$500k for new research into gambling harm

Seven new research projects have been awarded funding under the annual Grants for Gambling Research Program (Round 10) administered by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.

The projects have a particular focus on at-risk groups such as young people, those struggling with mental health issues, and those affected by someone else’s gambling.

Investigator grants of up to $200,000 over three years have been awarded to each of the following projects:

• Measuring the impact of gambling harm on health and wellbeing – Professor Matthew Browne, CQUniversity
• Responses and readiness to address Intimate Partner Violence in Gambler's Help services – Dr Sean Cowlishaw, Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, The University of Melbourne
• Addressing gambling harm to affected others: a scoping review – Associate Professor Nicki Dowling, Deakin University.

Early Career Researcher grants of up to $50,000 over 18 months have been awarded to:

• Gambling harm experienced by children of parents who gamble – the hidden voices – Dr Aino Suomi, Australian Catholic University
• Gambling problems after military service: Prevalence and links with anger, aggression, and violence in the Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme – Dr Olivia Metcalf, Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, The University of Melbourne
• From adolescence to young adulthood: Risk factors in the transition from gaming to gambling-related harm – Dr Alex Russell, CQUniversity
• The receptivity of young people to gambling marketing strategies on social media platforms – Dr Hannah Pitt, Deakin University.

‘The Foundation received 27 applications in this funding round, which is indicative of the research sector’s growing awareness of the need to effectively tackle gambling harm,’ Foundation CEO Shane Lucas said.

‘Gambling harm often co-exists with other social issues such as family violence and trauma, but the interplay between them is not well understood, which is why it is so important that we support this kind of research.’

Foundation-funded researchers are world leaders in the field of gambling harm, including in the relatively new study of gambling-like activities embedded in online games played by children.

More information about the funded projects is available here.