Empire City Porte Cochere Goes Blue For Problem Gambling Awareness

YONKERS, NY — Empire City Casino's iconic Porte Cochere is lighting up this month for a perhaps surprising reason, to help support problem gambling awareness.

Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts in Westchester County is partnering with the Mid-Hudson Problem Gambling Resource Center and the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) to promote Problem Gambling Awareness Month in an unavoidable way.

The casino's officials say Problem Gambling Awareness Month is a welcome opportunity to engage communities in a dialogue around the impact gambling-related issues can have on individuals and their families. The casino says the annual month of observance provides an essential platform for organizations across the country to highlight the availability of support services for those affected.

Throughout March, Empire City Casino will once again light its iconic porte cochere in blue, the official color of Problem Gambling Awareness Month. Empire City will also collaborate with Mid-Hudson Problem Gambling Resource Center to host a new series of listening sessions for employees designed to promote responsible gaming and problem gambling awareness.

"Empire City and MGM Resorts are committed to offering and promoting a safe gambling experience for our employees and guests," said Ed Domingo, President and COO for Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts. "Our community and corporate partnerships allow us to highlight important prevention strategies and recovery services, while providing referrals and resources to anyone who might need additional support."

GameSense messaging is being displayed prominently throughout MGM Resorts properties nationwide, including Empire City. GameSense is a noted responsible gaming program first developed and licensed to MGM Resorts in 2017 by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC). The program focuses on positive, transparent, and proactive interactions with guests about how to gamble responsibly, according to the casino.

MGM Resorts and Empire City have also planned a series of initiatives aimed at educating the public and fostering conversations about problem gambling.

• MGM Resorts and Empire City Casino provide all employees with comprehensive and research-based responsible gaming training throughout the year. This training empowers employees to proactively promote responsible play and address problem gambling concerns through GameSense.
• The MGM Resorts responsible gaming employee training program through GameSense has been assigned to more than 60,000 employees this year. More than 1,100 of those employees have already completed the most advanced levels of trainings, including over 375 employees who have earned the title of GameSense Advisor.
• GameSense Advisors are staffed at each MGM Rewards desk across the country, ready to provide assistance and support to guests and their families.
• GameSense messaging and responsible gaming tips are displayed prominently throughout Empire City Casino’s gaming floor, including QR codes on a variety of slot machines offering immediate access to responsible gaming information.
• MGM Resorts and BetMGM also continue in their partnership with the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) public service campaign to educate new and seasoned bettors on responsible, legal sports wagering.

As part of its commitment to responsible gaming research, MGM Resorts has donated $100,000 to Kindbridge Research Institute in support of a voluntary medication trial for veterans experiencing gambling addiction. The first-of-its-kind treatment aims to reduce gambling urges and symptom severity among veterans with gambling disorder.

Find more information about increasing awareness of responsible gaming here.