SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) has issued an invitation to tender for a new programme of research into remote gambling behaviour. The programme provides total funding for relevant research projects of up to £500,000 to be delivered over a period of 18 months.
The Responsible Gambling Trust is an independent national charity funded by donations from the gambling industry, and funds education, prevention and treatment services and commissions research to broaden public understanding of gambling-related harm.
The overall aim of the research programme is to inform practical applications of harm minimisation for remote gambling operators serving British consumers. The research programme will explore the potential of behavioural analytics and industry-held data in the remote gambling sector to indicate markers or patterns of behaviour which may be indicative of gambling-related harm and mitigate such risks or harms. RGT has already confirmed participation in this research programme from multiple remote operators.
This invitation to tender has been issued to ensure that all capable parties are given the opportunity to participate in the programme of research. RGT remains open-minded to innovative approaches both in relation to the research focus and to the methodological approach. RGT also invites research proposals that do not necessarily involve behavioural analytics or industry data but would inform the practical applications of harm minimisation practices in the remote gambling industry.
Deadline for applications is Friday 24 April 2015.
Marc Etches, Chief Executive of the Responsible Gambling Trust, said: “Simply put the Responsible Gambling Trust’s research remit is to understand how to prevent people getting into trouble and how best to help them out of it. Since the charity was established in 2012, the Responsible Gambling Trust has commissioned and published a number of high quality evidence reviews focused on harm minimisation and published a significant body of independent research into B2 gaming machines in December 2014. It is our intention that this new programme of research will, once again, add to the UK’s reputation as a world-leader in responsible gambling research.”
Professor Jo Wolff, Chair of the Responsible Gambling Trust’s Research Committee, said: “All research is commissioned by Independent Trustees sitting on the Responsible Gambling Trust’s Research Committee in order to ensure that it is free from the potential for industry influence. The access to data and technical assistance from remote gambling operators which the Responsible Gambling Trust is able to facilitate is a rare opportunity for researchers and will make the outcomes truly meaningful. The Research Committee is keen to receive proposals from anyone with relevant expertise and has issued this tender to ensure we reach the widest possible audience.”
