AGA Reveals Milestone Problem Gambling Prevention Tool

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has introduced the Responsible Gaming Intervention Effectiveness Scale (RG-IES), a new tool designed to help measure the effectiveness of responsible gambling messaging. The scale was developed in collaboration with Bally’s, BetMGM, FanDuel, and academic researchers Drs. Jonathan Ross Gilbert and Marla Stafford. It will help determine the effectiveness of responsible gaming (RG) messages.

Stakeholders Can Create Enhanced RG Campaigns

Launched in September to align with Responsible Gambling Education Month, the free-to-use RG-IES tool offers a way to help industry stakeholders such as casinos and sportsbooks create more memorable and effective RG messages. Moving away from the more traditional and clinical RG approach, the scale encourages campaigns to be much more positive, fun, and interactive.

We hope (RG-IES) will serve as a first step into further research on how to best tailor these communications to players.

AGA statement

The scale differentiates between responsible gaming and problem gambling, clarifying that responsible gaming is about having fun with gambling while minimizing possible harms, such as financial or psychic distress. Meanwhile, problem gambling is often driven by a desire for profits, with potentially vulnerable users taking higher risks and extending their play sessions to recoup losses.

RG-IES users are asked to assess specific advertisements or messages by rating them against 15 pre-set statements that range from whether the content promotes responsible behavior, highlights tools for responsible play, and promotes setting betting limits. Users rate these factors on a 1-7 scale, with scores below the average of 4.0, suggesting the message might need reconsideration.

AGA Remains Committed to a Balanced Sector

RG-IES will assist operators, academics, and policymakers in crafting responsible gaming messages in such a way that they are effective and engaging. The AGA admitted that this new tool was not a one-in-all solution but hoped it would become a vital part of the arsenal of stakeholders willing to improve their RG-focused efforts.

This new scale is an important starting point in evaluating whether or not a message has the potential to resonate with the public, and are grateful to the researchers who led this effort.

AGA statement

A recent AGA study on US citizens’ attitudes toward the casino and betting sectors revealed that an increasing number viewed casino gaming and sports betting as responsible forms of entertainment. The organization reaffirmed its commitment to a safe and sustainable industry and pledged to use Responsible Gaming Education Month to spread awareness about responsible gaming programs.

The AGA emphasized that responsible play is a core value of the US gaming industry. Despite this stance, the organization has been critical of overly regulating the gambling sector, instead promoting a more balanced approach that provides adequate consumer protection while giving operators room to grow, bolstering the broader economy.