Industry Insider: Brett Abarbanel, Ph.D., Executive Director, UNLV International Gaming Institute
In this edition of the Industry Insider, we spoke with Brett Abarbanel, Ph.D., Executive Director of the UNLV International Gaming Institute (IGI) about what drives her passion on gaming, how academia is shaping the future of the industry, what she’s most looking forward to seeing at G2E 2023, and more.
Your career has focused on a diverse range of topics in the gaming industry, including the intersection of gambling with esports, traditional sports, and responsible gaming. How did you become interested in these intersections, and what drives your passion for these areas of study?
Like many of us in the gambling world, I didn’t set out in my career with this in mind. I stumbled into the academic discipline. I was studying statistics when the poker boom of the early 2000s hit. When I realized that gambling was an actual academic pursuit, I was sold. I’ve always viewed risk as a huge part of the human condition and gambling is such a core part of how that manifests. My favorite thing about what I do is exactly what you mentioned here, the diversity of topics we get to study. There is always something new going on in the gambling and gaming industries, which means we get to evolve our areas of study as the topic itself evolves. A huge part of this is technology. Its evolution has changed so much of how we run our lives, and gambling is affected similarly. I am passionate about exploring the different ways this impacts our gambling lives, through all sorts of different applications: business, behavior, government activity, game development, and more. I love asking questions and learning. In gambling, there is never a shortage of new things to learn and, as academics are wont to do, on which to pontificate.
As the Executive Director of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, IGI, how do you see the role of academic institutions in shaping the future of gaming and the next generation of gaming professionals?
IGI has long stood as an objective academic place for asking questions and researching answers to those questions. It is through this practice that we shape the future of gambling and gaming spaces, as we need knowledge to progress and grow. To use one of the famous business-buzzword phrases: we’re interested in data-driven solutions! Research is the underlying theme for all the education, innovation, and other programs we host at IGI. Our research bridges the applied and academic worlds, so we are a very walls-outward facing academic organization rather than a stuffy ivory-tower-esque place.
This is a two-way street for us. It isn’t just our work that helps shape the future of gambling; we also rely on those outlooks to shape our curriculum for future professionals. We evolve what we do and how we teach as the needs of the industry evolve. Our Executive Development Program, for example, brings industry executives together for an eight-day professional development boot camp to learn about gambling best practices and implementation in integrated resorts. Now in its 33rd year, the program updates annually to best reflect the current major subjects and discussions in the industry.
This year, you’re a member of the G2E Education Advisory Board, directly influencing this year’s event. Reflecting on this experience and thinking back on your first G2E, how have you seen it evolve over time? Why is attending G2E so important for those who work in the gaming industry?
I’ve been attending G2E for over 15 years and it has changed immensely since I first wandered the expo hall. Two particularly big changes stand out to me. First, the embrace of gambling’s expansion out of the land-based space and into various online settings. The educational sessions and expo hall now feature all sorts of new innovations, there’s more emphasis on how digital advancements play a role in the business and regulation of gambling. Second, the recognition of the value of responsible gambling best practices is so much more present than it ever has been. The concept has moved far beyond its compliance-only past, and we see so many exhibitors, speakers, and discussions throughout G2E now thinking about the various ways that harm prevention can be integrated into the everyday and big-picture business. To pontificate, responsible gambling should be front of mind for any existing practice and new development in the gambling space. This industry has experienced so much success, but it hasn’t always been on the back of healthy gambling behaviors. It’s wonderful to see the industry’s increasing awareness of improving the health and well-being of the people and communities affected by its continued growth and looking for ways to blend healthy gambling practices with government policies and business development. And of course, this isn’t an overnight effort, so I’m sure we’ll all spend plenty of time understanding, refining, and evolving the way we protect consumers from harm.
Overall, I am a firm believer that one can’t study an area without learning about how it works, and G2E is a prime place to do that. Between the education sessions, expert speakers, and expo hall chock-full of the different elements that make the gambling industry exist, everything is all in one place!
G2E is the catalyst for gaming – fostering innovation and driving growth by convening the global industry to define tomorrow. What are you most looking forward to seeing at Global Gaming Expo 2023?
A huge interest of mine is the streaming of gameplay, whether that’s gambling games, video games, mobile games, or any other type of game. I’m particularly excited to see the new education content on streaming practices, as well as check out all the Expo Hall innovations in this area. I’m also excited to see IGI’s Senior Research Fellow, Kasra Ghaharian, present his fascinating work with Nasim Binesh from the University of Florida, on the opportunities, risks, and ethical applications of AI best practices in gambling.
--
Explore the latest advances in gaming, from new technology to innovative thought leadership, at G2E 2023. Register today to join the global gaming community in Las Vegas from October 9-12 at The Venetian Expo.