Register Dealing with Problem Gambling Webinar Series Spring 2024

1/16/2025 - AI & Ethical Considerations in Gambling

As gambling operations and associated technologies evolve, so too do the methods to mitigate the harms associated with at-risk and problem gambling. This webinar provides an accessible introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), tailored to how these technologies are being deployed to identify individuals at-risk of problem gambling. With the capability to analyze vast amounts of data for indicators of at-risk behavior, AI and ML presents a promising tool for player protection. However, the use of AI extends beyond safeguarding players; it also serves gambling operators commercial interests. This dual use raises significant ethical questions: How do we balance the benefits of AI in protecting vulnerable players with the risks associated with data privacy, consent, and potential exploitation for profit? This session will unravel these complexities, examining the ethical considerations of AI use within the gambling industry.

Presenter: Kasra Ghaharian

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the dual use of AI in gambling: Evaluate the ways in which AI is employed for both protecting players and enhancing gambling operators commercial interests, identifying potential conflicts between these uses.
2. Identify key ethical dilemmas: List and discuss the ethical implications of AI in gambling, particularly concerning data privacy, consent, and the risk of exploiting vulnerable populations.
3. Propose strategies for ethical AI use: Recommend practical strategies that enforce the responsible and safe use of AI.

Agenda:

12:00-12:05 pm – Introductions of presenters and helpline information
12:05-12:45 pm – Lecture of material
12:45-12:55 pm – Discussion questions, case presentation, interaction (as needed)
12:55-1:00 pm – Closing comments

2/13/2025 - The Community Resiliency Model (CRM)

We all have a nervous system. Learning to regulate the nervous system through the evidence-based Community Resiliency Model (CRM) wellness skills can be life changing as people learn how to bring their system back into balance and then share these skills with their families, friends and communities.  There is a substantial and growing evidence base for the efficacy of CRM in reducing anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, and in communities and individuals who have been historically marginalized or experienced high levels of trauma. CRM focused providing a common understanding of the impact of trauma and chronic stress on the nervous system and how resiliency can be restored or increased using this skills-based approach. This workshop will explore the science behind CRM and describe how these skills can become a common language that can assist people in understanding the body’s natural biological function. We will explore three of the wellness skills and how they relate to emotional misfires of both unconscious and conscious memories that our bodies perceive as traumatic which alter the way we view the world and how we create and maintain relationships.

Presenter: Alison Wood

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the science behind the Community Resiliency Model.
2. Consider practicing three wellness skills to bring the nervous system back into balance.

Agenda:

12:00-12:05 pm – Introductions of presenters and helpline information
12:05-12:45 pm – Lecture of material
12:45-12:55 pm – Discussion questions, case presentation, interaction (as needed)
12:55-1:00 pm – Closing comments

4/24/2025 - Using Functional Assessments to Enhance Clinical Interventions for Problem Gambling

Minimal attention has been provided on how to best identify functional relations for individuals with gambling disorders. Identification of functional relationships is needed to maximize the clinical utility of treatment. Therefore, the current presentation will focus on a) evidenced-based approaches to identifying functional relationships, b) how to infuse functional behavior assessments into clinical practice, and c) clinical case conceptualization strategies to effectively use functional behavior assessments across a range of treatment modalities. Empirical evidence collected to date from Dr. Wilson’s gambling research will be presented to highlight how functional behavior assessments can impact clinical practice.

Presenter: Alyssa N. Wilson

Learning Objectives:

1. Label key mechanisms of functional behavior assessments
2. Identify steps to implement functional assessments in clinical practice

Agenda:

12:00-12:05 pm – Introductions of presenters and helpline information
12:05-12:45 pm – Lecture of material
12:45-12:55 pm – Discussion questions, case presentation, interaction (as needed)
12:55-1:00 pm – Closing comments

Sam DeMello                                                                                                                                                                                               

Sam is an experienced early-stage startup builder, with over a decade of experience scaling successful organizations as a Customer Success and Talent Acquisition Leader. He is also a person with a gambling addiction in recovery. He combines his professional experience in the Technical and Digital Therapeutics industries with his lived experience as a person in gambling recovery to build technology-first solutions to reduce gambling harm in the growing community of gamblers.

Rob Minnick, ICGC-I

Rob Minnick, also known online as Rob_Odaat is a content creator who uses his lived-experience with gambling harm to reach 15 million people every month through Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok and Facebook to better educate them on the risks involved with gambling and where to find resources if they need the help. In addition to content creation and direct marketing campaigns, Rob advises organizations on how to craft more relevant content for a younger audience as his main demographic online is comprised of 18-25 year olds.   

Dave Yeager

Dave Yeager is an eleven-year veteran of the United States Army and in recovery for a gambling addiction. Dave is the host of Fall In: The Problem Gambling Podcast for Military Service Members and Veterans and the author of Fall In: A Veteran with a Gambling Addiction.

Dave is a member of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of PA, and member of the military working group for the National Council on Problem Gambling, and serves on the National Council’s board of directors. Dave is also a member of the board of directors for the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, in Washington State. Dave speaks often and uses his story to help raise awareness about gambling addiction and its impact on military service members and veterans.

Dave has a BS in Human Services and has completed 30 hours toward a Masters in Social Work. In addition, Dave is an International Certified Gambling Counselor (ICGC-I) as credentialed through IGCCB. Dave has been a lived experience and veteran advisor for Kindbridge Research Institute since 2020 and began as a trainer and training developer in July of 2023. Dave is also a behavioral health coach with Kindbridge Behavioral Health.

Michelle L. Malkin

Michelle L. Malkin, JD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology and the Director of the Gambling Research and Policy Initiative (GRPI) at East Carolina University. Dr. Malkin's research interests include a focus on gambling-related harms, gambling-motivated crime, and the gambling prevalence, behavior, and risk of under-researched populations. Her research has been recently published in the Journal of Gambling Studies and the Journal of Gambling Issues. She was awarded the 2022 Dr. Durand Jacobs Dissertation Award and the 2024 Denise Phillips Community Outreach and Multicultural Wellness Award from the National Council on Problem Gambling. She also was awarded the 2024 ECU Early Trendsetter Award for her research on gambling-related issues and ECU's Innovator of the Month Award for her creation and copyright of the Gambling-Motivated Crime Diversion Checklist.

Kasra Ghaharian

Kasra Ghaharian is the director of research for UNLV's International Gaming Institute. He is a global gaming expert who specializes in online settings and AI applications, machine learning, consumer protection, and payments modernization.

Ghaharian brings several years of industry experience in digital analytics, strategic marketing, e-commerce analysis and product management, enterprise strategy, and sales at several of the world's largest casino-hotel companies to the position. His scholarly works have examined ways to improve industry tech and user experience. While pursuing his Ph.D., Ghaharian explored the implications of digital payments for the gambling industry and applied machine learning to payment transaction data to uncover behavioral patterns and potential markers of problem gambling. His master's thesis was a first-of-its-kind study to apply mathematical methods to the age-old task of optimizing the casino floor. His current research projects include using consumer bank transaction data to support gambling harm prevention and investigating the efficacy of AI chat bots to educate consumers about responsible gambling.

Ghaharian has been called upon by media outletsvincluding BBC, Sports Handle, and Inside Asian Gaming to offer industry insights.

Alison Wood

Alison Wood has over 20 years of experience working with government and nonprofit agencies at the local, state, national, and international levels. She has become a seasoned professional in managing grant programs and educating professionals across the country on problem gambling outreach, education, and prevention evidence-based practices. Alison enjoys assisting organizations on how to evaluate and expand programs, increase awareness, and impact. She is the North Carolina Problem Gambling Program Prevention Coordinator with Morneau Shepell and manages over 60 statewide prevention grants, speaks at conferences and webinars to educate attendees on problem gambling prevalence rates and best practices in prevention, outreach, and education, and trains and provides technical support to school staff and prevention coordinators on, Stacked Deck, an evidence-based prevention curriculum. Alison holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work and a Master’s Degree in Public Administrator from West Virginia University.  

Alyssa N. Wilson

Alyssa N. Wilson is an Associate Professor of Psychology at California State University Fresno. Dr. Wilson has published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on interdisciplinary approaches to gambling etiology, assessment, and treatment. Her recently co-authored book titled The Gambling Disorder Treatment Handbook, is one of a few texts written for clinicians working with individuals with gambling disorders. She is the founding director of Fresno State’s Center for Behavioral Health and Addiction Studies, a community-research collaborative dedicated to understanding the etiology and treatment of behavioral addictions and co-occurring mental health considerations. Dr. Wilson’s work has been showcased on podcasts and broadcast docuseries on Netflix’s Bill Nye Saves the World. 

Problem Gambling Webinar Series Continuing Education

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6642.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.  Each successfully completed webinar qualifies for 1 contact hour.

This course is pending approval from the North Carolina Addiction Specialist Professional Practice Board for 1 contact hour.