Roulette

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

KLAS-TV: 8 News Now

There are so many things to think about when you’re giving your teenager his or her first phone. Gambling is nearing the top of the list.

iGaming Business

More than 80% of businesses in the space have embraced generative AI to support tasks like content creation and gathering customer insights, according to a new study by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ International Gaming Institute AI Research Hub in collaboration with audit, tax and advisory firm KPMG.

Casino Reports

On this episode of Casino Reports’ weekly gaming-biz podcast, we welcome the UNLV International Gaming Institute’s Brett Abarbanel and Kasra Ghaharian for a discussion around their recently released report The State of AI in Gaming in 2026, what sectors of the industry are proactively adopting AI, and what sectors are lagging behind.

Casino Reports

On this episode of Casino Reports’ weekly gaming-biz podcast, we welcome the UNLV International Gaming Institute’s Brett Abarbanel and Kasra Ghaharian for a discussion around their recently released report The State of AI in Gaming in 2026, what sectors of the industry are proactively adopting AI, and what sectors are lagging behind.

Yogonet

Hosted by the UNLV International Gaming Institute, the event will bring together researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals to examine developments in gambling, gaming, and risk behavior.

CasinoReviews.net

A new report from the UNLV International Gaming Institute finds the global gambling industry is moving quickly into artificial intelligence, but still sits in an early stage of maturity.

International Gaming Institute Experts

An expert on gaming and society, Bernhard has been featured on CNN, The Discovery Channel, the BBC, and The History Channel.
An expert in gambling and esports.
A longtime industry executive and leading international expert on responsible gaming. 
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.

Recent International Gaming Institute Accomplishments

Sam Leif, Michael McCreery, P.G. Schrader (all Teaching and Learning), Kathleen Krach (Counselor Education, School Psychology, and Human Services), and Brett Abarbanel (International Gaming Institute) published an open-access research article, "Differentiating Video Game Expertise Using the Model of Domain Learning," in Frontiers in Education. The…
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…