RI Council on Problem Gambling: 7th Annual Conference

May 17, 2024 8:45am-4pm | Providence Marriott Downtown

Registration Starts at 8am. Continental Breakfast and Plated Lunch will be served.

5 CEU’s / RICB , NBCC, NASW-RI, IGCCB | 4 CLE’s – Rhode Island Bar Association

Register at: www.ricpg.com

Early Bird Rates – $100

Full Time Students – $50

Morning Keynote Speaker and Morning Workshop Presenter: Dan Trolaro

Daniel Trolaro, MS in Psychology, is the Vice President of Prevention in the US for EPIC Risk Management. Dan has worked with stakeholders in over 35 states and has delivered hundreds of workshops, trainings, and keynote presentations around the country centered on prevention, education, and emerging trends in the world of sports betting, gaming and internet gambling. Having started his journey of recovery from gambling addiction on Feb 11, 2010, Dan has shared his story on the You Tube Channel, Soft White Underbelly by Mark Laita and co-hosts a 30 minute podcast and weekly radio show across the country called, “Hello My Name Is Craig” with fellow gambler in recovery and morning National TV host on Fox Sports, Craig Carton. Dan has 3 kids, 2 of whom are first year college students and one just starting 8th grade.

Emerging Trends in Gaming and Gambling

Consistently, there are more creative and fast paced forms of entertainment to help people escape, cope, or adjust to the stressors of life. Whether finding it through substance, technology, or a variety of other methods, college students are becoming more daring, tech savvy and tech dependent. Two areas that have seen explosive growth exists in the world of video gaming and Esports. With the advent and expansion of these skill-based forms of entertainment, today’s college students have access to information and opportunities to wager 24 / 7. This workshop will explore the psychological aspects and gambling-like mechanics commonly found in video games while looking at emerging trends and future considerations in Esports.

Afternoon Keynote Speaker:

Dr. Michael Wohl (Ph.D. University of Alberta) is a Professor of Psychology at Carleton University. Broadly speaking, he has two areas of research: 1) conflict resolution and 2) disordered gambling.

To Reward or Not to Reward: Do Incentives Hold the Key to Responsible Gaming? That is the Question.

Unlike Rewards programs in other industries (e.g., airline industry), casino rewards programs provide members with the opportunity to obtain tangible (e.g., free play) and intangible (e.g., status) products and services in exchange for engaging in a highly addictive activity. Yet the field of gambling studies has been remarkably silent on the influence rewards programs may have on a player’s attitudes and behaviors. In this keynote, recent empirical work will be reviewed that expands the knowledge base regarding who is most apt to join a casino rewards program, and the influence of tier members and disordered gambling symptomatology on attitudinal (i.e., satisfaction and identification with a casino) and behavioral loyalty (i.e., casino visits and amount of money wagered). I will also discuss why and how rewards programs may help advance responsible gambling. Specifically, I will present data that explains the relation between positive play and loyalty (both attitudinal and behavioral). The keynote will close with arguments for (and against) leveraging rewards programs to increase the uptake of responsible gambling tools to advance positive play. Empirical evidence will be brought to bear on this potentially controversial supposition. The ultimate aim of this keynote is to draw attention to reward programs in the gambling industry, the lack of attention they have been paid, and the importance they may hold for not only understanding the progression and maintenance of disordered gambling but their potential responsible gambling utility.

Workshop Presenters:

Kendra Pugh, PhD: Health Science Specialist Associate Director of VOICES Research, Mental Illness Research, Education & Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Bedford Healthcare System

Stacey A. Tovino: Chair, University of Oklahoma School of Law, Scholar and teacher in the areas of health law, bioethics, and medical humanities. Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the MLS and LLM in Healthcare Law Program at the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

Nicholas T. Long was the first general counsel to the University of Rhode Island, the Community College of Rhode Island, and chief assistant attorney general for the Civil Division. He retired from Rhode Island College earlier this year. Nick earned his B.A. from Cornell University and his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.

Register at: www.ricpg.com

Early Bird Rates – $100

Full Time Students – $50