Gambling Industry Leaders Form Massachusetts Partnership for Responsible Gambling 09/15/2009 BOSTON (September 15, 2009) – The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling announced today the formation of the first ever Massachusetts Partnership for Responsible Gambling. This landmark alliance of gambling industry leaders and problem gambling experts is committed to increasing public awareness of problem gambling, encouraging programs for education and prevention, and promoting responsible gambling policies and practices in the Commonwealth. The Partnership is comprised of a variety of state and industry leaders, including officials from Mohegan Sun, Suffolk Downs, Wonderland Greyhound Park, the Massachusetts State Lottery, the State Racing Commission and the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling. The Partnership’s goals are to identify best practices in national and international responsible gambling programs, and to serve as a forum to share information on responsible gambling practices. “If we are to minimize the harm of any expanded gambling, we must invest in a comprehensive gambling policy at the outset, and the Massachusetts Partnership for Responsible Gambling is a critical step in that direction,” said Kathleen M. Scanlan, executive director of the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling. “Massachusetts has the opportunity to take the lead in establishing responsible gambling policy, and we are pleased that this Partnership has the support of our state’s gambling industry leaders. The Partnership for Responsible Gambling and the Mass. Council on Compulsive Gambling will host their first joint event – a Responsible Gambling educational forum for state policy makers and gambling industry leaders – on Monday, September 21st at Suffolk Downs. The daylong meeting will feature presentations and discussions on problem gambling prevention, treatment, and research by leaders throughout the United States and Canada who have created and implemented effective responsible gambling initiatives. “Mohegan Sun is proud to support the Massachusetts Partnership for Responsible Gambling and our first forum later this month,” said Jeff Hartmann, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Mohegan Sun. “We believe strongly in investing in our local communities, and this Partnership provides vital educational and informational services to help Massachusetts achieve the most effective and successful gaming policies.” "It is gratifying for everyone here at Suffolk Downs to be part of the important work that the Mass. Partnership for Responsible Gambling is doing to ensure that the state and its citizens can move forward with the best information, practices and policies from other jurisdictions as we contemplate expanded gaming here," said Chip Tuttle, chief operating officer for Suffolk Downs. The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling has said that any legislation authorizing casinos or slot machines in Massachusetts must also include appropriate funds to aid those who may be harmed as a result of expanded gambling opportunities. An estimated 1 to 3 percent of the population has trouble with gambling at some point in their lives, according to a Harvard Medical School research study. In a recent national survey of funding for problem gambling services in the United States, Massachusetts ranked 18th in per capita expenditures to address problem gambling. The Responsible Gambling Forum takes place at Suffolk Downs, on Monday, September 21, 2009, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The event features three sessions – “Standards and Polices of Responsible Gambling Programs,” “Responsible Gambling Programs in Practice,” and “Impact of Responsible Gambling Programs.” The event is open to the media. About the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling: The Mass. Council is a private, non-profit health agency dedicated to reducing the social, financial and emotional costs of problem gambling. Founded in 1983 by Thomas N. Cummings, the Council has been instrumental in bringing the issue of problem gambling to the attention of the public and policymakers, offering resources to problem gamblers, their loved ones and concerned members of the community. The Mass. Council offers a toll-free Helpline (1-800-426-1234) which provides live confidential caller responses 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. For more information, visit www.masscompulsivegambling.org. # # # |