Gambling has expanded rapidly across the United States over the last few years, especially with the legalization of sports betting in many states.

The American Gaming Association believes that the growth of gaming brings with it a growing need for responsible gaming initiatives. That’s why the organization is pushing ahead with its first Responsible Gaming Education Month in an expanded week this September.

Cait DeBaun, AGA’s vice president of strategic communications and responsibility, said operators know responsible gaming is vital to the industry’s future.

“Responsible gaming as a matter of principle is a way to protect players and businesses, make betting fun and build a sustainable marketplace that maintains a form of adult entertainment,” she said.

For Responsible Gaming Education Month, AGA has put together an industry toolkit that operators, suppliers, sports leagues and others can use to talk about best practices on a variety of topics.

Many industry insiders share those messages internally and on social media with their employees. For example, the PGA Tour posted a responsible gaming public service announcement on his Twitter, and the DraftKings sportsbook created his PSA with skateboarder Tony Hawk and professional wrestler The Miz.

Messages often revolve around setting limits and staying within budget.

Ted Hartwell, director of community engagement for the Nevada State Council on Problem Gambling, said he supports expanding casino efforts to keep patrons out of gambling problems.

“I hope most establishments will focus on the preventative aspect and keep people who are already gambling in the healthy realm of gambling,” he said.

The Problem Gambling Council remains neutral about gambling expansion efforts. This allows organizations to maintain good relationships with operators and serve customers who may be struggling.

The organization’s helpline numbers are listed in casino literature, linking people in need with problem gambling counselors. (The new number 1-800-GAMBLER recently went into effect, he said, Hartwell.)

Nevada used to be an industry leader in responsible gaming, Hartwell said, but other states have surpassed it in recent years, especially with patrons excluding themselves, trespassing casinos or e-gambling. Allows you to force a ban from your account.

Citing MGM Resorts International’s GameSense education program and Caesars Entertainment’s responsible gaming ambassadors, who are trained to respond when they hear patrons make distressing comments about gambling, Hartwell said: Praised some operators in Nevada.

Garrett Ferns, Director of Responsible Gaming at MGM Resorts, said in a statement: Our employees are at the forefront of our company’s responsible gaming efforts, equipped with the skills necessary to ensure guests are informed, confident and in control of their play. We want you to ”

DeBaun and Hartwell said the improved technology should help responsible gaming efforts by allowing operators to more easily track customer habits and set deposit limits and cooling-off periods. I’m here.

“Now that we have more insight into player behavior, we can use that information to interact and intervene where necessary,” said DeBaun.

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.