AGA Events Raise More Than $230,000 For NCRG

WASHINGTON—More than $230,000 was donated to the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) in recent months as a result of two American Gaming Association (AGA)-led fundraising programs. Providing the greatest portion of the donation was the 19th annual Gaming Hall of Fame Charity Dinner and Induction Ceremony, which this year raised more than $155,000 in support of the NCRG’s research and education initiatives.

This year’s Gaming Hall of Fame Charity Dinner and Induction Ceremony, held September 20 at Caesars Palace Las Vegas Casino and Hotel, attracted more than 400 guests to celebrate the 2007 honorees as they were inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame. More than 50 companies and individuals from various sectors of the gaming entertainment industry provided significant contributions.

The four men honored for their achievements and the work they have done to make the gaming industry what it is today were John Wilhelm, hospitality industry president for UNITE HERE!; Clifford Perlman, former CEO of Caesars World; legendary magician and entertainer David Copperfield; and celebrity chef Michael Mina, owner of Mina Group and the creative force behind highly successful casino restaurants in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Detroit.

“The Hall of Fame Dinner continues to be one of the industry’s biggest nights because it not only gives us an opportunity to honor the outstanding contributions of our inductees, but also to demonstrate the level of importance the industry places on funding research into problem gambling,” said Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the AGA. “We are proud to aid the NCRG in its mission of increasing understanding of pathological and youth gambling through research and public education.”

An additional $75,000 was raised for the NCRG at the ninth annual JCM/AGA Golf Classic held this past April at the Arroyo Golf Club at Red Rock Country Club in Las Vegas.  Co-sponsored by JCM American and the American Gaming Association, this year’s tournament had 136 players, including representatives from industry operators, manufacturers and suppliers.  In the past nine years, the event, which has become a Las Vegas tradition, has raised nearly $600,000 for the NCRG.

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The American Gaming Association (AGA) is the national trade association for the commercial casino industry. In addition to representing the interests of its members on federal legislative and regulatory issues, the AGA serves as a clearinghouse for information, develops educational and advocacy programs, and provides leadership on industry-related issues of public concern.

The NCRG is the only national organization exclusively devoted to funding research that helps increase understanding of pathological and youth gambling and find effective methods of treatment for the disorder. The organization encourages the application of new research findings to improve prevention, diagnostic, intervention and treatment strategies, and works to advance public awareness and education about responsible gaming. For more information, visit www.ncrg.org.