WASHINGTON—During the course of 2011, American Gaming Association (AGA)-led initiatives raised more than $289,000 for the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG). The most significant portion of the donation came from proceeds of the 23^rd annual Gaming Hall of Fame Charity Dinner and Induction Ceremony in November, which raised more than $126,000 to support the NCRG’s research and education efforts.

The Gaming Hall of Fame Charity Dinner and Induction Ceremony, which was attended by 350 guests, was sponsored by 21 companies and organizations, including a donation of more than $51,000 from Host Sponsor Las Vegas Sands Corp. Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada also was a major underwriter of the event. 

“This year’s Hall of Fame dinner was the perfect opportunity for the gaming industry to honor our most important innovators and luminaries, while also raising money for a cause that is close to us all –research and education about gambling disorders and responsible gaming,” said Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the AGA.

Other companies supporting the Hall of Fame Dinner include Platinum Sponsors Bally Technologies, Inc.; Boyd Gaming Corporation; Caesars Entertainment Corporation; International Game Technology; and PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP. Aristocrat Technologies, Inc.; MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts, Limited make up the list of Gold Sponsors, while Silver Sponsorships were purchased by Ameristar Casinos, Inc.; Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP; Casino del Sol; Cirque du Soleil; Fierce, Isakowitz and Blalock; Holland & Hart, LLP; Navegante Group; Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.; Reed Exhibitions; Shuffle Master, Inc.; and the UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration.

The industry’s fundraising efforts on behalf of the NCRG didn’t stop there, as the annual AGEM/AGA Golf Classic presented by JCM Global and a donation program associated with Global Gaming Expo (G2E) provided vital additional dollars.

The 13^th annual AGEM/AGA Golf Classic presented by JCM Global added $100,000 to the year’s NCRG fundraising total.  Throughout the history of the event, the golf tournament has raised more than $950,000 for the NCRG. This year, organizers are coordinating the “Drive for $1 Million” campaign, which set a goal to bring the total raised for the NCRG through the Golf Classic to $1 million. The “Drive for $1 Million” will culminate at the 14^th Annual Golf Classic, slated for May 2012 at Cascata Golf Course in Boulder City, Nevada.

Additionally, a $63,000 donation to the NCRG was generated from G2E, which is owned and operated by the AGA and its partner Reed Exhibitions.  Funds were raised from a portion of G2E registration fees and contributions from individual exhibitors.

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 National Center for Responsible Gaming (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. Founded in 1996 as a 501(c)3 charitable organization, the NCRG is the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) affiliated charity. For more information, visit www.ncrg.org [2]. NCRG funds provide grants to researchers to increase understanding of pathological gambling and find effective methods of treatment for the disorder.

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