Industry Will Band Together for Responsible Gaming Education Week
Look for a current fashion trend on the wrists of casino employees and customers this August as part of a campaign by the American Gaming Association (AGA) to further promote responsible gaming among employees and patrons during the eighth annual Responsible Gaming Education Week (RGEW), scheduled for Aug. 1-5, 2005.
The theme of this year's campaign is "We're Banding Together to Keep it Fun." The "Banding Together" theme links all stakeholders - operators, manufacturers, gaming customers, regulators, legislators, treatment professionals and others - in a common effort to promote responsible gaming.
The centerpiece of the 2005 campaign will be a responsible gaming awareness wristband displaying the message "Keep it Fun," and the AGA is encouraging companies to distribute the band to employees and customers before, during and after Responsible Gaming Education Week. The orange silicone wristbands will be individually packaged and accompanied by a card explaining the "Keep It Fun" message, the importance of promoting responsible gaming and how to get more information.
The wristbands, available for order from the AGA, will be available in English and Spanish versions, and will sell for $1 apiece, with a minimum of 10 wristbands per order. All proceeds from the sale of the bands will be donated to the National Center for Responsible Gaming.
"The goal of the program is to have as many people as possible wearing the bands so they become a fixture in member properties and communities throughout the week and beyond," said Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the AGA. "The visibility of the bracelets will help remind our patrons that setting a budget and following other guidelines for responsible gaming can help make gambling a fun part of the entertainment experience."
In addition to distributing the bands to employees and customers, gaming operators also will have the option to sell the wristbands at retail establishments. The AGA will provide counter displays for dispensing and promoting the wristbands, as well as a product guide educating retail employees about the campaign. According to the AGA, one member already plans to sell the bands at several of its on-property stores throughout Las Vegas.
In addition to the "Keep it Fun" wristbands, the AGA also will produce a special series of other materials to promote Responsible Gaming Education Week, including buttons, stickers, posters and other collateral. Training materials also will be available to AGA members online.
RGEW is part of the AGA's Responsible Gaming National Education Campaign, created in 1998 to educate casino employees and the public about problem and underage gaming and to promote the importance of responsible gaming practices.
Contact Courtney Reiter at 202-637-6508 for more information.
