Tuesday, May 30

9 – 9:05 a.m.

Welcome and Introductory Comments
Michael Cohen, IAGA President & Senior Vice President - Corporate Development, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Caesars Acquisition Company

9:05  – 9:30 a.m.

Responsible Gambling: Modern Society Lays Down the Gauntlet
Tim Miller, Executive Director - Corporate Affairs & Research,
British Gambling Commission

With so many different types of gambling activities available around the world, gambling’s impact on society and individual players is constantly subject to intense scrutiny. Nowhere is this more true than in Great Britain, where the country’s extensive gambling options are under constant evaluation to ensure proper protections are in place to safeguard the nation’s citizens. 

As Executive Director for the British Gambling Commission, Tim Miller is at the forefront of the Commission’s efforts to both ensure that proper measures are in place to protect individual players while encouraging the gambling industry to be more responsive to the needs of its consumers. During his keynote, he will touch on critical questions related to these efforts, including whether gambling’s place in society is at risk due to the high scrutiny it faces, and whether there is a difference between creating responsible gamblers or providing responsible gambling. He will also discuss why it is important for companies to implement effective responsible gambling initiatives and measure their effectiveness.

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

The Responsible Gaming Consequences of New Technology and Ways to Play 
A hot topic being discussed within the global gaming industry is the issue of attracting millennials / Generation Y players. Manufacturers like IGT and Aristocrat are developing new products using virtual reality, 4-dimensional games and other high-tech offerings to attract this “next generation” of players. The growth of skill-based and social games and other unique types of gaming including fantasy sports that appeal to new players raises new challenges with respect to educating consumers on “responsible” ways to play. And, with the rapid growth in convenience payment methods like debit / credit cards and eWallets available on mobile phones, is there a way to utilize this technology and provide a safety net for vulnerable players? What, if any, are the responsible gambling consequences of this shift to new technologies? Can the gaming industry and counselors / therapists do what they do now or does a paradigm shift in the product also require a shift in how we approach responsible gambling? How do algorithm-based online behavioral tracking and responsible gaming programs and innovations like Massachusetts’ PlayMyWay factor into the discussion?

Moderated by Connie Jones, Director, Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), the confirmed panelists are: 

• Stephen Crosby, Chairman, Massachusetts Gaming Commission 
• Nadine Grinblat, Chief Executive, Australasian Gaming Council
• Omer Sattar, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Sightline Payments
• David Trunkfield, Partner and Global Gaming Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

10:30 a.m. –
11 a.m.

The Latest in Responsible Gambling Research and
the Debate Surrounding Research Funding: Part 1, Research Roundtable
Problem and responsible gambling is a constant focus of ongoing research worldwide, and the international gaming industry is fortunate to have a wide range of universities and private and public institutions laser-focused on better understanding its impact on both the individual and the industry. This panel will explore some of the current research initiatives underway, provide insight into further areas for study and share their thoughts on what more needs to be done.

Moderated by Dr. Brett Abarbanel, Director of Research, International Gaming Institute, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the confirmed panelists include:

• Russell Sanna, PhD, Executive Director, National Center for Responsible Gaming
• Kahlil Philander, Director of Social Responsibility, BCLC

11 – 11:30 a.m. 

The Latest in Responsible Gambling Research
and the Debate Surrounding Research Funding: Part 2, Funding Challenges
Critical to any research initiative is proper, adequate funding, and with numerous stigmas surrounding gambling activities, obtaining sufficient, ongoing funding is a continual challenge faced globally. In the US and Canada, research funds are often set aside via tax levies but are constantly susceptible to reductions when budget shortfalls occur in other areas considered more critical; in Australia, any problem gambling research funded by the industry is automatically and unfairly considered tainted by the source of funds; in the UK, research is often funded by charities that often face fewer conflicts than governments but often suffer similar criticisms of bias. With a growing need for insightful problem gambling research, what can the industry do to ensure ongoing research is properly funded? What are the advantages and disadvantages of public versus private funding? How can the industry pre-empt accusations of research bias? The panel will discuss these issues and more. 

Moderated by John Hagan, Partner, Harris Hagan, and Deputy Chairman, GamCare, the confirmed panelists include: 

• Russell Sanna, PhD, Executive Director, National Center for Responsible Gaming
• Iain Corby, Director of Operations and Development, GambleAware (UK)
• Keith Whyte, Executive Director, NCPG
• Jennifer Roberts, UNLV International Center for Gaming Regulation

11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Networking Break / Lunch

12 - 1 p.m.

Responsible Gaming Initiatives and Issues Around the World
With recent market studies estimating that the global casino market will expand at a compounded annual growth rate of 10% over the next five years, the importance of responsive, effective responsible gaming services is paramount for gaming jurisdictions. Featuring responsible gambling experts from markets around the world, our working lunch roundtable participants will discuss the state of responsible gaming in their respective regions and share their thoughts on global responsible gaming issues, challenges and opportunities for cooperation. 

Moderated by Peter Cohen, Director of Regulatory Affairs, The Agenda Group, the confirmed panelists include: 

• Nadine Grinblat, Chief Executive, Australasian Gaming Council
• Tim Miller, Executive Director, UK Gambling Commission
• Stephen Martino, Chief Compliance Officer, MGM Resorts International
• Hillevi Stuhrenberg, Manager for CSR & Responsible Gaming for the Betsson Group (Malta)
• Kahlil Philander, Director of Social Responsibility, BCLC

1 - 2 p.m.

Incentivizing the Gaming Industry to Engage
with the Problem Gambling Community
Often the non-profit PG organizations seem to forget that they are appealing to ‘for profit’ organizations for support.  Is it wrong for these companies to ask, “What’s in it for me?” Gaming companies and the industry in general are the media ‘bad boys’ and far too often their efforts to support problem gambling organizations go unrecognized. Some jurisdictions avoid including the gambling industry in strategies to minimize problem gambling due to the perception of “the fox watching the hen house,” but who has a greater interest in preserving their markets for the future if not the gaming industry? 

Moderated by Keith Whyte, Executive Director, NCPG, the confirmed participants include: 

• Iain Corby, Director of Operations and Development, GambleAware (UK)
• Alan Feldman, Executive Vice President of Global Industry Affairs, MGM Resorts International
• Robert Fontaine, Chief Counsel, Maryland Lottery & Gaming Control Agency

2 - 2:30 p.m.

Networking Break

2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Moving Beyond Compliance-Based Responsible Gaming
Programs / Designing Responsible Gaming Programs
What are new approaches and opportunities for the global gaming industry and its advocates to move forward and lead the discussion on responsible gaming rather than waiting for regulators or legislators to come up with something? Should companies have a dedicated responsible gambling team or is it better to have responsible gambling embedded in the organization as a whole? During this session, participants will break into individual groups and make their case for or against the approach. 

Moderator / Interactive Session Leader: Elizabeth Cronan,Senior Director of Gaming Policy, American Gaming Association

Panelists: 

• Maria Christina Annaloro, Las Vegas Sands
• Alan Feldman, Executive Vice President of Global Industry Affairs, MGM Resorts International
• Connie Jones, Director, Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM)
  
• Laura McAllister Cox, Vice President of Compliance, Rush Street Gaming

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

The Importance of Proactive Responsible Gaming
Employee Training and Awareness
Some jurisdictions have a mandatory requirement that employees of operators receive training in responsible gambling. Who makes the decision as to what that training should entail? Is the gaming regulator best qualified to be approving the content and delivery methods of such training or should that responsibility be with professionals in the field of education? Can a one-size-fits all approach to responsible gaming training be used for all types of gambling or are the requirements of casinos different from sports betting? Similarly, can online gaming and bricks and mortar gaming use the same training materials? And, what is the training responsibility of gaming technology providers, given that they manufacture so many of the products that are pointed to as being the root of problem gambling?

Moderated by Jan Jones Blackhurst,Executive Vice President, Government Relations & Corporate Responsibility, Caesars Entertainment, the confirmed panelists include:

• Bob Boyle, Senior Manager, Ernst & Young
• James J. Maney, Executive Director, New York Council on Problem Gambling
• Kevin F. O'Toole, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
• Jennifer Shatley, Logan Avenue Consulting