For Immediate Release:
Media Contact:
Phil Sherwood
psherwood@maccg.org
617-426-4554, Ext 2 or 603-229-9891
May 1, 2019
Statement from the “Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling” on Ruling Allowing Wynn Resorts to Maintain Casino License
Boston, MA—Executive Director Marlene Warner of The Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health (Mass. Council) states, “In the wake of the announcement that Encore will open on time with a $35 million fine and leadership training, the Mass. Council would like to remind the residents of the Commonwealth that casino employees are already at high risk for gambling problems and need to be appropriately trained.” Massachusetts is known as a leader in the field of responsible gambling and problem gambling services due to the number of safeguards that were implemented when casino gambling was passed into law in 2011.
The Mass. Council oversees GameSense, a responsible gambling program, which operates information centers within casinos in Massachusetts and will soon include the Encore property. GameSense works to provide all casino staff and patrons, including people who experience problems with their gambling, with information and resources relevant to their specific needs. These services include connecting players to self-assessment and limit-setting tools, providing information to help them recognize the signs of problem gambling, and community-based resources if they wish to seek professional help. If a player feels that their gambling is beyond their control, they can enroll in the voluntary self-exclusion program, which excludes them from participating in gambling activities in all Massachusetts casinos. Massachusetts is the only state in the nation with GameSense Information Centers at their gambling establishments.
To prepare for the expansion of gambling and the establishment of GameSense at Encore and the other Massachusetts casinos, the Mass. Council will hold a Responsible Gambling Symposium on May 16th . For more information, please contact the Mass. Council.
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The Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health is a private non-profit health organization dedicated to reducing the social financial and emotional costs of problem gambling. The Mass. Council is neutral on legalized gambling.
