Hard Rock International Launches Industry-First Player Health Integration With Almond at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati

Initiative builds on Hard Rock’s PlayersEdge program by pairing on-property digital support with independent academic evaluation

CINCINNATI, OH, UNITED STATES, March 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Hard Rock International today announced an industry-first expansion of its responsible gambling and player health efforts at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati, integrating Almond Digital Health directly into the gaming environment as a digital extension of Hard Rock’s PlayersEdge responsible gaming program.

Beginning in March 2026, Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati guests will have access to a pilot project launch of Almond, a multilingual and anonymous digital resource designed to support healthier gambling behaviors and provide pathways to additional help for players and their loved ones. The integration is designed to complement and build upon PlayersEdge by extending its reach beyond awareness and education into ongoing, self-directed digital support.

The initiative brings together Hard Rock International, Almond Digital Health, and Everi™, an IGT™ brand, technology to align PlayersEdge communications with existing on-property systems to make support more visible, accessible, and timely within the guest experience.

While PlayersEdge has long focused on education, transparency, and responsible play messaging, the addition of Almond introduces an industry-first layer of digital engagement that allows guests to privately explore tools, resources, and support options at their own pace, directly within the gaming environment.

As part of this initiative, outcomes and engagement will be independently evaluated by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, assessing how integrated digital supports layered onto established responsible gaming programs influence awareness, engagement, and help-seeking behavior in real-world casino settings.

“Digital tools have the potential to play an important role in helping people reflect on their decisions and behaviors in real time,” said Michael Platt, Ph.D., Director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania. “Studying how these kinds of tools function in real-world environments like casinos will provide valuable insights into how technology can support healthier decision-making.”

“PlayersEdge has always been about empowering our guests with information and support to make informed choices,” said Paul Pellizzari, Vice President of Global Social Responsibility at Hard Rock International. “This industry-first integration builds on that foundation by extending PlayersEdge into a digital environment, pairing clear communication with accessible tools and subjecting the approach to independent academic evaluation so we can continue to learn and improve.”

Kevin Winters, Chief Executive Officer of Almond Digital Health, said: “The most effective responsible gambling strategies don’t replace what works—they build on it. By integrating Almond as a digital extension of PlayersEdge, Hard Rock is expanding access to private, early support in a way that respects player choice and strengthens an already established responsible gaming program.”

Bo Guidry, President of Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati added: “For our property, this initiative enhances PlayersEdge by giving guests an additional, discreet way to engage with player health resources while maintaining the high standards of responsible gaming our patrons expect.”

“As the issue of cultivating responsible gaming for consumers continues to be necessary, innovative, and forward-looking ideas are required to address it. I’m proud to see Hard Rock Casino in Cincinnati partner with Almond Digital Health to create the programs needed to support healthier gambling behaviors. Focusing on the health of gaming consumers will provide them with a foundation to fall back on should they need it.” said Ohio State Senator Louis Blessing III (R-Colerain Township).

The initiative supports continued collaboration between operators, technology providers, and academic and public-health stakeholders to advance evidence-based approaches to player protection and harm prevention.

Further updates on responsible gambling initiatives at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati will be shared throughout 2026.

Kevin Winters
Almond Digital Health
kevin@almonddigitalhealth.com
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