Protecting Adolescents and Vulnerable People from Gambling-Related Harm.

Gambling-related harm is considered a public health issue given its far reaching negative impact in society. Gambling has been shown to impact upon not just at the individual level, but also on family life, communities, and on the economy. Problem gambling rates in Britain have stabilised, but are not reducing, so continued research is required to assess the scale of harm caused by gambling and how to reduce it.  

It is acknowledged that specific sub-sets of individuals may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing gambling-related harms. For example, individuals who identified as having mental health issues were shown to be twice as likely to participate in harmful gambling than those with no mental health issues (Public Health England, 2021). Adolescents have also been shown to be particularly vulnerable to gambling-related harms, therefore, protecting adolescents from the harms that can come from gambling remains a high priority for the UK Gambling Commission (2022). Research investigating the impact of gambling on vulnerable groups is in its infancy.  

Aims and Objectives 

The overarching aim of the project is to advance understanding of gambling-related harms amongst vulnerable groups and contribute to a stronger evidence base for policymakers, in line with the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling-Related Harms. 

The successful candidate will engage in a programme of research to gather evidence about how vulnerable groups gamble, the factors that affect the way they play, and identify where developments in gambling products or services pose a risk of harm within such groups. In addition, the programme of research will develop evidence about the current effectiveness of existing gambling harm-minimisation strategies within vulnerable groups.  

Supervisory Team 

The successful candidate will be supervised by experts in the field of gambling and behavioural addictions psychology, within NTU Psychology’s International Gaming Research Unit: 

DoS Dr Andrew Harris ([Email Address Removed]) 

2nd Supervisor Professor Mark Griffiths- Director of International Gaming Research Unit ([Email Address Removed]) 

3rd Supervisor Dr Filipa Calado ([Email Address Removed])