AMA and Greens urge University of Sydney to return gambling funding

The university’s Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research received funding from the International Centre for Responsible Gambling.

Australia.- The Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the Australian Greens have voiced concerns over The University of Sydney’s decision to accept gambling industry funding for its Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research continues to raise criticism and questioning. They say funding from the International Centre for Responsible Gambling (ICRG) could cause conflicts of interest.

Dr. Steve Robson, president of the AMA, urged the university to reconsider the funding arrangement, citing parallels to past instances of industry-funded research influencing policy decisions.

Robson told The Guardian: “As both the federal president of the Australian Medical Association and a University of Sydney alumnus, I am calling on the university leadership to reflect on the credibility that industry-funded research will have with the community and read the room.”

Mehreen Faruqi, deputy leader of the Greens, called for the university to return the funds, highlighting the perceived compromised nature of corporate-university partnerships. 

Faruqi stated: “Sydney University needs to hand back the money and rule out any future partnerships with the gambling industry, which only serve to launder the industry’s reputation at the expense of research integrity.”

Major funders of the ICRG include MGM Resorts International, Caesars Foundation, Bally’s Corporation, Sands Inc, Wynn Resorts, Boyd Gaming Corporation, DraftKings, FanDuel and poker machine company IGT. Its board of directors includes executives from US-based casino resorts. According to The Guardian, the ICRG also has support from Sportsbet and Entain. The latter operates the Ladbrokes and Neds brands in Australia.