Dr. Bernhard has delivered over four dozen keynote addresses and nearly 100 presentations around the world, and by the end of 2006 he will have lectured on six continents. He has provided testimony in front of a number of state and federal bodies, and has consulted on the design of problem gambling policy in a variety of national and international settings. His international work has recently included visits to Korea, Australia, Canada, Portugal, Brazil, Singapore, and Russia to lecture and advise government entities. In Seoul, Korea and Sydney, Australia, he helped establish Problem Gambling Centers based upon a treatment and research model that originated in Las Vegas. He has worked extensively on responsible gaming policy matters in Singapore, focusing specifically upon lessons that may be learned from other international gaming jurisdictions. His work with the Russian government has included a visit to Moscow to lecture to an audience of cabinet-level officials and to help develop gambling addiction programs that complement their existing services. In 2004, he delivered keynote addresses on problem gambling at two major international conferences: the 25 th International Gaming Law Conference, and the 19 th National Council on Problem Gambling Annual Conference. On a community level, Dr. Bernhard was a primary investigator and author for the first comprehensive Community Assessment ever conducted on Southern Nevada. Sponsored by the United Way, it stands as the most comprehensive (and only) study of its kind on the world’s leading gaming community.
In 2002, Dr. Bernhard’s research and teaching achievements earned him the inaugural Shannon Bybee Award from the Nevada and National Councils on Problem Gambling. He serves as an active member of the boards of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling, the Problem Gambling Center, the National Council on Problem Gambling and the National Center for Responsible Gaming. His community efforts have been recognized by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, which gave him an “Excellence Award” in 2004 and 2005. At UNLV, he has delivered a commencement address, won the “International Scholar” faculty award, and earned a “Dean’s Commendation” in the College of Liberal Arts.
Dr. Bernhard’s publications have emphasized an evaluation of gambling’s impacts from a perspective that blends macro insights from sociology with the micro applications of psychology. Most recently, he was asked to edit a special volume of American Behavioral Scientist that will focus on sociological perspectives on gambling in society. His studies have been highlighted in programs on CNN, CNNfn, CNN Headline News, The Discovery Health Channel, Telemundo, PBS, and The History Channel. A fifth-generation Las Vegan, Dr. Bernhard is currently at work on a book entitled Vice Capades: A Community Perspective on Gambling in Society.