This September, the American Gaming Association (AGA), our members and the broader gaming community will celebrate 25 years of highlighting and advancing the industry’s responsible gaming efforts during Responsible Gaming Education Month (RGEM).
This year’s anniversary is not only a noteworthy milestone, but a reminder of the important progress we’ve made in building a safer gaming environment across the country. In the last quarter-century, responsible gaming has become a true pillar of the legal U.S. gaming industry. Our commitment to responsibility is instilled in the culture of our companies, trusted by regulators and policymakers, and recognized by consumers.
Today, 82 percent of past-year gamblers, including 92 percent of past-year sports bettors, recall seeing or hearing about responsible gaming in the past 12 months, according to AGA research. And 73 percent of past-year gamblers (82 percent of past-year sports bettors) view responsible gaming tools offered by the industry as effective.
RGEM also provides an opportunity to reflect on how we can strengthen responsibility in gaming in the coming months, years and decades if we continue to double down on our commitments. Here’s how you can get involved through September across four dedicated themes.
Empowering Customers to Play Responsibly (September 1-10)
As gaming expands into new markets and verticals, it’s more important than ever to keep customers at the heart of responsible gaming. Focus this week’s efforts on highlighting the tools and resources that keep gaming fun for everyone, including the data-driven insights that empower customers to make informed decisions about their game play.
Legal, Regulated Gaming Protects Players (September 11-17)
The legal gaming industry is among the most highly regulated industries in America to ensure consumer protections and confidence in the market. This week, educate your audience on the differences between legal and illegal gambling operations and share the pitfalls of playing illegally.
Building a Responsible Gaming Culture Within (September 18-24)
Our employees are on the front lines, actively helping customers play responsibly. Every year, the industry invests time and money to equip our employees with the skills and resources essential to supporting our customers. This week provides an opportunity to refresh employee training and internal communications, as well as highlight the data and technology available to employees in these efforts.
Advancing Responsible Gaming with Research (September 25-30)
The gaming industry is making significant contributions toward responsible gaming research to develop effective policies and programs. Use this week to highlight your support for this research and highlight publicly available data on responsible gaming.
More than ever, today’s gaming industry is investing in player education, implementing technology, and funding research and resources to enhance responsible gaming. These efforts are strengthening both customer safety and our businesses, and we look forward to seeing how the entire industry rallies around responsible gaming this September.
For full RGEM resources and more ways to celebrate this September, visit the AGA’s RGEM webpage at americangaming.org/event/responsible- gaming-education-month-2023.
