Caesars is donating $200,000 to the International Center for Responsible Gaming to support problem gambling research and education, the nonprofit announced Tuesday.
The majority of the funding, $180,000, will go toward competitive research grants and initiatives that study the biological and psychological factors driving gambling behavior, mental health correlations, and the effects of public policy, according to a press release. The rest of the $20,000 from Caesars will pay for the ICRG’s 26th Annual Conference on Gambling and Addiction.
“This generous commitment from Caesars Foundation underscores their ongoing leadership in corporate responsibility and dedication to advancing the science of responsible gambling,” ICRG President Arthur Paikowsky said in a statement.
Decades-long commitment
Caesars has supported the ICRG since 1997 and began contributing through its charitable foundation in 2022. It was the first commercial casino operator to establish a formal responsible gaming program, which celebrated its 35th anniversary last fall.
The outcomes of the funding will be evaluated based on academic publication, policymaker engagement, and adoption of responsible gaming strategies by industry stakeholders, according to the ICRG.
“We are proud to support the ICRG in their ongoing research and education on problem gambling,” said Kiersten Flint, Caesars’ senior vice president of corporate social responsibility. “At Caesars, we prioritize making our Responsible Gaming policies and programs accessible to all of our customers.”
RG momentum across industry
The ICRG grant comes amid a broader wave of responsible gambling initiatives this week from major operators.
FanDuel recently debuted a real-time deposit alert tool that notifies users when their deposit behavior deviates from personal trends.
And, on Tuesday, DraftKings Chief Responsible Gaming Officer Lori Kalani spoke about the company’s evolving RG approach during a fireside chat at the SBC Summit North America, pointing to the role of artificial intelligence and data in early intervention efforts.
Busy month for Caesars so far
The donation adds to an already busy May for Caesars’ online gaming division, which recently introduced new iCasino and sports betting features as well.
Caesars launched its first proprietary online casino title, developed in-house by the company’s new studio, Empire Creative. A few days later, it added a live dealer NBA Blackjack game to its iGaming apps, a tie-in to the ongoing NBA Playoffs.
And ahead of Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, Caesars also expanded pari-mutuel horse race wagering inside its sportsbook app to include New York, Maryland, and Ohio, following similar integrations in Kentucky and Colorado earlier this month.
