GambleAware commits £4m to UK’s first gambling research hub

The responsible gambling charity GambleAware has committed £4m to help fund what will be the first academic research hub in the UK specialising in gambling harm and societal impact.  

UK.- GambleAware has committed funding to help establish the UK’s first hub for academic research into gambling harm. The charity will also help define the hub’s research capabilities and objectives.

It said the hub would apply a “public health lens” to the impact of gambling harms. Supported by a single academic institution, it will inform stakeholders on relevant insights to prevent and reduce gambling harms, addictions and behavioural disorders.

GambleAware said: “The ambition is for the Academic Research Hub to have a significant impact on the whole gambling landscape, both within Great Britain and across the globe, through the inclusion of new and diverse areas of research.”

It said it had approached top universities in R&D to invite applications for its funding, targeting those with experience in areas relevant to gambling behaviours and societal harms. 

The charity’s research Director Alison Clare, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for a British university to develop and innovate in a relatively under-researched field, bringing to bear a much wider range of academic disciplines than are currently engaged in gambling harms research.

“With this significant investment, a British university and its partners will have the chance to create a step-change in building knowledge in an area which links and overlaps with many other subjects and fields.”

She added: “It’s a different type of grant award to the smaller projects and programmes in our current research portfolio, with GambleAware taking a much more arm’s length approach in guiding the area of research focus.

“Our main criteria is that universities apply a multi-disciplinary, public health lens in setting out the rationale for their chosen research area. From our early discussions with selected universities, we’re expecting some very creative and innovative proposals at the initial Expression of Interest stage.”

This week, GambleAware relaunched its Bet Regret campaign on television, radio and digital platforms in Britain to coincide with the start of the new Premier League football season. Aimed at 18 to 34-year-old frequent sports bettors, the campaign also includes actions in and around football stadiums.

The adverts feature a theme based on the concept of “tapping out for time out”, which encourages players to pause and leave a betting app to give themselves time to think before betting impulsively.

See also: GambleAware to award PhD grants for safer gambling research