, improve self-awareness of their behavior and create supportive environments. Additionally, he will ask several key questions including why the industry should apply the same level of imagination and creativity when it comes to responsible gambling as it does in the rest of its business, why corporate leadership is so important and why a lack of conclusive evidence or research must not be a reason for inaction when it comes to doing what the industry believes to be right and piloting and evaluating initiatives. John will also take a fresh look at how best to communicate with ALL customers on responsible gambling. Nobody knows the customers better or is better placed to make positive changes to customer behaviors, and it is imperative that the industry collaborates with the experts and leads the way on the responsible gambling agenda.
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.	How Gaming Operators with International Locations Develop and Implement Responsible Gaming Programs Problem and responsible gambling is a constant focus of ongoing research and advancement worldwide, and with recent market studies estimating that the global casino market alone will expand at a compounded annual growth rate of 10% over the next five years, the importance of proactive responsible gaming programs is paramount. With a diverse panel of responsible gaming experts from markets around the world, this session will provide thoughtful look into how gaming operators worldwide develop and implement RG programs that take into consideration the local cultures and unique needs in the areas where they operate. Moderated by Jennifer Roberts, Associate Director for the UNLV International Center for Gaming Regulation, the panelists are: Joseph Bufalino, Director of Responsible Gaming, Marina Bay Sands Eilen Ho, Executive Director of Casino Talent Development & Responsible Gaming, MGM China
111:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.	“Problem Gambling and Harm”— Are They the Same Thing? For too long, responsible gambling programs have focused primarily on issues surrounding problem gambling and addiction. This approach tends to alienate the more than 90% of players who gamble responsibly and as a result, paints the gaming industry with a negative brush that it does more harm than good in the areas where casinos are available. But, by normalizing the conversation about responsible gambling, casinos are able to engage a greater number of their customers in conversations about the principles of positive play, the importance of setting a gambling budget and time limit, and only gambling what you can afford to lose. This session will discuss how this simple shift in tone and message will allow gaming companies to reach a larger share of their customers and better educate their markets about the gaming experience and its realistic risks and rewards. The panelists will also consider the impact cultural differences have in shaping the conversation about responsible gaming practices, as normalizing in some cultures means a very different approach and a very different final result. Moderated by Stacy Papadopoulos, General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Industry Services for the American Gaming Association, the panelists are: Iain Corby, Deputy Chief Executive, GambleAware Alan Feldman, Executive Vice President, MGM Resorts International Sean Hughes, Group General Counsel, Tabcorp Holdings
12:30 – 2 p.m.	Combined Networking Lunch
2 – 3 p.m.	Gambling Controls on Local Residents – What’s the Best Approach? One of the hottest responsible gaming topics in Asia at the moment is placing controls on local residents gambling in casinos: not just whether there should be controls, but if so, what the controls should be. This session will first discuss the current gambling controls in place, exploring everything from including entry fees and visit limits placed on all local residents as well as placed on specific residents including welfare recipients and government workers. Then, the panelists will discuss what does and doesn’t work and lead an interactive discussion with the audience about the best approach for evaluating, implementing and monitoring gambling controls. Moderated by Kahlil S. Philander, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Washington State University, the panelists are: Inês Antunes, Senior Vice President & General Counsel - Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment Óscar Madureira, Lawyer, Rato, Ling, Lei & Cortés – Advogados (Lektou) Joseph Bufalino, Director of Responsible Gaming, Marina Bay Sands
3 – 4 p.m.	Responsible Gaming: A Team Effort Over and over, history has shown that any responsible gambling program is only successful if a casino’s employees buy in and embrace its purpose. As such, individuals who work in the gambling industry know how important it is to educate players on responsible gaming, and they want the companies they work for to invest in it. Because implementing a successful responsible gaming program requires a team effort, what are the emerging best practices on how to train employees to ensure their active participation in responsible gaming? How do you keep employees engaged beyond their initial training? Are existing responsible gaming programs working, allowing operators to have a positive impact on their guests and employees? And, how can the industry use scientific, data driven research to inform how it adapts and alters its RG programs? This session will explore these topics in depth to provide valuable insight into the necessity of implementing responsible gaming practices that engage employee support at all levels and are able to best benefit players at risk. Moderated by Jan Jones Blackhurst, Executive Vice President of Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility, Caesars Entertainment, the panelists are: Dr. Bo Bernhard, Ph.D., Executive Director, University of Nevada Las Vegas International Gaming Institute Jon Duffy, Director of Corporate Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, Genting United Kingdom Benjamin Fry, CEO, NeuralSolution
4 – 4:30 p.m.	Networking Break
4:30 – 5 :30 p.m.	Where is RG litigation heading? Recent litigation in Australia where a problem gambler sued an equipment manufacturer and casino operator alleging that a specific slot machine was misleading and deceived players has raised questions about the legal impact that problem gambling can have on the global industry. Featuring responsible gaming legal experts from around the world, this session will explore the current state of affairs with respect to responsible gaming liability and what is being done to minimize its impact on the operations of gaming industry companies. Moderated by John Stawyskyj, a Partner with Ashurst, the panelists are: Francisco Leitão, Partner, MdMe Lawyers