AGA Kicks Off Responsible Gaming Education Month

The American Gaming Association (“AGA”) commenced Responsible Gaming Education Month (“RGEM”) 2023 today with new consumer survey data showing the strength of responsible gaming awareness.

As the legal gaming industry expands, responsible gaming awareness remains high. Consumers continue to report high levels of responsible gaming engagement, with 84% of past-year gamblers aware of at least one responsible gaming resource, including 91% of sports bettors.

The AGA reported the high confidence in the effectiveness of responsible gaming tools, policies and initiatives. Three-quarters or more of players consider the following measures effective ways to encourage responsible play:

Deposit Limits (85%)
Time Limits (78%)
Wager Limits (77%)
Employee Training (77%)
Industry Code of Conduct (75%)

“Our industry’s success is based on earning customer trust, providing safeguards for responsible gaming, and implementing tools that our customers engage to bet responsibly. Today’s data shows our united effort to elevate responsible gaming is clearly resonating with players and shaping a safer gaming landscape,” said AGA Vice President, Responsibility Cait DeBaun.

Importantly, as legal sports betting grows in new and existing markets, the survey underscores the value of advertising in driving responsible gaming awareness. More than half (53%) of sports bettors report seeing an increase in responsible gaming messaging over the past year.

This month marks the industry’s 25th annual celebration of responsible gaming in September. RGEM 2023 will feature four weekly themes that the industry will focus on:

Empowering Customers to Play Responsibly, Sept. 1-10
Legal, Regulated Gaming Protects Players, Sept. 11-17
Building a Responsible Gaming Culture Within, Sept. 18-24
Advancing Responsible Gaming with Research, Sept. 25-30

“This month provides a focused opportunity for the gaming community to come together to highlight and advance our efforts. We look forward to joining with our members, regulators, leagues, media, and all stakeholders to uphold our collective responsibility for responsibility,” continued DeBaun.

Find AGA’s RGEM details, resources, and events to participate in, here.

American Gambling Awards 2023 Finalists Announced

Gambling.com Group Limited (“Group”) announced finalists across 11 categories for the 2023 edition of the American Gambling Awards. The nominations for each award category will now be evaluated by one of the most distinguished panels of expert judges the industry has seen, all of whom have United States-specific online gambling industry experience. They include many founders and CEOs from some of the best-known gaming operators and technology companies in the industry.

Charles Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Founder of the Group, said, “It is always exciting to see new entrants throw their hat in the ring as the American market continues to evolve and grow. We are pleased to announce a strong list of finalists that represent the full spectrum – from start-ups to large public companies – of industry leaders who are paving the way in the United States. Back by popular demand after an extraordinarily successful event last year, I look forward to hosting the winners for another sensational night out at Carbone in New York later this year.”

The 2023 American Gambling Awards will recognize winners with individual, personalized announcements starting in late September in lieu of a traditional awards event. The Group will then host the American Gambling Awards winners, judges, and other invited partners at an exclusive VIP dinner at Carbone this November.

The Michigan market is well-represented among the finalists. All but one of the nominees in two categories, Online Sportsbook of the Year and Online Casino of the Year, operate in Michigan. In addition, Henry Williams of Michigan Gaming Control Board has been nominated for Regulator of the Year, one of only four finalists.

“Being selected as a finalist in the Regulator of the Year category of the 2023 American Gambling Awards is a testament to the Michigan Gaming Control Board’s commitment to fostering a safe and responsible gaming environment,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said. “It’s also a direct reflection of the hard work and collective efforts of our team and enforcement of regulations that safeguard Michigan’s citizens, help prevent illegal activities, and promote the integrity of our gaming industry.”

The finalists for the 11 award categories for 2023 are:

Online Sportsbook of the Year

BetMGM Sportsbook
Caesars Sportsbook
DraftKings Sportsbook
FanDuel Sportsbook
Tipico Sportsbook

Online Casino of the Year

BetMGM Casino
DraftKings Casino
FanDuel Casino
PlayStar

Gaming Product of the Year

LuckyTap from Design Works Gaming
Live Craps from Evolution
Ultimate Fire Link series from Light & Wonder
Adventures Beyond Wonderland Live from Playtech
9 Coins from Wazdan
Jackpot Royale from White Hat Studios

Betting Product of the Year

Chalkline Sports
OddsJam
Outlier
BetBuilder from OpenBet
Simplebet

Platform Provider of the Year

Kambi
Light & Wonder
OpenBet
Strive Gaming
White Hat Studios

Data Service Provider of the Year

Genius Sports
MetaBet
Sportradar

Payment Service Provider of the Year

PayNearMe
Paysafe
Sightline Payments
Trustly

Responsible Gaming Award

Caesars Entertainment
Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling
Entain Foundation U.S.
Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health
Problem Gambling Network of Ohio
U.S. Integrity

Dealmaker of the Year

Boyd Gaming Acquisition of Pala Interactive
Fanatics Acquisition of PointsBet U.S.
MGM Resorts International Acquisition of LeoVegas

Policymaker of the Year

Sen. Damon Thayer & Rep. Michael Lee Meredith (KY)
Sen. Dan Houx (MO)
Sen. Eric Lesser (MA)
Sen. Jim Perry (NC) & Rep. Jason Saine (NC)

Regulator of the Year

Anna Marin Russell, Ohio Casino Control Commission
Henry Williams, Michigan Gaming Control Board
Jamie Eads, Kentucky Horse Racing Commission
Steve Durrell, Kansas Lottery

Bay Mills Casino and Resort in Chippewa County Hosts Groundbreaking for Massive Expansion Project

A massive expansion project at Bay Mills Casino and Resort in Chippewa County held a groundbreaking ceremony early this week. This expansion received overwhelming support of approval from the Tribal Council last September.

The expansion will include 134 rooms with balconies, a deli, spa with massage therapy rooms, a swimming pool with a splash pad and other amenities to the Bay Mills Casino and Resort. The tribal president said the cost of the project will be around $100 million and should be completed in the fall of 2025.

“We will be lifting up our employees, and our community, our tribal citizens, and really the rest of the Eastern Upper Peninsula with this project. As we continue to prosper with this project, so will everyone else,” Whitney Gravelle, the president of the Bay Mills Tribe, said.