The Better Gambling Forum (BGF), an initiative of the Brain Capital Alliance developed in collaboration with the G7/G20, United Nations, and World Economic Forum, has officially launched its Responsible Gambling Practice and Policy Pillars (RG3P) Framework. The announcement took place during the United Nations General Assembly at the Hard Rock Hotel in New York.
The RG3P Framework introduces six core pillars designed to guide global policymaking around responsible gambling, player protection, and harm prevention through a public health and brain health perspective. These include areas such as education, informed choice, risk detection, treatment, ethical industry standards, and research. The framework is positioned as a unifying reference point intended to complement existing responsible gambling initiatives by promoting coordination between regulators, operators, and public health stakeholders.
Shawn Fluharty, Chair of the BGF Steering Committee and Head of Government Affairs at Play’n GO, said the initiative reflects an increasing need for consistent, evidence-based approaches to gambling-related harm across jurisdictions. Fluharty described the effort as a move to “future-proof gambling and public health policy” by scaling best practices that can be adopted internationally.
All framework recommendations and research outputs are overseen by an independent Scientific Oversight Committee to ensure scientific integrity and ethical governance. The BGF initiative represents one of the most formalised attempts to date to align the global igaming industry, policymakers, and health organisations around a shared model for responsible gambling.
Shawn Fluharty, Chair of the BGF Steering Committee and Head of Government Affairs at Play’n GO, said: “This initiative, a response to the growing need for coordinated, evidence-based responses to gambling-related harm, aims to future-proof gambling and public health policy by identifying and elevating scalable, evidence-informed practices.”
Francis Keyser, a committee member and SVP of Product at Everi Holdings Inc, stated: “Gambling has long been a source of entertainment and economic activity. It is not inherently harmful, but as it becomes more embedded in digital environments, it can contribute to mental health challenges and societal strain, particularly among youth. The six pillars of the RG3P Framework are designed to address this challenge and serve as a foundational structure for jurisdictions seeking to create a ‘gold standard’ guide for gambling awareness, treatment programs, and regulations.”
Paul Pellizzari, a committee member and Vice President of Hard Rock International & Seminole Gaming, said: “Our mission is to create a practical, comprehensive framework that can be adopted across jurisdictions to strengthen existing player protection measures. By focusing on these six pillars, we can provide a clear and actionable path forward that puts public and brain health first.”
