“I’ve believed for a long time the best way to deal with any problem is to fully research and understand every aspect of the problem,” said Christenson, who joined the center’s board in 2001. “The situation with responsible gaming is no different.”

Christenson’s involvement with problem gambling issues goes beyond directing the center’s fund raising efforts and management.

He is chairman of the Governor’s Problem Gambling Advisory Committee in Nevada and has served as a board member of the problem gambling center.

Christenson left Station Casinos in March 2007 after 17 years while the locals casino company was in the process of its management-led buyout.

In May 2007, he was elected to the board of directors of NV Energy Inc., where he is chairman of the audit committee, for a four-year term.

Christenson remains active in Las Vegas as secretary-treasurer and board member of the Nevada Development Authority, chairman of the Nevada State College Foundation and as an adviser to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Business School.

Christenson replaces Phil Satre, the former chairman and chief executive officer of Harrah’s Entertainment, who chaired the center the past three years. Satre, who will remain on the board, said in a statement that Christenson’s history with the center has been “truly invaluable.”

“As a former gaming industry executive, I remain quite passionate about making sure our industry continues to address (problem gambling),” Satre said in a statement.

The foundation is funded by donations from various gaming companies. It has received $7.6 million in funding commitments through 2012 from the gaming industry, according to the foundation’s annual report released in March.

Christenson said the center “still enjoys great support from our donors and most, if not all, have not changed their financial commitment,” despite the economic downturn that has hit the industry.

The center, which is an affiliated charity of the American Gaming Association, has raised more than $22 million since its founding in 1996.

“We want to continue to fund the best (research) proposals that we can,” Christenson said. “We want to develop practical applications that will ultimately help problem gamblers. We want to do things that can assist the gaming companies, the treatment professionals as well as regulators to help address this problem.”

Contact reporter Arnold M. Knightly at aknightly@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.