ICRG
The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) is a 1996-founded nonprofit that funds peer-reviewed scientific research and educational programming on gambling disorder, serving the gambling industry, tribal nations, regulators, treatment providers, and the public worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersBeverly, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ICRG does
The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) is a private, nonprofit research funding organization founded in 1996 (originally as the National Center for Responsible Gaming) that finances peer-reviewed scientific research on gambling disorder and translates findings into educational programming for the gambling industry, regulators, treatment providers, and the public. ICRG operates a competitive grant program with multiple tiers (Center of Excellence grants, Large Grants up to $437,500, Seed Grants up to $40,000, Dissertation Grants up to $5,000, and Travel Grants up to $1,500) distributed to investigators worldwide, and has funded studies that have yielded over 400 peer-reviewed scholarly articles since inception, including approximately one-third of all global research on gambling risks published between 1999 and 2003.
Its core products are not commercial technology but scientific assets and educational resources: the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS), a three-question screening instrument developed with the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance (a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate); the Gambling and Health Series of guidebooks and fact sheets; the annual ICRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction co-located with the Global Gaming Expo; a winter and spring webinar series offering continuing education credits; and Centers of Excellence housed at Yale, University of Minnesota, University of Chicago, and University of Missouri.
ICRG's business model is donation-based: it is funded entirely by contributions from the gambling industry, including commercial casino operators, tribal gaming enterprises (such as Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation), equipment manufacturers (e.g., IGT, Aristocrat), online sportsbooks (FanDuel, DraftKings), and event proceeds such as the AGEM-AGA Golf Classic. Over $50 million has been committed since 1996. There is no federal US funding for gambling research. ICRG maintains a four-tier scientific firewall that excludes donor input from funding decisions, which is the structural foundation of its regulatory and scientific credibility. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board with representatives from Harvard, University of Florida, University of Calgary, Rutgers, UCLA, and Washington University, and was led through a leadership transition in 2025 that brought in Michael Soll as President and Eileen Moore Johnson as Board Chair, concurrent with a headquarters relocation from Massachusetts to Las Vegas, Nevada.
ICRG firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ICRG
- Legal name
- International Center for Responsible Gaming
- Website
- https://icrg.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) is a 1996-founded nonprofit that funds peer-reviewed scientific research and educational programming on gambling disorder, serving the gambling industry, tribal nations, regulators, treatment providers, and the public worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ICRG industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Responsible Gaming Research & Education
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Game Testing, Certification & Technical Compliance (GLI/eCOGRA, RNG, lab services) (MPAEAOAG)
Keywords
Where ICRG is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Beverly
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ICRG business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: ICRG is funded entirely through donations from the gambling industry, including commercial and Tribal gaming companies, equipment manufacturers, vendors, individual donors, and Board members. Over $50 million has been committed to ICRG since its inception in 1996. There is no federal funding for gambling research in the United States.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
ICRG product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ICRG is a nonprofit research funding organization that funds peer-reviewed scientific research on gambling disorder and responsible gaming through a competitive grant program, and disseminates evidence-based educational resources including the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS) screening tool, the Gambling and Health Series guidebooks, an annual conference held alongside G2E, and continuing education webinars. All offerings are provided free of charge and supported by donations from the gaming industry, with a strict scientific firewall ensuring research independence.
Product overview
ICRG (International Center for Responsible Gaming) is a research funding and education organization, not a product company. It operates a competitive peer-reviewed grant program that funds scientific research on gambling disorder and responsible gambling, including Center of Excellence grants, Large grants, Seed grants, Dissertation grants, and Travel grants. ICRG also produces educational resources including the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS), a three-question screening tool for gambling disorders, and the Gambling and Health Series of guidebooks and fact sheets for various stakeholders. The organization hosts the annual ICRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction in conjunction with G2E and runs webinar series for professional development and continuing education credits.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS)
- Gambling and Health Series
- Research Funding Programs
- ICRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction
- ICRG Webinar Series
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 400 peer-reviewed scholarly articles published from ICRG-funded research since 1996
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use ICRG
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
ICRG technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
ICRG partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- National Football League (NFL)coreNFL has partnered with ICRG to advance research on gambling behaviors among college athletes and students. This partnership focuses on understanding risk factors and developing evidence-based prevention strategies for this demographic.
- American Gaming Association (AGA)coreAGA co-sponsors the AGEM-AGA Golf Classic that has raised $2.2 million for ICRG and contributes to the Sports Wagering Research Fund ($100,000). AGA also provides in-kind services for the ICRG Conference.
- AGEM (Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers)coreAGEM co-sponsors the AGEM-AGA Golf Classic and has helped raise $2.2 million for ICRG through this annual event.
- Global Gaming Expo (G2E)coreRX and Global Gaming Expo contribute in-kind services to the annual ICRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction. The conference is held in conjunction with G2E.
- Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance / Harvard Medical SchoolcoreLong-standing research partner that developed the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS). Harvard Medical School and Cambridge Health Alliance have conducted extensive ICRG-funded research.
- Tribal NationscoreTribal Nations are a key stakeholder segment. ICRG supports tribal leaders with unbiased scientific research while tribal governments maintain sovereignty over their gaming operations. Partnership includes creation of culturally informed prevention strategies.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ICRG competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Council on Problem Gambling: The US-based national advocacy organization for problem gambling prevention and treatment. Directly comparable to ICRG as a fellow nonprofit focused on responsible gaming; it runs the National Problem Gambling Helpline and operates the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG was ICRG's former name, which can cause confusion). Both target regulators, treatment providers, and the public.
- Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance (Harvard Medical School): Harvard Medical School-affiliated research group that developed ICRG's BBGS and has been a long-standing ICRG research partner. Comparable as a peer scientific research entity producing peer-reviewed gambling research, although it is embedded in an academic medical center rather than a standalone funding body.
- UNLV International Gaming Institute: Academic research and policy institute at UNLV that produces gambling research, hosts policy briefings, and trains industry professionals. Comparable to ICRG as a research-driven organization in responsible gaming, though it is academic and Las Vegas-based rather than a multi-university funding body. Alan Feldman (ICRG Chair Emeritus) is a Distinguished Fellow there, evidencing close ties.
- Responsible Gambling Council: Canadian-based nonprofit that conducts gambling harm prevention research, produces responsible gambling standards, and offers prevention programs. Comparable to ICRG as a peer nonprofit research and education body serving regulators, operators, and treatment providers with a similar mission.
Broad incumbents
- American Gaming Association (AGA): The US national trade association for the commercial gaming industry. ICRG's close partner (co-sponsoring the AGEM-AGA Golf Classic and Sports Wagering Research Fund), but AGA represents operators broadly rather than specializing in research; it is a comparable but larger stakeholder with overlapping constituents.
Regional players
- GambleAware: UK charity that funds research, education, and treatment for gambling harm. Functionally similar to ICRG in funding independent research and education on responsible gambling, but operates in the UK under different regulatory arrangements.
- Gambling Research Australia: Australian government-funded initiative that commissions and disseminates independent gambling research. Comparable to ICRG's research-funding model but publicly funded and serving the Australian market, providing a regional alternative that pressures private, industry-funded models.
- GamCare: UK-based charity providing information, advice, and treatment for problem gamblers. Comparable to ICRG as a nonprofit delivering gambling harm education and treatment services, but serving primarily the UK market, providing a regional counterpoint to ICRG's North American footprint.
Others
- Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM): Trade association of gaming equipment manufacturers that co-sponsors the AGEM-AGA Golf Classic with ICRG. Related to ICRG as a long-standing strategic partner and donor constituency; comparable only as an ecosystem participant supporting responsible gaming initiatives, not a research peer.
- National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA): Trade association representing tribal gaming operators and tribal governments. Related to ICRG's tribal engagement work as an ecosystem partner and potential donor constituency, but focused on tribal sovereignty and operator advocacy rather than research.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ICRG social profiles
Digital presenceICRG financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ICRG leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
ICRG subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
ICRG funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
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ICRG M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about ICRG
What does ICRG do?
ICRG is a nonprofit research funding organization that funds peer-reviewed scientific research on gambling disorder and responsible gaming through a competitive grant program, and disseminates evidence-based educational resources including the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS) screening tool, the Gambling and Health Series guidebooks, an annual conference held alongside G2E, and continuing education webinars. All offerings are provided free of charge and supported by donations from the gaming industry, with a strict scientific firewall ensuring research independence.
Is ICRG a public or private company?
ICRG is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ICRG founded?
ICRG was founded in 1996. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ICRG based?
ICRG is headquartered in Beverly, United States, in the North America region.
How does ICRG make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are ICRG's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Council on Problem Gambling, Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance (Harvard Medical School), UNLV International Gaming Institute and Responsible Gambling Council. American Gaming Association (AGA) is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are GambleAware, Gambling Research Australia and GamCare. Others are Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) and National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA).
Does ICRG have an API?
No public API is recorded for ICRG.
What industry is ICRG in?
ICRG's product category is Responsible Gaming Research & Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEAOAG, Game Testing, Certification & Technical Compliance (GLI/eCOGRA, RNG, lab services). Its NAICS code is 541720.