American Indian gaming tribes have formed a new association titled the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico, a group set to be the first to fund a study of problem gambling associated with the state of New Mexico. The study will cost $292,000 to complete and will hopefully provide the information needed to continue to reduce the number of problems gamblers in the area.
Gaming Association Of New Mexico Funding The Study
The Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico is funding the study, which will be conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, a group located in Washington, D.C. The institute serves federal agencies with a goal of improving public safety, health and welfare.
The Responsible Gaming Association was created by the tribes to focus on fighting problem gambling. This new study will be the first to look at gambling behavior in New Mexico, with a focus on problem gambling. Experts in the mental health field feel that such studies are vital in fighting mental health disorders associated with gambling addiction.
Efforts That Exist To Prevent Problem Gambling
According to the Gaming Association President, Rebecca Beardsley, the goal of the study is to determine if the efforts that exist to prevent problem gambling need to be fine-tuned and if more education is needed for gamblers on the disorder of addiction.
Within the study, the gambling behavior of adults as well as adolescents in the state of New Mexico will be examined. There will be a specific focus within the study associated with ethnic and racial groups as well as parents with young children, members of the military, college students, sexual minorities and other categories. The study will be reviewing factors associated with gambling addiction, such as those associated with the development of the mental health disorder, including factors that are connected to reduced risk.
It is estimated that the study will be completed late next year or possibly by early 2020. Once complete, the information found will be made public.
