NCPG Strengthens Advisory Board with New Members

The company has expanded its Advisory Board with new officers who will be helping the organization better guide policies on responsible gambling in North America. Among the new additions is Christopher Hebert, director of the Gaming Division in the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.

New Appointees Strengthen the NCPG

Hebert will step in the position of chair of the advisory board, and he is replacing the outgoing incumbent, Oregon Lottery director of corporate social responsibility, Stacy Shaw. Fittingly, Martin Lycka is the new vice chair. Lycka is Entain Group’s SVP of American regulatory affairs & responsible gambling, and one of the biggest proponents of championing safe gambling practices in the North American market.

Commenting on these appointments, Keith Whyte, NCPG’s executive director, said that he was pleased to expand the NCPG’s board expertise with two important additions. “We are incredibly pleased,” Whyte noted, and said:

They have both been highly engaged leaders in our field for years, and we are excited to utilize their talents and expertise in a new way. I look forward to working closely with the full advisory board to advance the organization’s mission and our ambitious goals for the future.

Keith Whyte, NCPG’s executive director

Hebert was similarly excited to be joining the team. He said that the NCPG had been unrivaled in its efforts to tackle gambling-related harm and bring more awareness to the issue. Hebert called the opportunity humbling and he intended to give it his best and serve as advisory board chair to the benefit of the organization and consumers in North America.

He is a well-seasoned veteran with a lot of fitting legal background. Hebert served for more than 17 years as assistant attorney general and has worked actively on the creation of the Problem Gambling Resource Services program which he collaborated on with the Louisiana Department of Health.

Responsible Gambling Is the Ultimate Goal

The goal of the program is to help promote awareness for responsible gambling while addressing problem gambling and abolishing gambling-related stigma, helping vulnerable individuals get linked with treatment options.

Lycka was similarly excited at this fresh opportunity. As a trustee at the Entain Foundation US, a different entity set up to specifically look into responsible gambling, corporate compliance and sports integrity, he has been intimately involved with promoting the principles of safer gambling.

“The National Council on Problem Gambling is widely recognized as a nationwide leader in problem gambling awareness, education, and advocacy,” Lycka stated in welcoming his new appointment and said that he will be honored to be the vice chair and help forward the NCPG cause.