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As the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority prepares to open the first tribal resort and casino in Las Vegas – the revamped Palms – their investment in the area goes far beyond gaming tables and menu overhauls. The UNLV responsible gambling program is also a beneficiary of the tribe’s presence in Nevada.
The partnership will help further and sustain the university’s International Gaming Institute (IGI). In that way, many people who may never visit the Tribe’s Vegas casino could benefit from the tribe’s philanthropy.
UNLV responsible gambling nets new partner
For over a quarter of a century, the IGI at the University of Nevada Las Vegas has led the way in developing technologies, educating stakeholders, and researching new ways to promote responsible gambling.
Enter the San Manuel Entertainment Authority. That company is a holding of the San Manuel Band. Along with that company, the tribe operates the Yaamava’ Resort & Casino on its sovereign territory within the borders of California.
The Gaming Authority is also about to re-open the Palms Casino & Resort Las Vegas. That casino, formerly owned by Station Casinos, closed its doors in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and hasn’t welcomed the public back yet. It will re-open under the Gaming Authority’s operation on April 27.
Thus, SMEA has a vested interest in responsible gambling in the immediate area. For gamblers across the world, though, the partnership can be of great use.
Responsible gambling extends beyond Las Vegas
Bo Bernhard, the executive director of the IGI, told Mike Shoro of the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the partnership would boost the institute’s capabilities.
“We look forward to a collaboration that we believe will introduce a new level of research-based programs that reflect centuries of cultural commitment to [the] community by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians,” Bernhard stated.
That research will focus on relationships between gaming operators and players in addition to gamblers’ attitudes about responsible gambling initiatives. Additionally, researchers will look at the effectiveness of responsible gambling efforts.
That information can then be used to guide decisions by gambling operators like the SMEA. With their investment in the IGI, gambling around the globe can be safer.
