In The News: Division of Research
Missouri sportsbooks generated more tax revenue in the state's third month of legal betting than they did in the first two months combined, according to new Missouri Gaming Commission data.
A study by the National Council on Problem Gambling found that states with legal gambling meet an average of 32 of 82 recommended player protection standards. Nevada met 24 of those benchmarks. Research from the University of Nevada Las Vegas International Gaming Institute reported that 15% of Nevada adults meet criteria for problem gambling, compared with a 2% national average cited by the council.

Las Vegas visitors looking to avoid surprise add-on charges now have a new option on the Strip: all-inclusive hotel pricing.

A University of Nevada Las Vegas International Gaming Institute study published last year found 15% of Nevada adults are defined as problem gamblers, meaning they’ve experienced harm from their gambling “many times” in the last year. The national average is 2%, according to the National Council.
Rowland Edet, a doctoral student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, wrote In “Breaking the Odds: A Gendered Analysis of Women and Gambling Behavior” published in the peer-reviewed Gaming Research and Review Journal at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, suggested that as more women are drawn to gambling, often prompted by different motivations than men, that policies should reflect gender differences.
Last month, a U.S. Appeals Court in Boston provided relief to colleges and universities across the country that faced sudden grant funding cuts last year. Colleges like Northern Arizona University (NAU) and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) responded to the challenges differently, but the future of research remains uncertain for both institutions.
The real issue isn’t that younger adults don’t gamble. It’s that the decision model for how they choose entertainment has changed. Younger guests make choices differently, evaluate value differently and abandon experiences more quickly when something feels confusing, inconvenient or misaligned with how they spend their time.

Officials introduced a new tool at UNLV today that will help further medical research into Alzheimer's.
The true scope of problem gambling, however, is frustratingly difficult to quantify, largely because there is little funding for its treatment, research, and awareness efforts. The federal government dedicates virtually no resources to such work. Instead, responsibility falls to individual states, and what has emerged is a shoddy patchwork, one that is particularly stark in the state with the longest history of gambling: Nevada.
The difference between online and physical slot machines is another factor influencing expectations. Online titles often feature higher RTP rates, typically ranging from 95 to 98 percent, compared with land-based games, which may sit closer to 90 or 92 percent. Supporting this, Nevada Gaming Revenues' Long-Term Trends, conducted by the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 2025, notes that slot machine units on casino floors have dropped more than one-third since 2000 (as they are migrating to online platforms), but total win has climbed almost 70 percent.

Santa Claus has long called the North Pole home. But let’s be honest — 24 hours of darkness and subfreezing winter temperatures aren’t the most conducive to making toys. His workforce, including the reindeer, are aging, and in an era of fast-moving technology and rapid shipping, the North Pole isn’t necessarily a transportation hub.
In today’s age, buying stocks, betting on sports, or even wagering on current geopolitical indicators like inflation or elections can all be done by a click of a button on your phone. So what is the line between investing and gambling? And who’s responsible when risk is gamified: the user, the platform, or regulators? For answers to these questions, we’re joined by Christopher S. Jones, chair of the Department of Finance and Business Economics at USC, and Brett Abarbanel, Executive Director at the UNLV International Gaming Institute.