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).