Arizona Lifts the Lid on New Responsible Gaming Training Program

According to the Arizona Department of Gaming’s (ADG) Jessica Roza, the department’s role as a gambling regulator is as much about consumer protection and public education as it is oversight and compliance. 

“As a regulator, we believe that our role is not only just oversight and compliance,” said Roza, who leads ADG’s public & intergovernmental affairs division. 

 We really believe that our role is also consumer protection and public education… That is why we decided to make this responsible gaming training available, not only to our agency staff, but to our tribal partners and the public.” 

Roza made the comments during a webinar introducing ADG’s new public-facing responsible gaming training program. The program, she said, aims to promote literacy, empower industry and agency workers, and elevate consumer protection. The training, given the tagline ‘Responsible Play for a Stronger Arizona,’ also seeks to enhance understanding of problem gambling and the pathways to treatment and recovery.

The webinar offered a high-level overview of the three-phase training structure, not the full course. When someone takes the training, she added, they’ll encounter a lot more in-depth information beyond the introductory preview.

Arizona Aims To Set Foundation for Responsible Play

The program is broken down into three phases and nine modules. It is designed to take about three hours to get through, whether tackled all at once or one module at a time.

In Phase I: Foundations of Responsible Gaming, self-directed participants move through three lessons.

In module one, participants learn about gambling, responsible gambling, and problem gambling. They also get an introduction to the difference between healthy and risky play and gambling addiction. Module two considers risk factors for gambling disorder, while module three tackles the ripple effects that addiction can have on families and wider communities.

The first lessons, according to Roza, are about establishing a foundation and creating a shared understanding of key terms, core concepts, and the inherent risks. Building on that knowledge, the training later shifts to practical RG strategies.

In phase two, the modules teach about positive play, gambling advertising, and gambling myths.

Roza particularly likes this section of the training because of its focus on beliefs that can influence gambling behavior, like the gambler’s fallacy.

She also noted that research shows that some gamblers hold key beliefs that translate into responsible gaming.

One of those is playing for fun, not to make money… Players with this belief that gambling should be entertainment, but not necessarily income-producing, are more likely to be able to play responsibly and not be impacted by gambling-related harm.”

The training’s final phase spotlights best practices to support both quests and industry workers. It includes practical advice for compassionately addressing concerns and referring people to treatment or support services. The last module, geared directly toward gaming-industry employees, offers tips for maintaining well-being and resilience.

No Arizonian Needs To Face Problem Gambling Alone

The biggest takeaway of the training, Roza emphasized, is that problem gambling is real and can affect anybody. But there’s help available in Arizona, including free financial counseling.

There are trained behavioral health professionals that treat gambling-related harm every single day, and there are many people who are living in recovery… we want people to know that support exists here, that recovery is possible, and that nobody needs to navigate problem gambling alone.”

Roza wrapped up the presentation with a nod to two of the ADG’s latest PSAs, which were posted to YouTube about a month ago.

The first spot, “Too Young to Bet,” targets underage gambling and was adapted from a National Council on Problem Gambling campaign. In addition to the 30-second PSA, ADG developed “a wide variety of resources” that it shares on its website.

In the second, the ADG spotlights Arizona’s self-exclusion options. Since the program launched several years ago, over 11,000 Arizonans have chosen to self-exclude. 

“We think that a lot more people could benefit from this program if they knew about it,” Roza stressed.

These campaigns, she added, help bring visibility to issues often misunderstood or overlooked.

These public service announcements have become a really effective way to raise awareness, share practical information, and connect people with the resources that the state is making available.”