Entain Foundation to back UNLV’s responsible gaming research initiative

The Entain Foundation U.S. is to provide a founding grant to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) for a pioneering betting and gaming research initiative which, for the first time in the U.S., would combine scientific research with operational expertise to apply best practice in responsible gambling, policy, and health.

The Entain Foundation U.S. is a not-for-profit organization funded by Entain, the global sports betting, gaming, and interactive entertainment operator, which jointly owns BetMGM in the US with MGM Resorts International. The announcement made on Wednesday coincides with the American Gaming Association’s Responsible Gaming Education Week in the U.S.

Bo Bernhard, UNLV Vice President of Economic Development and Executive Director of UNLV’s International Gaming Institute, said: “For the first time in this field, this initiative brings vital academic research in the U.S. to the public domain in dozens of applied settings. We are actively moving beyond the traditional ‘research center,’ since this project will translate scientific research into actionable, operational programs that can be implemented in real venues by operators, regulators, legislators, clinicians, and other stakeholders.”

Martin Lycka, Entain Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling and trustee of the Entain Foundation US, commented: “We continue to support research around the world, but this initiative goes well beyond that and brings into focus what has been missing from this space, practical implementation of the research that will benefit the customer base and the industry itself.”