A new research center for gambling harm reduction has been established at the University of Sydney

The University of Sydney has announced the creation of an interdisciplinary center whose main goal is to develop research into the gambling behavior of local players and minimize gambling-related harms.

The unit, named the Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research (CoEGR), was successfully established with funding of A$600,000 from the International Center for Responsible Gambling (ICRG), a world leader in research and education on gambling disorders and responsible gambling. 

According to the University of Sydney, CoEGR will be led by Professor Sally Gainsbury, an experienced professional specializing in research on the psychology of gambling. The new unit will aim to bring together a diverse group of researchers working in a variety of fields, including business, economics, health, and psychology.

According to the Center’s founders, one of the leading aspects of CoEGR’s approach to its work will be to partner with some of the largest and most prominent gambling operators. This will give researchers the opportunity to conduct some tests and trials in real-world settings to better verify whether the interventions are effective or not.

It is also reported that CoEGR’s main objective will be to translate the latest research findings into practical and evidence-based strategies that will assist Australian authorities in preventing and reducing harm.

Few players seek professional help before it is too late

Center head Professor Gainsbury said the new structure will create unprecedented collaboration between researchers and gambling operators in an effort to overcome previous limitations in the field on the one hand and pave the way for new and effective research on the other.

Gainsbury also said that as part of the study, gambling companies will provide de-identified data on the gambling behavior of their customers, which will allow the Center to evaluate new interventions and will enable researchers to create a unique dataset containing highly detailed customer information.

As discussed above, the researchers intend to use a multidisciplinary and consumer-centered approach to evaluate the data collected and generated by gambling operators. The new CoEGR team will also work as part of the ARC Life Course Center at the University of Sydney.

Previous research conducted by Professor Gainsbury found that 1% of Western adults have a gambling disorder, and 4% of adults have a serious gambling problem and can be categorized as addicted. Sites like twinspinca.com, which publish casino and bonus reviews, play a big role in the formation of addiction.

Unfortunately, less than 10% of these people seek professional help or at least don’t do so until they reach a crisis point. This is exactly the situation that the new structure will try to improve by strengthening prevention efforts and incentivizing habit change in the early stages of harm.