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International Gaming Institute News

The UNLV International Gaming Institute (IGI) is committed to providing cutting-edge insights to the global gaming industry. IGI provides research and programs to more than 50 jurisdictions across the globe—to leaders in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Current International Gaming Institute News

Dice on a craps table
Research |

Report reveals operators and regulators with high ambitions but significant gaps in governance, oversight, and AI maturity.

Campus landscape
Campus News |

Some of the hottest headlines featuring UNLV faculty, staff, and students.

Three young girls excitedly watch as one draws on paper with a crayon
Business and Community |

Annual initiative invites CCSD elementary students to explore entertainment, science, and college life — all in one unforgettable day.

two adults organizing and distributing food at event
Campus News |

UNLV community outreach programs offer practical learning opportunities for students while leveraging our resources to address societal needs.

Fall 25 commencement2
Campus News |

A collection of the top news headlines featuring UNLV faculty and students.

Eliza Wiggins in office with view of Las Vegas Strip
People |

For IGI's community programs manager, the answer is always 'YES' when it comes to supporting career development in youth.

International Gaming Institute In The News

Las Vegas Review Journal

A new UNLV report on artificial intelligence in the gaming industry says one in five companies have a dedicated AI governance role, and most organizations have no established governance practices.

SiGMA

The report draws insights from 83 gambling companies and 113 regulators worldwide, a 15-year analysis of academic publications, and patent filing data and expert contributions.​

The Gaming Boardroom

If you're involved in gaming operations, regulation, compliance, or AI strategy, this report saves you the legwork. It’s the first independent baseline showing where the industry actually stands on AI — not just the hype. Expect useful benchmarking, a clear warning about governance gaps, and pointers on where risk and opportunity are converging.

National Today

New study provides benchmarks as gambling sector navigates responsible AI integration.

CDC Gaming

This marks the inaugural edition of an annual global benchmarking series tracking how artificial intelligence is shaping the global gambling industry.

KLAS-TV: 8 News Now

As businesses rush to adopt artificial intelligence, use of AI in the highly regulated gaming industry is only just emerging. Now, a UNLV report is providing benchmarks as it develops. “The State of AI in Gaming 2026” was released Thursday. It provides a snapshot of current levels of adoption and points to gaps that need to be addressed. The 113-page report was released by the UNLV International Gaming Institute (IGI) in collaboration with KPMG LLP, a U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm. The report focuses on the responsible use of AI.

International Gaming Institute Experts

A longtime industry executive and leading international expert on responsible gaming. 
An expert in gambling and esports.
A global gaming expert specializing in online settings and AI applications, consumer protection, and payments modernization.
An expert in global gambling regulation, policy, legislation, licensing, compliance, and enforcement.
An expert on gaming and society, Bernhard has been featured on CNN, The Discovery Channel, the BBC, and The History Channel.

Recent International Gaming Institute Accomplishments

Tiange Xu (International Gaming Institute), Mehmet Erdem (Hospitality), Brett Abarbanel (International Gaming Institute; Hospitality), and Shane Kraus (Psychology) recently published a paper, "A Methodological Scoping Review for Video Analysis in Hospitality Research," in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights. This study reviewed 37…
Shane Kraus (Psychology), Tiange Xu (International Gaming Institute), and Andrea Dassopoulos (International Gaming Institute) have been awarded $312,239 from the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission's Responsible Gaming Grant program for their project "The Causal Impact of Sports Betting Promotional Offers." The research will provide…
Mana Azizsoltani (Hospitality), Jared Bischoff (Hospitality), Ashok Singh (Hospitality), and Kasra Ghaharian (International Gaming Institute) published an open access article in the European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation titled: "A systematic review of machine learning applications in hotel occupancy forecasting."
Director of Research Kasra Ghaharian (International Gaming Institute), along with co-authors Mana Azizsoltani (Ph.D. Hospitality, May 2024) and Piyush Puranik (Postdoctoral Scholar, International Gaming Institute), recently published a new original research article in the journal Public Health. The study, "Characterising online gamblers exceeding…
Tiange Xu (International Gaming Institute) published an op-ed titled, "I Study Gambling Addiction. I Still Got Hooked on Cryptocurrency." in The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS). The piece examines how personal experience with cryptocurrency trading revealed blind spots in understanding the risks and harms associated with…
Master's students Adrian Amezcua, Donavan Ross, and Ishan Balaji (Counselor Education, School Psychology, and Human Services) have received a $3,000 grant from the Nevada Problem Gambling Project at UNLV's International Gaming Institute for their project titled, "An Examination of Adults’ Exposure to Online Gambling and the Impact of…