Dr. Bo Bernhard

A 5th generation Nevadan, Dr. Bo Bernhard calls Las Vegas home, but he works frequently in jurisdictions all around the world as well as dozens of states across the country.Dr. Bernhard began his academic career at Harvard University, where he wrote a magna cum laude thesis on the impacts of the global gaming industry. By the age of 30, had presented this research on six continents.

After earning his Ph.D. in 2002, Dr. Bernhard was named the inaugural Research Director at the UNLV International Gaming Institute. In 2013, he was named Executive Director at the IGI, where he now oversees a team of 38 thought leaders who tackle the global gaming industry’s most vexing problems.

Representing the university and the IGI, Dr. Bernhard has delivered over 250 keynote addresses in clinical, regulatory, government, and policy settings.

In 2016, he was given the Harry Reid Silver State Research Award, making him the only individual in the history of UNLV to win its top research and teaching awards. Since 2016, he has held the Philip G. Satre Chair, the most prestigious chair in the academic field of gambling studies.