Les Bernal

Les is the National Director of Stop Predatory Gambling, a 501c3 non-profit advocacy network of individuals and partner groups from all political stripes with members in all 50 states and its mission is to reveal the truth behind gambling operators to prevent more victims. He has served as National Director since 2008, when the national network grew into Stop Predatory Gambling.

Les has spoken and written extensively about commercialized gambling operators and their business practices, including regional casinos, state lotteries, online gambling, and commercialized sports betting. He has testified before Congress and more than thirty state legislatures. He has been cited by more than 700 newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. He has appeared on national television and radio including 60 Minutes, PBS NewsHour, CNN, Fox News Channel, National Public Radio, CNBC, The BBC, and MSNBC.  He has also spoken before more than 1000 business organizations, college audiences, and faith groups across the nation.

Before joining Stop Predatory Gambling, Les served as Chief of Staff in the Massachusetts State Senate and worked as a campaign strategist on more than 40 federal and state campaigns. He is also a former high school and college men’s basketball coach, founder of the Robert Frost Foundation in Lawrence, Massachusetts- the hometown of America’s favorite poet – and a past chairman of the city’s Planning Board. He is a member of St. Patrick Parish, a Roman Catholic community in Lawrence.