Researchers claim studies funded by new UK gambling levy could have conflict of interest
Some experts argue that the industry should not be invited to contribute to research.
UK.- A group of public health researchers has warned that government-commissioned research funded by the new UK gambling levy will “lead to more harm” for the public due to insufficient policies to prevent conflicts of interest.
Introduced in April, the new mandatory levy replaces the previous system of voluntary donations to GambleAware. The aim is to raise £100m for the “research, prevention, and treatment of gambling harms”, with funds to be administered by the NHS and the Gambling Commission.
The gambling levy rates vary by vertical, from 0.1 per cent of gross gambling revenue (GGR) for remote and non-remote pool betting operations, gambling machine operations and family entertainment centres to 1.1 per cent for online gambling and betting, bingo and software licensees.
Land-based casino and retail betting licensees will pay a rate in the middle of that at 0.5 per cent of GGR. Both remote and non-remote society lottery operating licence holders and external lottery manager operating licence holders will pay a 0.1 per cent rate.
A fifth of the money raised will go to research, led by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The UKRI opened a call for researchers to apply to join its Gambling Harms Research Coordination Centre in June.
But experts have told the British Medical Journal (BMJ) that the call threatens the “opportunity for a fresh start” because current policies “will not protect the research process” from industry influence.
They noted that the UKRI’s call says that industry players are “are eligible and encouraged” to apply for co-leadership roles as part of the funding opportunity, stressing that “partnerships with non-higher education institution organisations,” including in the gaming industry, are essential.
However, some researchers argue that this could leave any new research open to the same accusations of bias that sometimes dogged GambleAware due to its voluntary industry funding. GambleAware will cease operations by March.
