The International Webinar Series on Gambling, organised by the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming at the University of Gibraltar and the Center of Excellence in Gambling Research at Yale University School of Medicine, provides insight into various gambling-related topics and the opportunity to explore these topics in an international setting. Invited speakers from all over the world will present and discuss gambling-related issues, questions, and best practices, including gambling policies, safer gambling interventions, current research in gambling and many other gambling-related topics. The webinar series has been organised with the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) and the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Addictions (ISSBA). The events of this series are open to the scientific community, representatives of the gambling industry, NGOs, treatment services and other professionals, and anyone interested in the field.

At this event, invited speakers will present interventions aiming to decrease harms associated with problem gambling, discuss their effectiveness and answer questions raised by audience members.

17:30 Introductions by the moderators

17:40 Harm Minimization Training, Knowledge, and Behaviour of Canadian Casino Employees – Dr Darren R. Christensen (Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge; Alberta Gambling Research Institute, Canada)

Darren R. Christensen received his PhD in psychology from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. He is an associate professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences and a board of governors research chair (tier II) at the University of Lethbridge, Canada. He is also a senior research fellow with the Alberta Gambling Research Institute (Canada) and has honorary research status at the University of Melbourne (Australia) and at Lincoln University (United Kingdom).

18:00 Encouraging safer gambling play and minimizing harm practices with players, employees, and community: GameSense Massachusetts – Marlene D. Warner (Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, USA)

Marlene D. Warner has been with the Council since 2001 and Executive Director since 2011. She led the development and implementation of Responsible Gambling (RG) programs for Wynn, Penn National and MGM Casinos and worked with the Mass Gaming Council to launch Voluntary Self-Exclusion programs in the Commonwealth. She has initiated and delivered RG training for sales agents and retailers at US lotteries throughout North American State and Provincial Lotteries Association (NASPL). Marlene is a passionate expert & advocate for problem gambling (PG). She was the previous board president and current board member of the National Council on Problem Gambling. She is a chair of the regional NE PG organization and has delivered PG consulting services nationwide. Marlene often advises state lawmakers considering expansions of gaming legislation.

18:20 Markers of Harm for Internet Gambling: Lessons from Actual Online Gambling Data – Dr Debi LaPlante (Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance; Harvard Medical School)

Dr. Debi LaPlante is director of the Division on Addiction at the Cambridge Health Alliance, and an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. With her colleagues, she developed the Syndrome Model of Addiction. Dr. LaPlante’s current research involves assessments of public health treatment and intervention systems, studies of actual gambling and daily fantasy sports behavior, and tribal participatory research to develop a culturally grounded, mental health first-response training program, xaʔtu̓s (Salish for First Face) for Mental Health.

18:40 Question & Answer session

The event will be moderated by:

Dr Marc Potenza (Center of Excellence in Gambling Research at Yale University School of Medicine, US) and

Dr Zsolt Demetrovics (Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming at the University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar).