Research

The Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research takes a broad view of gambling, to include newer gambling-like products and practices that may cause harm.

The Hub is based around four Challenges. The Challenges broadly represent a ‘gambling pathway’ and naturally create space for interdisciplinary approaches to the different dimensions of harmful gambling namely: how harmful gambling comes about; how the practice and portrayal of gambling is linked to gambling harms; what factors exacerbate gambling harms; and the ways in which harms can be prevented or reduced.‌ The four Challenges are:

  • Challenge 1 – Perceptions, Motivations, Decisions. What initiates harmful gambling? (led by Michael Banissy and Paul Dodson) 
  • Challenge 2 – Narratives, Practice, Representation.  What is the everyday practice and portrayal of gambling in social groups? (led by Luca Giuggioli and Sam Kirwan) 
  • Challenge 3 – Experience, Risk, Harm. What social and spatial inequalities exacerbate gambling harms? (led by Emmanouil Tranos and Jo Large) 
  • Challenge 4 – Innovation, Transition, Change. What socio-technical innovations can help combat gambling harms? (led by Julie MacLeavy and Martin Hurcombe)

We desperately need interdisciplinary research on a large scale to truly understand the complexities of gambling harm as a serious, current health issue. Our aim is to attract the very best international researchers from computer scientists to anthropologists to work with us on tackling this very under-researched area.

Agnes Nairn, Co-Director of the Hub

PFRC gambling research

The Personal Finance Research Centre (PFRC) also carries out research on gambling and gambling harms

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