Latest / PHLV Radio / Mindful Play: Responsible Gaming in Casinos [#FilAmInFocus]

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Mindful Play: Responsible Gaming in Casinos [#FilAmInFocus] · PHLV Radio

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  Speaker 1: Muna's Ancient Community Development Council in both Philam and Focus
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  mondays of twelve million right here on h Helvy Radio.
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  Speaker 2: Them have with Pasa in Lahad and welcome to phil
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  in Focus brought to you by the Asian Community Development
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  Council or ACBC. Here we explore the important issues, challenges
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  and opportunities impacting Filipino Americans as well as the wider
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  Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Acopo a host Ado
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  Vicelano and I am happy to welcome you to today's conversation.
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  So mayon, we will be diving into a critical and
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  often overlook topic, responsible gaming, with a very special guest.
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  So joining us is Karenine Le Jugan, the director of
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  Responsible Gaming Program at Caesar's Entertainment. Caroline also serves as
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  a Vice president of the Board of Directors for the
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  Nevada Council on Program Problem Gampling and as a board
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  member at the Asian Community Development Council. So with deep
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  experience in both gaming operations and community wellness, karenin plays
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  a key role in promoting a safe and informed gaming environment.
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  Touch us with Caesar's Enter Caesar's Ballace, but across our
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  wider community. So again, thank you Karenen for being here.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you Guyce for having me. I'm excited about this.
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  I'm excited interviewing you. But let's start with your role.
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  You're the director of.
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  Speaker 2: Responsible Gaming at Caesar's Entertainment.
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  Speaker 1: Yes, i am. You know, I've been with the company
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  now for twenty five years, and my majority of my
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  tenure there has been assisting with ensuring that we have
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  a responsible gaming program, ensuring that we you know, we
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  ensure that our standards are implemented across the company, which
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  includes fifty five properties across the US, one in Canada
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  it's called Caesars Windsor, and also on our online gaming
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  platforms as well.
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  Speaker 2: Wow, it's so amazing, like huge, huge responsibility.
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  Speaker 1: It sure is, But you mentioned that, so your role.
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  Speaker 2: Is all about also balance is not making sure that
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  there's a balance of xcitement as well as a commitment
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  to ensuring the guests have an experience, yes, and also
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  having a responsibility for the community.
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  Speaker 1: We sure do. We want every visitor that comes to
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  a Caesar's property, which includes our famous world you know,
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  worldwide properties here in Las Vegas, the opportunity to visit us.
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  We want them to enjoy. Our hospitality amenities are you know,
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  chef inspired, celebrity restaurants, the shows you know we have
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  Kelly Clarkson happening at the Coliseum at Caesars Palace, we
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  have shows over a planet Hollywood. And our business also
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  is includes entertainment, which is gambling. So we offer a
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  wide array of hospitality amenities. Gambling is one of.
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  Speaker 2: Them, and gambling is also that's fascinating and gambling is
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  also a common social activity among the A NHBI communities.
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  But it can also bring some risk. So that's why
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  your company is promoting responsible gaming and awareness. So it's
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  important to really help everyone to do play safe and
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  support if needed. So from a broader perspective, how does
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  Sezars approach responsible gaming as part of its mission.
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  Speaker 1: Well, first of all, it has to start with training
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  with our team members. So one of our initiatives is
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  to ensure that all team members who are employed by
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  Caesars Entertainment receives responsible gaining education and awareness training. What
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  is responsible gaming, what is problem gambling and how do
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  we approach it. If we identify that one of our
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  customers may be having an issue, right, we don't want
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  our team members to sweep a problem under the rug.
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  We want them to address it. So through training, we
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  empower them to report commons or statements that are made
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  by our customers, whether it be on person or online
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  through chat or text.
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  Speaker 2: I see, and it's actually Responsible Gaming Education month.
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  Speaker 1: Yes, it is. The entire month of September is Responsible
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  Gaming Education Month. We have our gaming operator friends throughout
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  the country that talks about, you know, all their responsible
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  gaming work that they do and the training that they
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  also provide to their team members.
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  Speaker 2: So it's a perfect time also to talk about it
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  to raise awareness and in practice you mentioned earlier is
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  making sure you prepare your staff for for providing information
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  as being the will act well to the to your customers. Yes,
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  and can you tell more about the initiatives that Caesars
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  has implemented to foster responsible gaming?
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  Speaker 1: Yeah? Sure. So you know, when our customer, when our
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  team members are on the gaming floor, you know, we
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  want to provide the gold standard customer service. But when
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  it comes down to gambling and we hear a customer
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  make a statement or comment like you know, I'm gambling
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  my mortgage money away or my wife, you know it's
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  going to be upset at me, or you know, a
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  family member will be upset at me because I spend
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  all our money so we can't buy food or we
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  can't buy gas for the car. Those are triggering statements
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  that our team members are listening for, and if they
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  hear a statement or comment that concerns them, they will
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  report it to their supervisor. Oh wow, yeah, so they'll
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  report it to their supervisor. And we have skilled supervisors
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  and managers who we refer to as responsible gaming ambassadors,
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  and that responsible gaming ambassador will then have a conversation
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  with that one individual or that one guest or that
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  family friend or that family member.
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  Speaker 2: Oh that's excellent to know. So you're providing your team
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  members to have that, giving them tools to be able
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  to have to identify those signs as well as with
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  the guests, you're providing them tools. Do will have more
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  maybe informed.
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  Speaker 1: Choices exactly exactly informed choices, such as setting a budget
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  when you gamble, you know, setting a time limit at
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  the casino or online, setting a deposit limit online as well.
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  You know, online gamling has become more prevalent. It's become
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  more popular amongst the you know, younger generation because you know,
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  your mobile phone is everything today, right, and there's so
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  many sports matting applications that people can access throughout the country.
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  You know, they need to be aware of the responsible
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  gaming tools that are available to them. We want them
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  to enjoy those online gamling products, but if they identify
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  with having a problem, what powers them to set those
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  card rolls up for them through online gambling.
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  Speaker 2: And having those bad boundaries and exactly. It's interesting that
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  you mentioned that it's we have a growing number with
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  a problem with the youth, because of course, I mean
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  there's a stereotype that mostly the retired exactly community will
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  be like more on the gambling, but there is also
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  growing uh with the with increases with the youth. And
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  you mentioned earlier is that there are some science but
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  for our listeners who are less familiar, what are the
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  other deltaing science tool that someone may be struggling.
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  Speaker 1: With gambling finances? So that's a big, you know, big situation.
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  You know, are they exceeding their limit when they're withdrawing
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  money from you know the ATMs you know on the
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  casino floor, right, you know, the capability to have a
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  open communication with your friend or your spouse about your gambling,
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  lying about where you are, you know, where are you
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  after hours? You know, w are you at work? You know,
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  And some people will say, you know, they were at
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  some location when actually there were at you know, the casinos. Now,
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  casino gambling is not bad, but when someone you know
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  does have a problem with it, you know, we don't
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  want them to be on our on our property, we
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  don't want them to be at any gaming operation. So
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  those are some of the signs, but particularly when they're
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  making comments or statements, and it may also include a
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  suicidal statement. You know, I'm gonna, you know, hurt myself
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  because now I don't I've you know, gambled away all
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  my money. I don't have any money. Those are so
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  important because suicide is you know, one of those situations
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  where a problem gambler, it's an idealistic situation. A lot
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  of times they see their only way out, you know,
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  through self harm, and we don't want that to ever happen.
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  Speaker 2: It's unfortunately, and I'm glad we're having this conversation because
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  it's really tough for someone to recognize those signs, especially
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  on yourself or even on your loved one. So that's
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  why having this having this conversation as well as having
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  this month being responsible gaming education is very vital through
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  ensure that our community is in formed. So if for
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  our listeners, if you know anyone who may be struggling,
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  reach out, help them, reach out for support, and and
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  that I believe can make all the difference.
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  Speaker 1: Sure can, yes.
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  Speaker 2: And so if someone notices those signs in themselves or
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  someone they care about, what resources are available that either
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  czars or more broadly have.
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  Speaker 1: I would recommend if you you know, identify with having
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  a gambling problem or your family member or friend that
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  you're concerned about for help resources, call the what eight
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  hundred gambler number. It's a national number and it'll direct
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  you to help resources anywhere in the country and you
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  will be connected with your local treatment providers, problem gambling counselors,
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  gambling anonym you know, a non gambler's anonymous like alcohol anonymous.
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  There are groups throughout the country that have this fellowship
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  in these meetings for people with problem gambling. Another great
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  program is the Gamanon program for family and friends of
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  the problem gambler. But you know, always start with contacting
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  one eight hundred gambler.
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  Speaker 2: I see, and then also beyond cesars like the organization
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  Nevada Council Problem Gambling. It provides support and helplines.
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  Speaker 1: Sure it sure does. Yes, Nevada Council on Problem Gambling
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  is another great resource here in Nevada. The National Council
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  on Problem Gambling is another great resource for people that
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  want to learn more about problem gambling. You know, the
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  signs and the symptoms and the you know, helpline numbers
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  throughout the country and where to get help.
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  Speaker 2: Are there also treatment options for those who are struggling.
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  Speaker 1: Yes, there are treatment options. There are counselors that are
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  readily available, you know, to have that counseling session. There's
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  also some some places offer in treatment facilities or outpatient
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  treatment as well.
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  Speaker 2: I see, and then that's czars. If you see that
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  the guests, you direct them towards those resources.
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  Speaker 1: Yes, our Responsible Gaming Ambassadors will direct those individuals to
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  the helpline number and then provide the local help resources
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  that are available.
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  Speaker 2: So it's amazing to know, yes, because not everybody knows
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  about it that it's available, especially it's one of your initiatives.
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  That's z RS. That's excellent to know. And then again
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  the key is ready to reach out.
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  Speaker 1: Reach out for help. Yes, please these Problem gambling is
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  a diagnosable mental illness. Like any health issue, problem gambling
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  is one of them diagnosable diagnosable and is stated in
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  the DSM five. So please reach out for help. We
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  want to break the stigma about problem gambling or being
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  a problem gambler, you know, we want to normalize the
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  conversation about problem gambling. A lot of you know, people,
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  especially in the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander community,
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  they don't want to talk about problem gaming. It's you know,
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  very shameful for themselves and then to the family. And
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  we want to make sure that this stigma is broken.
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  We don't want them to be labeled as a degenerate.
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  That's the worst thing you can ever, you know, say
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  to someone that you are a degenerate gambler.
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  Speaker 2: I mean, yeah, yeah, and yeah, because there's a shame
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  that is exactly yeah, connected to being a gambler or
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  even let's say, in other like being alcoholic or anything.
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  So it's really good to have this conversation and you
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  clearly stated it earlier. Help is available, so reach out
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  to available resources. And it sounds like really education and
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  community engagement are the key pieces to solving or taking
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  out the stigma.
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  Speaker 1: Exactly, which is why I'm here and happy to be here,
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  you know, to share this information with our community, right
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  and to talk about it, and to share that there
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  is help, there is hope. You know, never say there
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  you know, no one can help me, because there is
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  help for people with problem gambling.
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  Speaker 2: Oh I love what you said. There is help and
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  there is hope. Oh that's amazing. Yes, there is chill.
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  That's something that we should tweet about. And there is hope.
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  But then, like what you said, that community awareness is
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  vital really in reducing that stigma and encourages also an
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  early intervention.
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  Speaker 1: Yes, it sure does, and that's where we you know,
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  the company, our company comes in as far as the
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  preventive measures. You know, before you even gamble, set a budget,
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  set a time limit, ensure that you're visiting a casino
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  for entertainment purposes, you know, have fun, go there to socialize,
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  to meet people, watch the show, enjoy the restaurants, you know,
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  if you're able to do that. But yeah, if you're
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  going to the casino to chase your losses or if
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  you're depressed and the casino's like one of the places
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  that you like to go. We don't encourage that by
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  any means. You know, talk to someone, talk to someone,
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  talk to someone and get help.
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  Speaker 2: And then I mean casinos and gambling is also meant
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  to be a fun activity. So I mean, like what
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  you said, set limits, because I remember, if I play
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  the mach twenty dollars, that's it. Even if I win,
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  I set the boundary, like, I'm okay. If I win
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  at the five dollars, that's it. But if I lose, okay,
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  I've already spent twenty dollars.
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  Speaker 1: I'm okay, Yes, yes, yes, set set of budget and advice.
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  I just want to say, not everyone is a problem gambler.
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  According to studies, one to two percent of the adult
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  population here in the United States, you know, identify with
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  a gambling problem. So ninety percent of the population gamble
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  with no issues. It's just the one to two percent.
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  Speaker 2: I see, Okay, And then where shift you shifted towards
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  empowerment power empowerment earlier? So aside from setting limits, what
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  other advice can you give our community and also to
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  be responsible in gambling?
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, you know advice that I would I
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  would always share with you know, my family and my
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  friends is gambling is a form of entertainment, you know,
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  you know, enjoy the atmosphere, Enjoy you know, watching people
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  when you go there. Enjoy the new machines that are
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  being created by a lot of the gaming manufacturers. I
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  mean a lot of them are fun. But do it
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  within limits. Always set a budget, always, you know, set
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  a limit, you know, to how long you're going to
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  be at the casino. You know how often you're going
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  to be there. Always, like anything else, set your guard
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  with guardrails in and always, you know, just be mindful
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  about your play, mindful about the time you spend at
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  the casinos.
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  Speaker 2: Just be mindful. Yes, have fun, but be mindful. And
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  before you wrap up, I mean twenty five years when Caesars,
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  I last.
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  Speaker 1: Twenty five years, it's amazing, it's amazing. You know, I've
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  learned a lot, I've grown professionally a lot. My twenty
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  five years tenure at Caesars Entertainment been a great company
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  for me. I do love what you know, job that
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  I work with my team members, people in the community
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  about responsible gaming. You know, I've been personally involved with
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  family members who have experienced problem gambling, and I'm happy
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  to you know, share the resources with them as well.
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  And I've seen a lot of people here in Las
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  Vegas relocate from Hawaii, where I'm originally from, only to
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  get caught up, you know, in this situation with problem
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  gambling and having to leave because they can't, you know,
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  be in a community where gambling is provided.
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  Speaker 2: But can you share a success story that maybe a
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  time when responsible education made a meaningful impact?
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  Speaker 1: I would say, you know, at Users Entertainment, we conduct
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  employee surveys annually, and whenever we conduct these employee surveys,
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  I am always proud to see that that Caesar's promoting
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  responsible gaming receives the highest rating amongst our team members.
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  And you know that tells me they trust the company
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  to ensure that the customers that are visiting our properties
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  are doing so for the right reason, which is to
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  have fun. And you know, my success story is my
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  team members, you know, having the power or being empowered
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  to say something if they feel a customer of theirs,
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  you know, you know, are in trouble. Yes, so that's
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  my story. I mean we you know, eighteen thousand team
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  members took the survey this year. It's called all In
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  We Win Survey and eighty six percent of our team
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  members identified that we continuously promote responsible gaming at our company.
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  Speaker 2: And it's excellent, truly inspiring. I mean, you're not only
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  empowering you know, our committee members to play responsibly, but
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  also within your our organization, and you're ensuring that the
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  team members are really empowered to speak up when they
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  see something they have to say something. Yes, and then
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  make sure the guest is safe.
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  Speaker 1: Yes, make sure the guest is there for one reason,
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  entertainment purposes. If you feel that there's a concern, team
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  members you know, are empowered to again let their supervisors know. Okay,
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  so that's my success story and I'm going to continue
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  with the story and narrative as long as i'm you know,
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  empowered to do so as well.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, well, thank you for sharing your success story. And
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  I'm sure your team members are very lucky to have
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  you as a boss supporting them.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, and you thank you so much.
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  Speaker 2: Advice for having me any final final advice to any Yeah,
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  I do.
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  Speaker 1: I always want to emphasize and remind people again there's
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  help and hope, you know for problem gambers. You know,
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  if you're if you a friend or a family member,
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  is experience and seeing a gambling problem, you please contact
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  one eight hundred Gambler that's the national Problem Gambling Helpline
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  number for help resources. I mean, come visit our properties,
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  make sure you're having fun, but if there's an issue,
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  you know, say something, our team members will gladly provide
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  you with the help resources available.
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  Speaker 2: Excellent. Well, thank you Caroline for all the work that
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  you do and your insights today as well as you
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  know supporting a CDC.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you so much, my pleasure and you know, I
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  just want to remind everyone it's Responsible Gaming Education month,
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  so look out for those help resources and happy to
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  be here everyone. Please take care.
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  Speaker 2: All right and to our filam in focus listeners remember
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  gaming should always be fun and say so. If you
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  or someone you know may be struggling, help is available
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  and you're not alone. As Caroline said, if there is help,
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  there is hope. So thank you for tuning in to
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  fill them in focus brought to you by the Asian
• 20:54
  Committee Development Council APO in your host a device Solano,
• 20:59
  stay inform and stay engaged. So for more information about
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  ac DC, please visit our website at ac dcanvy dot
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  org and follow us on our social media channels for
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  updates on future events, programs, and podcast episodes about I
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  Mean so soon in the episode Haven't Got Somebody