The AGA recently launched a responsible gaming campaign to drive awareness of the importance of responsible play. The campaign, Play Smart from the Start, encourages patrons to make informed choices and enjoy legalized gaming as a form of entertainment.

The AGA will promote tools and strategies through its digital platforms and work with operators and regulators to promote player education and tools to help patrons manage their play, such as budget setting. The MGC has long promoted player tools such as Play My Way, a budget-setting tool on every slot machine in the Commonwealth, where patrons can voluntarily set a budget for their play. As a leader in responsible gaming and player health, the MGC applauds the AGA’s efforts.

MGC Chair Jordan Maynard kicked off the event with opening remarks, challenging attendees to drive positive change in the gaming industry.

“The people in this room can help solve this problem,” Chair Maynard said. “We can work to mitigate the offshore market and invest in making sure that every patron is safe, sustainable, and healthy.”

The event also featured remarks from the AGA’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications, Joe Maloney.

A panel discussion served as the centerpiece of the event, featuring DraftKings’ Chief Responsible Gaming Officer Lori Kalani, MGM Springfield’s President Louis Theros, CEO of the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health Marlene Warner, and the MGC’s Director of Research and Responsible Gaming Mark Vander Linden. The panel explored various aspects of player health initiatives, explaining that meaningful progress requires industry-wide cooperation.

“Responsible gaming is about a joint effort between the operators, venues and vendors, with governments and communities,” Warner said.