Current research projects
Economic and Social Research Council - RIGT collaboratively funded projects
Dr Gerda Reith: “Situating Problem Gambling: The Social Context of 'Gambling Careers.'” Glasgow University.
Routes in and out of problem gambling are the subject of a study led by Dr Gerda Reith, of the University of Glasgow, along with colleagues at the Scottish Centre for Social Research. Exploring the motivations, self perceptions and social backgrounds of those both with and without problems, researchers are drawing out the meanings that gambling has for a range of different types of players, and discovering how these influence their behaviour over time. Work is focusing on key stages of gambling ‘careers’, such as beginning gambling, moving into and out of problem behaviour, entering treatment, and natural recovery.
Dr Rebecca Cassidy: “Assessing the distinction between problem and non-problem gambling in the UK: an anthropological approach.” Goldsmiths College.
Betting shops and London’s Chinatown are the backdrop to research at Goldsmiths University of London looking at understanding gambling as an aspect of everyday lives. So far, Dr Rebecca Cassidy has visited more than 200 betting shops, becoming a regular in eight. She has twice trained and worked as a bookmaker’s cashier, attended magistrate court licensing hearings, and spoken with a wide range of individuals and bodies. PhD student Claire Loussouarn will be looking at gambling among London’s Chinese community. Both strands involve observing gamblers and collecting their life stories so as to explore the distinction between gambling and ‘problem gambling’.
Dr Luke Clark: “Gambling-related brain responses in social and problem gamblers.” Cambridge University.
Dr Luke Clark and Professor Trevor Robbins of the University of Cambridge - world authorities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning for compulsive behaviours - are using advances in brain imaging to discover why people gamble even though ‘the house always wins’. Through experiments measuring brain activity in regular gamblers while they play gambling games, the researchers are investigating ways in which people over-estimate their chances of winning, including the effects of ‘near-misses’ and ‘personal choice’. The research has important implications for treatment of problem gambling, using both pharmacological and psychological therapies, and may help future legislators protect vulnerable individuals.
Dr Stephanie Van Goozen: “Assessment of Cognitive Models that Inform Deterring Young Vulnerable Gamblers.” Cardiff University.
Decision-making ability and gambling behaviour among young offenders are being investigated by researchers at the University of Cardiff, led by Dr Stephanie Van Goozen and Dr Simon Moore. Drawing on official records and screening tests, they are studying the relationship between problem gambling and individual differences in such things as risk-taking, decision-making, sensitivity to reward and punishment, and level of self- control. Using the ESRC-funded British Household Panel Survey, which follows a representative sample of thousands of individuals over a period of years, they aim to see whether their living environment impacts on disorderly behaviour and impulse spending.
Professor Gill Valentine: “New forms of participation: problem Internet gambling and the role of the family.” Leeds University.
Researchers at Leeds University, led by Professor Gill Valentine, aim to provide new insights into the role of families in gamblers’ journeys into and out of problem internet gambling. They are looking, also, at whether Internet gambling attracts people who would not consider using betting shops or casinos. An online survey is gathering information from e-gamblers, while researchers conduct life history interviews with people who describe their Internet gambling as problematic, ‘Significant others’ such as the gambler’s partner, are also being asked about their attitudes towards on-line gambling, how it has affected their lives, and their role in helping them find a way out.
Dr Robert Rogers: “A web-based survey of the clinical and psychological characteristics of internet gamblers.” Oxford University.
A web-based survey of users of online gambling sites will help find out more about how people use these services, and the characteristics of those people who use online gambling sites a little, as opposed to those who use them a lot. The research is being carried out by The Oxford Internet Institute (OII) and University Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, lead by Robert Rogers. Improving our understanding of the way people gamble online, and the effects of the internet on gambling behaviour, will assist the development of interventions for people who develop problems using online gambling services. The results of the survey will also have the potential to inform the future regulation of online gambling in the United Kingdom.
Directly funded projects
Dr Richard Wood: “An exploratory investigation of the effectiveness of UK online support forums for helping problem gamblers and their partners, relatives and friends.” GamRes. Completed in 2008.
The project investigated how UK support forums can best help problem gamblers to abstain from, or effectively control, their gambling behaviour. It examined those features that facilitate control, or abstinence, from gambling as well as those features that may be detrimental to those goals. The project also made recommendations as to how the effectiveness of online problem gambling forums can be maximised. The research examined both the nature of problem gambling support forums through content and thematic analysis, as well as focusing upon the experiences and motivations of those clients who use those services, through interviews and a questionnaire. Participants, self-defined problem gamblers, were sought from UK based forums that focus on supporting problem gamblers and/or their relatives and friends.
Professor Corinne May-Chahal: “Development of Gambling Awareness and Treatment materials for Criminal Justice Services.” Lancaster University.
This project will facilitate the development of an evidence based response to the issue of problem gambling within the prison population. The step care model appears to offer the most promising framework for the treatment of problem gamblers whether inside or outside prison. Drawing on existing public and youth education materials both in the UK and abroad the project will develop an integrated programme which both raises awareness and provides a Framework of Offender Care for Problem Gambling.
Professor Roslyn Corney: “Women who gamble from home: a qualitative study of their history of gambling, its impact and the perceived barriers to seeking help.” Greenwich University.
This project examines the pathway from starting to gamble to it becoming a problem for women who gamble from home. It also focuses on the barriers to seeking help in women. The study is a qualitative study of thirty female problem gamblers. The focus is on those who gamble mostly from home, as it seems highly likely that this type of gambling will increase. Conducting a qualitative study provides the opportunity to explore the views, perceptions and attitudes of female problem gamblers in depth. The project studies the gambling history and stories of the participants, their motivations to gamble, the impact on their lives, whether they have sought help and from whom, and their views on what might be (or might have been) helpful.
In addition to the projects above, RIGT currently funds six PhD studentships.
