Gambling harm minimisation
Reducing the impact of gambling harms in the community
We collaborate with communities, industry partners, government, community groups and treatment providers to apply our research in the real world, through policy and practice.
About our research
Community engagement and impact
Our world-leading research aims to use knowledge gained from the nexus with clinical expertise to lead to new, more effective prevention, harm minimisation and treatment approaches. We share our research broadly to ensure it contributes to policy and practice including how governments think about and regulate gambling, how industry implements sustainable harm-minimisation practices, and to assist stakeholders in understanding and developing strategies to reduce gambling-related harm. We prioritise research which has strong dissemination and implementation-ready outcomes to influence policy and practice in a meaningful way. Our research team actively engage with stakeholders throughout all stages of our research including community members, gambling consumers, and individuals with lived experience of gambling harms.
Our research is fully integrated with our Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic, where we provide real help to more than 1000 people with gambling problems each year. This community cohort allows us to trial new, state-of-the-art treatments and prevention strategies to the people who need them most including preventing harms before they become severe. We can test the efficacy of new interventions with a relevant population. This integration means we can roll out the best new strategies to the broader community as quickly as possible.
Our undergraduate and postgraduate research program provides unique opportunities for research students to gain real-world experience as they study. At the same time, our research and clinical insights are quickly transferred to graduates who can go on to practise in a wide variety of settings outside the University of Sydney.
Research Priorities
Our team research priorities include:
- Understanding how new technology (e.g., online gambling, digital payment systems, behavioural tracking) is transforming gambling and other high-risk behaviours including how technology can be used to minimise harms;
- Strategies to prevent gambling problems online and in venues including encouraging all gambling customers to use tools and resources to reduce the risk of experiencing harms and encourage sustainable and lower-risk gambling;
- Establishing and evaluating gambling treatments and interventions including digital and scalable stepped-care resources and tools to assist people in taking appropriate action before gambling harms become severe; and
- Increasing awareness of gambling-related harms among relevant health and welfare professionals as well as financial institutions and encouraging screening and referral to relevant interventions.
How we conduct our research
We believe that it is critical to engage with all stakeholders to bring about changes which will meaningfully reduce gambling-related harms. Furthermore, it is not possible to evaluate interventions and practices for gambling in a simulated setting. As such, we work with consumers, treatment and community organisations, government-based regulators and policy advisors, and the gambling industry. This includes partnership, in-kind and direct research funding, and access to de-identified data. To reduce any perceived conflicts of interest, we follow strict protocols to protect the integrity of all research conducted. This includes:
- We adhere to the University of Sydney’s strict policy of academic research integrity.
- All our researchers must abide by the University’s Research Code of Conduct, the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and relevant legislation and regulations; this includes declaring and managing all external interests, in line with the University’s policies and processes.
- All our research has approval from the University’s Human Research Ethics Committee, which includes consideration of the research impact.
- We use open science practices to ensure transparency and sharing of research methods and outcomes, including pre-registration of studies.
- Our research contracts ensure all our research is conducted independently; results can be published without interference; and funding bodies are prevented from involvement in the design, conduct or outcomes of the research including preventing access to collected data and data analysis.
- Our partnerships with industry provide much-needed funding for research to inform lower-risk gambling policies and practices; allow in situ trials of interventions; access to data sets and participants to reduce real-world harms; and help ensure our research is implementation-ready and relevant to national policy and practice.
- We regularly work with relevant government regulators and update them on our research projects.
- An independent expert advisory committee oversees our research; a consumer advisory committee has been established to further ensure all our research is in the public benefit and contributes to the aim of reducing harm and enhancing safer gambling policies and practices.
- We are open to conversations with all relevant stakeholders.
Gambling Treatment & Research Clinic Internship
Thank you for your interest in undertaking a research internship within the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic (GTRC) within the School of Psychology and Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney.
The purpose of our internship program is to provide highly motivated and talented students the opportunity to gain advanced research experience and supervision to enhance their research skills and knowledge. It is intended that interns make a positive contribution during their time at the GTRC and ideally generate a research output.
We are looking for motivated and enthusiastic individuals who have some relevant research or related experience. These attributes ensure that interns are able to make meaningful contributions to research projects while working in a collaborative environment both under supervision and independently.
To assess your readiness to work on the relevant projects and your suitability for this role, we have developed a task that we would like you to complete after we receive your initial application. Following this task, we may invite you to participate in an interview via Zoom or in-person.
- At least 2 years of completed psychology training at a tertiary institution
- At least two days per week for a semester (four months), OR full-time availability for a minimum of two months
- Ability to be on campus at the University of Sydney for the duration of the internship
To submit an initial application, please send the following to Sally Gainsbury:
- Cover letter indicating: a) your previous research experience; b) your motivation in seeking an internship with the GTRC, including what you hope to gain from the experience; c) the type of contributions you think you can make to the GTRC during the internship, and d) the dates that you hope to start and finish the internship and your availability during this timeframe.
- CV/resume, which includes your research abilities (e.g., the types of analyses and methodologies in which you are proficient).
Please note that no support is available for VISA applications and no funding or financial support is provided for these positions.
Our current projects
As digital payments increase in popularity this research seeks to understand how cashless gambling environments, including venues, impact customer spend. Account-based payments provide the ability to track and be notified of spend, set limits, and take breaks which may be impactful harm-minimisation tools. We are working with various stakeholders to explore the impact of cashless gambling on harms.
The project includes a study with West HQ to understand customers’ perception and intention to use account-based systems.
Recently completed projects include Tom Swanton’s PhD project including a systematic review, focus groups to understand consumer attitudes towards cashless payments, and an experimental study to assess consumer preferences for an account-based payment system. Funding was provided by NSW Office of Responsible Gambling.
Researchers:
Professor Sally Gainsbury, Dr. Dilushi Chandrakumar, Teejay Santos, Maggie Lockwood
Publications:
- Swanton, T. B., Tsang, S., Collard, S. B., Garbarino, E., & Gainsbury, S. M. (2023). Cashless gambling: Qualitative analysis of consumer perspectives regarding the harm minimization potential of digital payment systems for electronic gaming machines. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/adb0000962
- Gainsbury, S.M., & Blaszczynski, A. (2020). Digital gambling payment methods: Harm-minimization policy considerations. Gaming Law Review. https://doi.org/10.1089/glr2.2020.0015
- Swanton, T.B., & Gainsbury, S.M. (2020). Gambling-related consumer credit use and debt problems: A brief review. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 31, 21-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.09.002
- Swanton T.B., Gainsbury, S.M., & Blaszczynski, A. (2019). The role of financial institutions in gambling. International Gambling Studies, 19, 377-398. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2019.1575450
- Gainsbury, S.M., Tobias-Webb, J., & Slonim, R. (2018). Behavioural economics and gambling: A new paradigm for approaching harm-minimization. Gaming Law Review, 22(10). https://doi.org/10.1089/glr2.2018.22106
Preventing the experience of severe gambling-related harms would be highly beneficial for individuals, their families, and the broader community. There has been minimal research to understand what tools and resources can help those who choose to gamble do so in a sustainable and lower risk way. Resources need to be developed for specific populations for example based on age and participation in different gambling activities (e.g., online sports betting vs. pokies). Digital resources are scalable, reaching a broad population, and can be accessed in private in a convenient and time-relevant manner.
Resources being investigated include:
- A digital decision-aid to assist individuals in evaluating their own gambling including whether their spend is affordable and ensuring they understand how outcomes are determined to consider whether their current gambling is appropriate
- Tailored feedback for individuals providing information about their gambling in relation to self-referential and social norms
- Multimedia resources to provide psychoeducation and cognitive redirection to assist people in understanding gambling activities
Researchers:
Professor Sally Gainsbury, , Dr. Dilushi Chandrakumar, Dr. Louise Thornton, Associate Professor Simon Rodda
Publications:
- Swanton, T. B., Blaszczynski, A., Forlini, C., Starcevic, V., & Gainsbury, S. M. (2021). Problematic risk-taking involving emerging technologies: A stakeholder framework to minimize harms. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 9(4), 869-875. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.8.2019.52
- Gainsbury, S. M., Black, N., Blaszczynski, A., Callaghan, S., Clancey, G., Starcevic, V., & Tymula, A. (2020). Reducing internet gambling harms using behavioral science: A stakeholder framework. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, Article 598589. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.598589
Consumer protection tools aim to increase the ability for customers to gamble in a sustainable way and manage their gambling such as the ability to set limits on gambling expenditure, player activity statements that summarise recent gambling activity, and time-outs which enable gamblers to temporarily block access to their gambling accounts. This project aims to evaluate current practices related to consumer protection tools online and in venues and investigate the uptake and effect of these. The research includes survey, trials of various interventions including customised real-time messages triggered by behavioural risk indicators, and analysis of customer data.
Researchers: Professor Sally Gainsbury, Professor Agnieszka Tymula, Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark, Dr. Robert Heirene, Dr. Louise Thornton, Dr. Dilushi Chandrakumar, Teejay Santos
Funding: Sportsbet, Entain, Brain and Mind Centre, Life Course Centre (ARC CRE), International Center for Responsible Gaming
Research Summaries:
Publications:
- Heirene, R. M., Gainsbury, S. M. (2021) Encouraging and evaluating limit-setting among on-line gamblers: a naturalistic randomized controlled trial. Addiction, 116: 2801–2813. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15471
- Heirene, R. M., Vanichkina, D. P., & Gainsbury, S. M. (2021). Patterns and correlates of consumer protection tool use by Australian online gambling customers. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 35(8), 974–984. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000761
- Heirene, R., Gainsbury, S. (2020). How can we improve consumer protection in online gambling? International Association of Gaming Regulators. [More Information]
- Gainsbury, S.M., Angus, D.J., Procter, L. et al. Use of Consumer Protection Tools on Internet Gambling Sites: Customer Perceptions, Motivators, and Barriers to Use. J Gambl Stud 36, 259–276 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-019-09859-8
- Procter, L., Angus, D.J., Blaszczynski, A., & Gainsbury, S.M (2019). Understanding use of consumer protection tools among Internet gambling customers: Utility of the Theory of Planned Behavior and Theory of Reasoned Action. Addictive Behaviors, 99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106050
- Gainsbury, S.M., Abarbanel, B.L.L., Philander, K.S. et al. Strategies to customize responsible gambling messages: a review and focus group study. BMC Public Health 18, 1381 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-6281-0
Gambling regulators internationally are increasingly requiring gambling operators identify and intervene with individuals exhibiting signs of gambling problems. However, limited research is available to inform efforts to identify customers with gambling problems and particularly those experiencing lower levels of harm who would benefit from modifying their behaviour to reduce potentially problematic outcomes. This research aims to analyse customer account data provided from industry operators and identify account-based markers of gambling harms.
Access to large customer datasets will enable a broad range of research questions to be addressed focusing on understanding gambling behaviour to drive policies and practices to reduce gambling harm.
Researchers: Professor Sally Gainsbury, Professor Agnieszka Tymula, Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark, Dr Robert Heirene
Funding: Entain, Life Course Centre (ARC CRE), International Center for Responsible Gaming, West HQ.
Problem gambling is highly related to social and economic disadvantage and involves decision-making and highly biased thinking patterns leading to risky behaviours. This project aims to further our understanding of the role of self-control and the impact of gambling outcomes (i.e., wins and losses) in gambling decisions as well as the customer’s ability to make informed choices. We will also look at the interrelation with socioeconomic disadvantage by considering differences between individuals across regional settings.
Researchers: Professor Sally Gainsbury, Professor Agnieszka Tymula, Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark, Dr. Robert Heirene
Funding: Entain, Life Course Centre (ARC CRE), West HQ
Publications:
Heirene, R. M., Wang, A., & Gainsbury, S. M. (2022). Accuracy of self-reported gambling frequency and outcomes: Comparisons with account data. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 36(4), 333–346. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000792
In a collaborative project with scholars from Harvard University and the University of Nevada Las Vegas we explored the uptake of open science (i.e., transparent research practices) within the field of gambling studies (Louderback et al., 2022). The first study involved a scoping review of the gambling literature to determine the extent to which open science practices such as pre-registration and data and code sharing have been adopted by gambling researchers to date. In a second study, we evaluated the quality and specificity of pre-registrations of gambling research. From this, we hope to bring attention to value the pre-registering one’s studies, and to highlight the importance of doing this well if wanting to reduce concerns of bias (e.g., p-hacking, HARKing). In our most recent working study (Cho et al., 2024), we are evaluating adherence to reporting standards in reporting randomised control trials of interventions for behavioural addictions, highlighting areas of concern and providing recommendations for improved reporting of treatment research.
Researchers: Dr. Robert Heirene, Professor Sally Gainsbury, Dr. Brittany Keen, Professor Debi LaPlante, Dr. Eric Louderback
Funding: Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance
Publications:
- Cho, S. J., Gainsbury, S. M., LaPlante, D. A., Louderback, E. R., Nguyen, S., D’Souza, M., & Heirene, R. M. (2024). CONSORT adherence in randomised control trials of behavioural addiction interventions: A systematic review. Working paper.
- Heirene, R., LaPlante, D., Louderback, E., Keen, B., Bakker, M., Serafimovska, A., & Gainsbury, S. (2024). Preregistration specificity and adherence: A review of preregistered gambling studies and cross-disciplinary comparison. Meta-Psychology, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.15626/MP.2021.2909
- Louderback, E.R., Gainsbury, S.M., Heirene, R.M. et al. Open Science Practices in Gambling Research Publications (2016–2019): A Scoping Review. J Gambl Stud 39, 987–1011 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-022-10120-y
- Robert M. Heirene (2021) A call for replications of addiction research: which studies should we replicate and what constitutes a ‘successful’ replication?, Addiction Research & Theory, 29:2, 89-97, DOI: 10.1080/16066359.2020.1751130
- Heirene, R., Gainsbury, S. (2020). Can the open science revolution revolutionise gambling research? BASIS. [More Information]
Potential gambling problems are prevalent in low-socioeconomic groups, often serving as a coping mechanism for challenges associated with their condition and are exacerbated by uninformed decision-making. This project aims to build the current literature by focusing on vulnerable, underrepresented groups with the goal of exploring decision-making practices at the intersection of economic disadvantage and gambling behaviour. Understanding these dynamics is vital for developing targeted interventions to mitigate gambling harms in these vulnerable populations.
Researchers: Professor Sally Gainsbury, Gary Fahey, Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark, Dr Juliette Tobia-Webb
Despite significant harms associated with problem gambling, screening for it in health care and social assistance settings remain low. Coupled with the poor treatment-seeking behaviour of people experiencing gambling harms, this results in gambling harm often going unrecognised and untreated. This project aims to understand health care professionals’ knowledge and attitudes towards gambling screening, as well as social norms and perceived behavioural control in conducting gambling screening.
Researchers: Professor Sally Gainsbury, Dr. Daniel Guilbert, Dr. Robert Heirene, Teejay Santos, Neisha Heath