Shane W. Kraus

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Director, UNLV Behavioral Addictions Lab
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, UNLV School of Medicine
Expertise: Addiction, Substance Use, Gambling, Veteran Mental Health, Compulsive Sexual Behavior, Psychopathology

Biography

Shane W. Kraus is a licensed clinical psychologist and expert in psychopathology (the study of mental or behavioral disorders), sexual trauma, substance use disorders, gambling disorders, addictions, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD). 

An associate professor of psychology, Kraus uses behavioral, epidemiological, and neurobiological methods to assess factors that contribute to the development of addictive behaviors and other co-occurring psychiatric disorders among at-risk groups. 

He has published extensively on sexual behavior and was part of the World Health Organization working group who put forth the diagnostic criteria for CSBD for ICD-11. His gambling research is also exploring effective screening approaches for identifying individuals with problem gambling.

 

Education

  • B.S. Criminology, California State University, Fresno (2003)
  • M.A. Forensic Psychology, Castleton University (2007)
  • PHD Clinical Psychology, Bowling Green State University (2013)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry (2016)

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Shane W. Kraus In The News

Gambling News
Las Vegas experts are pushing the gambling industry to reconsider how it handles responsible gaming. They stress the need for better communication and stronger consumer protections. At a recent conference, experts from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) pointed out that the talk about responsible gambling has not worked well. This has led to wrong ideas and few players getting involved.
CDC Gaming
Las Vegas-based experts have outlined the emerging topics on responsible gaming in 2025, including the changing terminology around the subject and what the industry should be doing instead.
Sportsbook Review
It's something that everyone hears about now and our best sports betting sites are already using in a variety of ways: artificial intelligence. AI is fast becoming a part of the US sports betting landscape, and more operators are expected to embrace its possibilities in the future. Sites like SportsLine are using AI modeling to provide the most accurate odds and betting predictions possible, allowing AI data models to consider thousands of data points like past player performances, weather, and injuries to make connections between this data and produce the most accurate predictions. These AI models can simulate data conditions thousands of times to give the most likely result.
Washington Post
As sports betting becomes normalized, more and more teenagers are betting on games.

Articles Featuring Shane W. Kraus

spring flowers
Campus News | March 6, 2025

The rosiest headlines and highlights featuring the students and faculty of UNLV.

A UNLV student studies with the Strip in the distance.
Campus News | February 4, 2025

Headlines and highlights featuring the students and faculty of UNLV.

UNLV XMAS
Campus News | December 3, 2024

This month’s frosty headlines and highlights from the students and faculty of UNLV.

Undergrad researcher Benjamin Sabir helps H. Jeremy Cho examine an atmospheric water harvesting device. (Jeff Scheid/UNLV)
Campus News | October 1, 2024

A monthly roundup of the top news stories featuring UNLV staff and students.