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30th Anniversary of Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico

3rd Annual Northern New Mexico Conference on Problem Gambling

Jan 28, 2026 | Problem Gambling Conference

The 3rd Annual Northern New Mexico Conference on Problem Gambling – “The Many Paths” Therapist Conference 2026 is coming to Northern New Mexico this spring, bringing together therapists, behavioral health professionals, and community partners for a powerful day of education, collaboration, and professional development.

With the continued expansion of sports gambling and online gaming across the U.S., more individuals and families are being impacted by problem gambling than ever before. In New Mexico alone, accessibility continues to grow through mobile betting, casino gaming, and lottery locations statewide. This increased access has created new challenges for clinicians, counselors, and service providers who are supporting individuals with gambling-related harm and co-occurring mental health conditions. This conference is designed to directly address those challenges by providing practical, evidence-based tools that can be applied in real-world clinical and community settings.

This year’s training will explore a broad range of topics, including:

  • Problem gambling treatment approaches
  • Cultural considerations in therapeutic settings
  • Mindfulness-Based Somatic Emotional Processing (MBSEP)
  • Multi-diagnosis treatment models
  • Trauma-informed care approaches
  • Community-based recovery strategies
  • Ethical considerations in gambling disorder treatment

The conference will be led by Daniel Blackwood, LPCC, IGCC2-BACC, who brings over 40 years of experience in mental health, trauma recovery, addiction treatment, and gambling disorder intervention. His extensive clinical background and practical approach to treatment provide attendees with valuable insights, actionable strategies, and therapeutic frameworks that can be integrated into daily practice across a wide range of behavioral health disciplines.

Event Details:

Location: Santa Claran Hotel Casino

Date: Friday, March 20, 2026

Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

CEUs: 6 CEUs available

Registration: $10

This conference is made possible through the generous support of Santa Claran Hotel Casino, Ohkay Hotel Casino, and Taos Mountain Casino Responsible Gaming Programs, helping ensure accessible, high-quality training opportunities for professionals across Northern New Mexico. Their continued investment in responsible gaming education strengthens prevention efforts, early intervention strategies, and long-term recovery support systems throughout the state.

Register here 

2025 Annual Conference

Aug 13, 2025 | Problem Gambling, Problem Gambling Conference

Last week’s Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico Conference brought together professionals, tribal representatives, and community members from across the state to address the importance of responsible gaming and behavioral health support. As part of the event, we were honored to witness a beautiful performance by the Pueblo of Acoma Dance Group. Thank you to all who attended and contributed to an inspiring and impactful conference.

2025 Problem Gambling Conference

Apr 15, 2025 | Problem Gambling Conference

The Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico’s annual conference on Problem Gambling brings together a diverse array of researchers and industry treatment professionals from all across North America to discuss wide-ranging topics in support of healing from problem gambling. Launched in 1998 by the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico, the conference is the first and largest conference on problem gambling in New Mexico.

 

The 2025 event will be held on Thursday and Friday, July 31 to August 1 at Isleta Resort and Casino. The theme is “The Intersection Between Effective Treatment and Therapist Well-Being”. Click for registration.

The conference, in the pursuit of wellness from problem gambling, covers important topics such as promising and evidence-based treatments from east to west, indigenous, and other cultural points of view, the impact of technology, brain chemistry, trauma, co-contributing mental health issues, and the role of culture in healing. Click here for the agenda for more information. Treatment providers who attend the two-day event can receive 12 CEUs.

Join us for an engaging, two-day conference designed to tackle one of today’s most pressing issues– problem gambling. This event delivers research-driven insights and actionable strategies for professionals addressing gambling-related challenges.

Speakers and Topics scheduled for July 31-August 1 include:
Small Panel Presentation and Discussion: Sarah Nelson PhD, Harvard University and a Treatment Provider from the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations – Building Cultures of Recovery in Tribal Communities

Heather Gray PhD, Harvard University – Gambling and Self-Harm

Noëlla Piquette, PhD, University of Lethbridge – Investigations Related to the Differences between Males and Females with Problem Gambling

Jon Grant PhD – University of Chicago – Improving Access to Care and Treatment Outcomes

Chris Willard, Harvard Medical School – The Neuroscience of Self-Compassion, Mindfulness, and Positive Psychology: Working with the Contagion of Emotional Regulation

Debra Kaplan, MA, MBA – The Power of Maladaptive Daydreaming: Treating Fantasy in Gambling Disorder, Love and Porn Addiction

Joshua Grubbs PhD, Saul Malek, Alexander Connoly– Sports Betting Panel – Three lenses: Research and Trends, Recovering Sports Gambler, and a Sports Bettor who Embraces Harm Reduction

On July 30th, early check-in for those pre-registered will be available from 5pm to 7pm in the convention center. The first 100 people to check in will receive a free book titled “The Red Road to Wellbriety”.

For discounted hotel rooms at $144 per night (plus tax), call 877-475-3827 and use code RGA0725 or book online. Treatment providers can learn more about problem gambling and also access more information and screening tools on our site.

Regional Problem Gambling Conferences in 2025

Feb 27, 2025 | Problem Gambling Conference, RGANM In The News

In an effort to provide continuing education to treatment providers across our large state, the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico holds occasional workshops and symposiums on problem gambling in locations across New Mexico. Information about our annual conference is found here. Here are the more intimate, regional sessions that are scheduled for 2025:

  • September 25-26, 2025 at Inn of the Mountain Gods in Mescalero, NM. This will be a two-day session. Our topic is “Two Roads Meet: Problem Gambling Treatment and Therapist Well-Being”. Presenters will include Daniel Blackwood, David Lente, and Ilse Burton. Register for the session or download the agenda to learn more.
  • October 23-25, 2025 at the Buffalo Thunder Hotel Conference Center. This three-day session on Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories ProtocolTM will focus on problem gambling and trauma treatment. This conference is at capacity. If you’d like to know about other sessions, please email kalika@theevolutiongroup.com.

27th Annual Problem Gambling Conference

Feb 27, 2024 | Problem Gambling Conference

The 27th Annual RGANM Conference on Problem Gambling will focus on “Converging Paths: Culture, Spirituality, Native Ways of Healing, Brain Science, and Honoring the Elderly“. It will be held August 15-16, 2024 at the Isleta Resort & Casino near Albuquerque. Counselors and social workers will earn 12 CEUs including 6 for ethics and 6 for cultural ethics with their attendance.

Speakers scheduled to attend include:

  • Daniel Mate, Co-author of “The Myth of Normal”.
  • Jon Grant, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience
  • Sharon Baty, PhD with a session title How Spiritual Practices May Contribute to Post-Traumatic Growth of Trauma Survivors who Struggle with Gambling and Other Addictions
  • Javoen Byrd and Itza on the Healing Power of Drumming
  • Regina Koupp, PhD on There’s No Expiration Date on Healing and Transformation: How Ageism Keeps Older Adults Out of Gambling Treatment and What You Can Do to Ensure Mental Health Access for All
  • Chris Anderson, LMFT – Encore; The Spirituality of Gambling Addiction
  • Lorenzo Jim, LPCC- Working with Native American Clients, What Therapists Need to Know

Since 1998, just two years after our official beginning, the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico has offered therapists from all over New Mexico to its annual conference to hear from a diverse variety of experts on, mental health, trauma, holistic healing, and recovery from problem gambling and other addictions.
This conference is both a high quality learning experience and a very affordable way to earn 12 CEUs while mingling and catching up with colleagues. Early bird registration is $59 until June 15, 2024, then will be $79.

To register, click here. If you need to be invoiced for your registrations, reach out to Kalika Valerio at kalika@theevolutiongroup.com. For purchase orders, please contact directly (505)242-6988 and ask for Extension 120. Download Agenda.

Isleta Resort & Casino is offering a discounted Room Rate for the 2024 RGANM Conference at $141.00 per night. Reservations must be made before Saturday, July 13, 2024.  Book Hotel Reservations at (877)747-5382 or (505) 724-3800.  You must mention the Meeting Group name: Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico, or use the Group Code: RNM0824.

 

2023 Problem Gambling Conference on Aug. 10-11

Apr 4, 2023 | Problem Gambling Conference

The Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico has scheduled its 26th annual conference on problem gambling, to be held August 10 and 11 at the Buffalo Thunder Resort Casino. The conference theme is “Supporting Today’s Therapist with their Intensifying Caseload”.

The conference will offer behavioral health providers 12 gambling-specific CEUs, including 6 ethics CEUs. To register, click here to complete an off-site registration. The fee will be $59.00 until June 15th, then $69 thereafter and can be paid with any major credit card. When the payment has processed, you’ll receive a registration confirmation letter. The fee includes the two-day conference, lunches and refreshments.

A limited number of discounted hotel rooms are available at nearby hotels. Nightly rates do not include applicable taxes and fees.

  • Buffalo Thunder Resort Casino, $209/night. Call 505-455-5555 or click here.
  • Cities of Gold Casino Hotel, $89/night. Call 505-455-4232 or click here.
  • The Lodge at Santa Fe, $119/night. Call 505-992-5800 or click here.

Speakers and presentations that support our treatment practices will include:

  • Keynote Speaker Dacher Keltner, researcher and author of the best-selling work, “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.”
  • Implications of Big Wins for Gambling Behavior and their Effects on Future Sports Betting with Eric R. Louderback, Ph.D.
  • Supporting Your Mindfulness Practice with Michelle Duval from the Mindful Center
  • Finding Your Best Self: Recovery from Addiction, Trauma, or Both by Lisa Najavitz and presented by Summer Krause
  • Micro-Dosing Assisted Treatment and Therapist Self-Care with Dr. Lida Fatemi
  • The Seeking Safety Adolescent Toolkit, a new work by Summer Krause
  • The Spirituality of Gambling Addiction with Chris Anderson
  • Problem Gambling, Mental Health, and Aging with Regina Koupp, Ph,D.

Questions about the conference can be directed to coordinator, Monique Smith, at 505-242-6988, Ext. 123, or msmith@theevolutiongroup.com.

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