The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) International Gaming Institute (IGI) has established its first Executive Director’s Advisory Board to strengthen its work in global gambling research, education, and innovation.
The newly created board will act as a strategic resource for IGI, offering counsel and fostering connections while contributing expertise from across the gaming industry. The initiative comes as the institute, which has provided research and education to more than 50 jurisdictions over the past 30 years, looks to deepen its engagement with industry stakeholders.
Brett Abarbanel, Ph.D., Executive Director of IGI, said: “It is my great pleasure to welcome this esteemed group to IGI’s inaugural Advisory Board. This board will help elevate IGI’s profile of academic excellence through its commitment to our mission.
“We are honored to welcome these accomplished experts and look forward to benefiting from their dynamic perspectives and support in creating meaningful connections between IGI and its stakeholders.”
The board’s membership spans senior figures from casino operators, technology providers, industry associations, and investment firms. It includes Peter Arceo of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, Richard Baldwin of GGHM, Jan Jones Blackhurst of Caesars Entertainment and UNLV’s Black Fire Leadership Initiative, Carlos Carrion of SlotCycle, Justin Carter of PENN Entertainment, Daron Dorsey of AGEM, Jessica Feil of OpenBet, Chris Grove of Acies Investments, Anika Howard of Wondr Nation, Lori Kalani of DraftKings, David Lopez of AGS, Brian Mattingley formerly of Playtech, Laura McAllister Cox of Rush Street Interactive, and Simon Thomas of London’s Hippodrome Casino.
Explaining the need for the board, Abarbanel said that rapid changes within the gaming industry and competing information underscored the value of direct input from those working in the field.
“It’s a channel we’ve never had in a formal sense to access the industry perspectives we need,” she told SBC Americas, adding that advisory boards are a common way for U.S. universities to connect with external expertise.
The announcement of the board follows the launch of AiR Hub earlier this year, an IGI initiative focused on artificial intelligence and its implications for gambling. Led by IGI Director of Research Kasra Ghaharian and adjunct fellow Simo Dragicevic, AiR Hub brings together stakeholders to study AI’s risks and opportunities in the industry, with support from organizations such as Action Gaming, Evoke, Kindbridge Behavioral Health, Playtech, and the Responsible Online Gaming Association.
In 2023, IGI also introduced its ESPN Research Fellowship program, which gives scholars the opportunity to analyze responsible gambling messaging across sports and gambling media.
