HISTORY

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) was established in 1983 as the Canadian Foundation on Compulsive Gambling (CFCG), the country’s first non-profit responsible gambling organization. Founded by Tibor Barsony, a compulsive gambler and pioneer in the field, the Foundation put problem gambling issues on the public agenda.

A New Direction - Responsible Gambling Prevention and Awareness

In May 2001, the Foundation became the Responsible Gambling Council, shifting its focus to problem gambling prevention through awareness, research and information.

"For a long time there was no counselling available for people with gambling problems," said Jon Kelly, CEO, RGC. "The CFCG pushed hard to get that need recognized and put resources in place. As that happened, and a network of counselling services emerged in Ontario, RGC had the opportunity to shift its focus and resources to prevention.” 

RGC Programs and Social Marketing

RGC is a recognized leader in the creation of engaging and highly effective problem gambling prevention programs and social marketing campaigns:

• Problem Gambling Prevention Week: One of the largest programs of its kind in Canada, it is delivered to 45-plus Ontario communities, reaching more than three-million households

• The Responsible Gaming Resource Centre (RGRC): Located across Ontario in all OLG Slots and Casinos, RGRCs provide patrons with information on safer gambling practices, as well as assistance and local referrals for help with gambling-related problems

• Youth Drama Program: This interactive program, featuring young actors and age-relevant messaging, has reached more than 223,000 high school students in Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador

• kts2 (Know the Score): This interactive program targets college and university students, both online and on campus. Since 2002, kts2 has been delivered 404 times to more than 285,604 students in eight provinces and New York State

In 2009, RGC launched its third social marketing campaign, Know the Risks, which targeted mature adults, using mass media to highlight the potential consequences of a gambling problem and knowtherisks.ca to provide tips on how to prevent a problem from developing.

Leading-Edge Research

In 2009, RGC’s research department evolved into  The RGC Centre for the Advancement of Best Practices. The Centre promotes the identification and adoption of best practices to reduce the incidence of problem gambling and undertakes independent research and analysis of best practices in responsible gambling, prevention and risk reduction measures.

Problem Gambling Prevention: Ideas, Issues and Information

RGC is a leader in the provision of timely and relevant problem gambling and responsible gambling information:

•  RGC’s e-Library  contains a comprehensive collection of problem gambling and responsible gambling resources with over 15,000 news articles, research papers, reports and links
•  RGC’s informational brochures, available in 17 languages, are targeted to parents, young adults, older adults and the aborginal community
•  Newscan, a free, weekly electronic publication featuring recent news, new research, calls for papers, grant proposals, RFPs, award nominations and upcoming events related to problem gambling and responsible gambling

In 2011, RGC released its Responsible Gambling (RG) Index, a comprehensive set of standards for casinos and slots venues and RG Check, the corresponding accreditation program.