The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, Wynn Resorts, and MGM Resorts International have come together to develop a plan that will help casino-goers gamble responsibly.
Teaming up for a Greater Cause
The three entities agreed to work with together to create a system that will help casino customers to enjoy gambling establishments, and do so in a way that will keep them from becoming addicted. These systems will help ensure the patrons do not face any potential dangers of gambling, including overspending or even becoming addicted to the activity. The system will encourage safe spending. Casino-goers will be able to place a limit on how much they will spend. The system will then send out an alert to the customers once that set limit is almost reached.
The new system comes just as Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International are gearing up for future openings. Wynn Resorts, which is expected to open a new casino in summer 2019, is working on a $2 billion resort located near the Mystic River in Massachusetts. MGM International is currently completing construction on a $950 million casino. The resort casino will be in Springfield, Mass., and is expected to open in September 2018. The casino has also begun the process of searching for employees.
Updated Version of a Past System
This isn’t the first time a system was set into place that would help prevent overspending on gambling for casino players. In 2014, a system received approval from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission that aimed to provide a similar outcome for customers. While the system, which is named PlayMyWay, seems to be close to the current system, there is a small difference between them. PlayMyWay provided customers with special cards that would help the system govern the amount of money set aside by patrons for the budgeting purposes. The system can view budgets that have been set throughout the month, day, and week. Once these limits are close to being reached, alerts would be sent out – for example when 75 percent and 50 percent of the financial boundary has been reached. However, while the current system provides an alert, it will ultimately be up to the customer to decide whether he or she wants to stop playing or continue past his or her budget limit.
A Proven System
For some time now, casino giants, such as Wynn and MGM, have made yearly contributions to organizations that help combat gambling issues and create plans that will help to decrease problem gambling. With operators contributing to this cause, as well as the continuous efforts of regulatory bodies, such as The MassGaming Commission, it is safe to say more positive change certainly lies ahead to help end gambling addiction. According to casinonewsdaily, Stephen Crosby, MassGaming Commission chairman, told MassLive news, the continuous promoting of gambling responsibly will be done in an “innovative and aggressive” manner. He added that more attention will also be given to gambling-related issues.
As far as the new system of tools developed to help prevent patrons from having problems with gambling, Crosby says it is certainly innovative and it is because of the operators, who were also completely for the cause, and what the systems could offer casino-goers. The collaborations between the casino giants and MassGaming have been absolute successes and all parties can only see great results coming from the new systems that are being put into place. Crosby also feels teaming up will only make for better change and any needed assessments to the system in the future, as well as further endeavors centered around the cause.
