Responsible Gaming Education Week Highlights AGA Code of Conduct

American Gaming Association (AGA) member companies nationwide participated in Responsible Gaming Education Week Aug. 2-6, placing emphasis on promoting the AGA Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming among their employees and customers.

The weeklong campaign served as an unofficial countdown to final implementation of the code, which takes effect Sept. 15. The Responsible Gaming Code of Conduct, which was adopted Sept. 15, 2003, by the AGA board of directors, is a pledge to customers and employees to make responsible gaming an integral part of operations industrywide. The code focuses on diverse aspects of the gaming industry, from employee assistance and training to alcohol service, research, and advertising and marketing.

Bright blue posters and table tents inscribed with this year's education week slogan - "The 'Code' word is RESPONSIBLE GAMING" - were displayed throughout gaming areas and where employees congregate at more than 60 gaming properties in 13 states, while employees at those casinos wore matching buttons, stickers and ribbons. Companies also stuffed employees' paycheck envelopes with buck slips promoting the importance of the code and made available brochure-size versions of the Code of Conduct to both employees and customers throughout the week and beyond.

In addition to this collateral, the AGA provided on its Web site a variety of support materials, including quizzes to test employees on their knowledge of the Code of Conduct and responsible gaming as well as a sample newsletter article and a model script for employee training sessions. The AGA also distributed materials focused on educating employees and customers about odds and probability.

The Code of Conduct can be found on the AGA Web site. For more information, contact the AGA at 202-637-6500.