Policy and regulation
We take a public health approach to reducing gambling harms. One important part of this is preventing harms ‘upstream’. This means before people develop gambling harms in the first place.
Our research focuses on the environments people find themselves in and how they can be made safer to prevent harm. This can include issues such as exposure to gambling products or marketing, the effectiveness of ‘safer gambling’ messaging, or features of gambling products which may contribute to harm.
Our research on these issues provides evidence on which public policy can be based and helps to inform how the gambling industry is regulated.
Another important part of our public health approach to reducing gambling harms is identifying how to prevent people from developing gambling harms.
This involves researching the causes of gambling harms, as well as the gambling industry, in order to inform policymakers and regulators. We look at issues such as exposure to gambling products or marketing, the effectiveness of ‘safer gambling’ messaging, or features of gambling products which might contribute to harm.
Explore the projects that are contributing towards evidence-based policies and regulations.
of football fans are concerned about the amount of gambling advertising and sponsorship around football.
Here are some examples of the impact we’re making, alongside key stakeholders, using evidence and insights:
Our research project, ‘Gambling marketing in Great Britain: What needs to change and why?’ gained coverage in key media outlets, such as The Guardian. This helped to spread the reach of the messages.
This project conducted by YouGov led to updated Safer Gambling Messaging and Signposting Guidelines when using the GambleAware brand on gambling adverts. This was alongside a recommendation for more effective health warnings on advertising.
Our ‘Patterns of Play’ project, conducted by The Behavioural Insights Team was used in a Government Gambling White Paper calling for significant changes to gambling regulation, including financial risk checks across online gambling operators.
We commissioned the University of Plymouth and University of Wolverhampton to publish, ‘Lifting the lid on loot boxes’, contributed to the government calling on the gaming industry to enhance play protections.
We commissioned ScotCen Social Research to conduct research on ‘The effect of gambling marketing and advertising on children, young people and vulnerable adults’. It directly led to changes in the guidance for advertising gambling and lotteries, especially around using sports people, celebrities and influencers who appeal to under 18s.
Our research has shown that London’s rate of ‘problem gambling’ is almost twice the average seen across Britain. This has contributed to calls for all gambling adverts to be banned on the Transport for London (TfL) network, and space to be provided to raise awareness of gambling harms.
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Read the latest updates on gambling policy and regulation on our news page.
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