The Caesars Foundation, the philanthropic branch of Caesars Entertainment, has recently donated $200K to the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG). 

The ICRG, a nonprofit organization located in Las Vegas, was established in 1996 to improve funding for gambling research aimed at understanding how specific individuals develop gambling disorders and addictions. Since its establishment, the ICRG asserts that it has produced over 400 academic articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and has significantly contributed to minimizing gaming-related harms. 

The Caesars Foundation donated $180K to the ICRG last week for "competitive research grants" aimed at exploring the biological and psychological aspects of gambling. The funding will be utilized to further investigate treatment advancements, public health communication, and the effects of gambling-related regulations. 

Caesars provided the ICRG with $20,000 to organize its 26th Annual ICRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction on October 5-6 at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas. 

“This generous commitment from Caesars Foundation underscores their ongoing leadership in corporate responsibility and dedication to advancing the science of responsible gambling,” said ICRG President Arthur Paikowsky. “Together, we are helping ensure that policies, treatment options, and prevention strategies are rooted in rigorous and independent scientific evidence.” 

ICRG ‘Barrier’ 

As the ICRG receives most of its funding from companies involved in the gambling industry, like Caesars, it established a firewall intended to shield the organization's studies and grants from donor influence. The funding initiatives of the ICRG require approval from its Scientific Advisory Board, a separate group of specialists in addiction and mental health. 

Neither the ICRG governing board nor the donors have influence over which research proposals receive funding. 

The Caesars Foundation is a private organization fully financed by Caesars Entertainment. A significant part of the firm's yearly donation to the Foundation originates from clients through the Caesars Makes Change initiative. 

Caesars Makes Change is present in the majority of casinos operated by Caesars. The program enables players to contribute their ticket-in, ticket-out (TITO) vouchers rather than cashing them in. The program enjoys popularity among slot players who feed tens of thousands of vouchers annually into the containers, most valued at under a dollar. 

In the fiscal year 2024, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) reported that players discarded $24.4 million. Just a reminder, in most gaming jurisdictions, it is against the law for someone to keep a discovered gaming voucher that is not theirs. 

Caesars Foundation Key Focus Areas 

The Caesars Foundation focuses on various areas for its funding — social equity & education, climate change and food security, as well as responsible play and mental well-being. 

Since its establishment in 2002, the Caesars Foundation has contributed over $80 million. Key supporters consist of the National Park Trust, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Clean the World, Meals on Wheels, and Second Wind Dreams. 

The charitable division of Caesars is overseen by a board of directors led by Anthony Carano, who is the president and COO at Caesars and the grandson of Don Carano, the founder of Eldorado Resorts. The board also features Katie Carano-Miller, a granddaughter of the family founder who serves as the senior vice president of communications and government relations at Caesars. Carano passed away in 2017 at the age of 85.