Sydney Smith

She is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, and has devoted over 18 years to the behavioral health field, working extensively in tribal communities as well as larger metropolitan area throughout the US.  She has spent the majority of her career in clinical practice as a psychotherapist, focusing on problem gambling and responsible gaming (RG).  

Ms.Smith has worked as a behavioral researcher with the Desert Research Institute(DRI) and the UCLA Department of Psychiatry, including research focused on problem gambling within tribal communities.  She is the founder of RISE Center for Recovery, a comprehensive addiction treatment center focused on problem gambling treatment, prevention, education, and recovery. She is also the founder of Responsible Gaming Technology (RGT) and serves as an International Responsible Gambling Consultant, combining her unique experience in the gaming industry with her clinical skill set to realize her passion for facilitating education, development, and implementation of RG practices in the global gaming industry, including in Japan, Korea, Malta, and Canada. She has also served as a consultant to international gaming companies in their efforts to develop integrated casino resorts in Japan.  

Ms.Smith also conducts responsible gaming and problem gambling trainings for professional sports franchises such as UFC, MLB, and the Las Vegas Raiders of the NFL.  She is an advocate for the promotion of RG and problem gambling education and awareness efforts, and is dedicated to helping the gaming industry create RG programs that make good business sense to the industry while decreasing the potential for gambling-related harm.

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