Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts shines bright in blue and yellow this month. Photo Credit: Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts
Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts (“Empire City”) is partnering with the Mid-Hudson Problem Gambling Resource Center and the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) to recognize March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month. The initiative reinforces Empire City’s ongoing commitment to responsible gaming through its participation in the Responsible Play Partnership, a collaboration between the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC), Office of Addiction Support and Services (OASAS), and the New York Council on Problem Gambling (NYCPG).
Problem Gambling Awareness Month is a national campaign dedicated to raising public awareness and understanding about problem gambling and its impact on individuals, families, and communities. Throughout March, Empire City will engage employees and guests with enhanced responsible gaming messaging and on-site educational programming to reduce stigma and promote prevention and recovery resources.
Empire City is lighting its iconic porte cochère in yellow and blue to support the Responsible Play Partnership and hosting an informational tabling event with the Mid-Hudson Problem Gambling Resource Center to provide guests with direct resources to address problem gambling and responsible play tools.
MGM Resorts and BetMGM are committing $1.3 million to responsible gaming research, public awareness, community partnerships, and employee engagement. This includes $450,000 to the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) to fund a new, groundbreaking research initiative examining sports wagering and its impact on player behavior, along with $850,000 to state and national organizations focused on problem gambling prevention, treatment, and responsible gaming measures. This Spring, MGM Resorts will introduce a new campaign, Earn More. Play Smart. integrating MGM Rewards® with responsible play messaging.
“Creating a safe and responsible gambling environment for our guests and employees is core to who we are,” said Louis Theros, President and COO for Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts. “Through our strong community partnerships and corporate investment, we are expanding prevention efforts, strengthening recovery services, and ensuring help is always within reach.”
MGM Resorts and Empire City have a series of additional initiatives aimed at educating the public and fostering conversations about problem gambling including:
Empire City:
- MGM Resorts and Empire City provide all employees with comprehensive and research-based responsible gaming training throughout the year. This training empowers employees to proactively promote responsible play and address problem gambling concerns through GameSense.
- All Empire City employees complete GameSense training annually, and an additional 125 team members (30%) are certified as GameSense Advisors, completing the most advanced levels of GameSense training. GameSense Advisors are staffed at each MGM Rewards desk across the country, ready to provide assistance and support to guests and their families.
- GameSense messaging and responsible gaming tips are displayed prominently throughout Empire City’s gaming floor, including QR codes on a variety of slot machines offering immediate access to responsible gaming information. This includes the NYS HOPEline number, which is visible in over 5,000 locations, including every VLT machine and ATM, and all marketing materials.
- Empire City’s security leadership team, in partnership with the Mid-Hudson Problem Gambling Resource Center, will receive supplemental training on the Voluntary Self-Exclusion (VSE) program, where guests voluntarily sign a contract limiting gambling activities and learn how to more efficiently communicate with guests going through the VSE process.
MGM Resorts:
- A new MGM Rewards guest survey to measure awareness and perception of responsible gaming initiatives.
- A new social media and internal messaging campaign featuring executive thought leadership on responsible gaming.
- For the sixth consecutive year, BetMGM is partnering with EPIC Global Solutions to offer all employees the opportunity to attend a lived-experience session to gain insight into the human impact of problem gambling.
- MGM Resorts and BetMGM are continuing their partnership with the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Have A Game Plan.® Bet Responsibly.™ public service campaign, along with participation in the Cambridge Health Alliance’s 13th annual Gambling Disorder Screening Day, supported through employee communications and training channels.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to responsible gaming comes as Empire City continues to invest in the future of its property in Yonkers, including investing in more than 1,000 brand-new VLTs over the last few years.
For more information about increasing awareness of responsible gaming and additional resources, please visit www.ncpgambling.org/faq and www.empirecitycasino.com.
