Five Pennsylvania Operators Form New Gambling Association

Five PA online casinos have taken their focus on responsible gambling up a notch, getting together to form a new responsible gambling association. These are BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, FanDuel, and PENN Entertainment. Two other operators from outside the Keystone State, Hard Rock Digital and Bet365, are also founding members of the association.

$20 Million Budget Towards Enhancing Responsible Gambling

The newly formed Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) has pledged to promote responsible online gaming by supporting independent research, sharing best practices, and driving consumer and industry education and awareness. 

The association's executive director is Dr. Jennifer Shatley. She has 25 years of experience in responsible gambling. She has also served as President of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling. She has a strong background in advocacy.

In a press statement on the ROGA website, Dr. Shatley confirmed that the association has set aside a $20 million budget to “ensure the well-being of the customer base” and “enhance the [responsible gambling] programs.” 

The aim is to launch an Independent Certification Program whereby operators will undergo evaluation by independent parties. The evaluation, which will be based on a set of specific criteria, will determine whether their responsible gambling program is robust enough and which areas need enhancing. The process will also examine implementing and developing evidence-driven best practices.

Breaking down ROGA’s objectives, the association’s mission statement lays down the following goals:

• To fund rigorous academic research 
• To develop an independent certification program that will assess operators’ responsible gaming efforts based on defined criteria. 
• To promote evidence-based best practices
• To support the creation, via an independent data clearinghouse, of a database that will facilitate information sharing and allow a mechanism for industry-wide consumer protection.
• To drive education and awareness initiatives aimed at consumers and the industry.