The Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling offers grant opportunities once per year to advance the research needed to effectively prevent, reduce, and address gambling harm. The grants are available to support researchers, students, those who hold postdoctoral positions, and people with lived experience of being harmed by gambling. Applicants must also be members of the AFSG.
About the funds used to support funding opportunities offered by the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling (AFSG)
Funds used for the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling (AFSG) funding opportunities originate from regulatory settlements for socially responsible purposes. Though these funds originate from the bank accounts of gambling operators, they differ significantly from other projects funded using gambling industry funds in several important ways:
Regulatory settlement funds come from involuntary payments from gambling operators. They are “a payment in lieu of the financial penalty the Gambling Commission (GC) might otherwise impose for breach of a licence condition”. Further, “there is to be no publicity or benefit for the operator in connection with the regulatory settlement” and the operator has no control over, or is even permitted to communicate with, the organisation provided those funds (in this case Greo), except to carry out the necessary financial transactions. Decisions regarding the awarding of regulatory settlement funds are made by the Social Responsibility Funds Group. Once awarded, there is no influence exerted on projects funded using regulatory settlement funds by the GC other than monitoring to ensure milestones described in successful proposals are being met.
Research funds awarded by the AFSG are disseminated via a transparent, peer review process. Funds originating from regulatory settlement funds are provided to the AFSG and Greo who then disseminate the funds to researchers via a transparent peer review process similar to that employed by research councils in the UK, Canada, and elsewhere. Before working in the UK, Greo, formerly known as the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre (OPGRC) oversaw the tendering of research internationally. From 2000 to 2012, the OPGRC was the largest funder of gambling research in the world. These funds came from a levy; 2% of slot machine revenue generated by most casinos in Ontario, Canada to fund research, prevention, and treatment of problem gambling. In 2012 the government of Ontario revised their approach and redirected these funds back into general provincial revenue. Greo’s processes and governance for granting research funds during this time were based on the processes used by the Canadian tri-council (three national government bodies that fund research in Canada) and later updated to incorporate policies and procedures employed by the National Institute for Health Research.
Some argue funding for gambling research should be provided by UK national research councils. However, until that is manifest, there is a practicality in using funds that are currently available. The AFSG and Greo provide governance and oversee distribution of the funds to ensure they are distributed via a credible, transparent, peer-reviewed process that minimises potential bias, manages confidentiality, strengthens the integrity of the findings, and respects the intellectual property of the researchers.
What are the five types of grants offered in these calls for students and academics?
MAJOR EXPLORATORY RESEARCH GRANT One Major Exploratory Research Grant is available. It is valued at up to £90,000 and is intended to be used for a major project. MINOR EXPLORATORY RESEARCH GRANTS Two Minor Exploratory Research Grants, valued at up to £30,000, are available. These grants are intended to fund smaller exploratory research. Preference for these grants will be given to early career researchers. POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH SUPPORT GRANTS Postgraduate Research Support Grants are valued at £3,000 and can last up to 12 months. STUDENT TRAVEL/CONFERENCE GRANTS 6 grants issued per year to support students to attend conferences. OPEN ACCESS FUNDING To encourage the development of new evidence, we offer support to those planning on publishing open access research.What are the details of the Lived Experience Access Fund (LEAF)?
Gambling Harm UK and THRIVE have been selected to administer LEAF on behalf of the AFSG. For updates on the fund get in touch on twitter @gh_leaf. LEAF seeks to empower individuals who have experienced gambling harm, both directly and indirectly, to be involved in research that prevents and mitigates against gambling harm. LEAF will disseminate funds to 1) support the upskilling & personal development of individuals with lived experience and 2) remove access barriers.The following four AFSG funding calls are currently open:
Two awards are available, valued at up to £20,000 each.
Purpose: To conduct analyses on high-quality datasets that assess the relationship between gambling involvement and gambling related harm. Proposed analyses should be generalisable to the UK.
EOI deadline: 16 April 23:59 BST. Application deadline: 14 May 23:59 BST
POSTGRADUATE SUPPORT RESEARCH GRANTS
Four awards are available, valued at up to £3,300 each.
Purpose: To support PhD students and to those who hold postdoctoral positions to offset the costs of conducting research that directly or indirectly informs efforts to address gambling-related harm.
EOI deadline: 16 April 23:59 BST. Application deadline: 14 May 23:59 BST
STUDENT TRAVEL/CONFERENCE GRANTS
Six awards valued at up to £500 each are available until December 31st, 2024, or until funds are exhausted.
To encourage the development of new evidence, we offer support to those planning on publishing open access research.
For further information, contact afsg-funding@greo.ca
Past funded researchers
January 2022 Exploratory Grant Funding Call
January 2022 – Major Exploratory Grant Competition
Recipient: Dr. David Zendle, University of York
Date of decision: 17 March 2022
Project Title: RETRO: The Retrospective Spending Observatory
January 2022 – Minor Exploratory Grant Competition
Recipient: Dr. Richard J. E. James, University of Nottingham Co-investigator: Prof. Richard J. Tunney Date of decision: 17 March 2022 Project Title: Harnessing gambling prevalence microdata to model socio-political and economic factors that contribute to gambling harm Recipient: Dr. Philip Newall, University of Bristol Co-investigators: Mr. Ty Hayes, Dr. Lukasz Walasek, and Prof. Matthew Browne Date of decision: 17 March 2022 Project Title: A novel test of a widely-cited consequence of the illusion of control in gamblingJanuary 2022 Postgraduate Support Grant Funding Call
January 2022 – Postgraduate Research Support Grant Competition
Recipient: Leon Y. Xiao, Queen Mary University of London
Academic Supervisor(s): Dr. Rune Kristian Lundedal Nielsen and Dr. Philip W.S. Newall.
Date of decision: 17 March 2022
Project Title: The effectiveness of Belgium’s gambling law ‘Ban’ of loot boxes and a large-scale Chinese survey on loot box engagement, gambling-related constructs and mental wellbeing
Recipient: Dr. Reece Bush-Evans, Bournemouth University
Academic Supervisor(s): Prof. John McAlaney
Date of decision: 17 March 2022
Project Title: Gambling, personality and wellbeing
Recipient: Jennifer Robinson, Chester University
Academic Supervisor(s): Dr. Paul Moran and Dr. Frances Atherton
Date of decision: 17 March 2022
Project Title: A Realist Evaluative Case Study: In what ways does support for affected others, during and post the FOLD (Focus On Living Differently) treatment programme, impact upon sustained recovery for those experiencing gambling harm?
Recipient: Elena Petrovskaya, University of York
Academic Supervisor(s): Dr. David Zendle
Date of decision: 17 March 2022
Project Title: Predatory monetisation?: The shift of digital game design into gamblification and its effects on players
October 2022 Exploratory Grant Funding Call
October 2022 – Major Exploratory Grant Competition
Recipient: Professor John. A Cunningham, King’s College London
Date of decision: 12 January 2023
Project Title: Brief online personalised feedback intervention for the UK context designed to prevent, reduce, and address gambling harm
Abstract: This exploratory research project will assess the short-term impact of a brief self-directed online personalised feedback intervention for the UK context designed to prevent, reduce, and address gambling harm. The intervention comprises of normative feedback and personalised information on the risk of gambling above lower-risk gambling guidelines. The purpose of this exploratory research is to conduct the first randomised controlled trial of this intervention. Further, given the increased prevalence of online gambling, the project will target this at-risk population.
October 2022 – Minor Exploratory Grant Competition
Recipient: Dr. Bryan F. Singer, University of Sussex
Co-investigator: Prof. Simon Dymond
Date of decision: 12 January 2023
Project Title: Modelling individual variation in response to pharmacological intervention for problematic gambling
Abstract: Few pharmacological interventions exist for treating gambling disorder and problematic gambling (GD/PG). Designing treatments is challenging because of substantial individual variation in GD/PG symptoms and co-morbid mental health conditions. For specific individuals, excessive value (salience) attributed to gambling-related cues may drive persistent gambling, even when stimuli don’t reliably predict reward. The proposed work will evaluate a pharmacological strategy to decrease gambling for individuals attributing excessive salience to cues.
Recipient: Jamie Torrance, University of Chester
Co-investigator: Dr. Philip W. S. Newall
Date of decision: 12 January 2023
Project Title: The development and evaluation of a brief intervention that incorporates gambling advertising scepticism and persuasion inoculation; a mixed-methods exploratory project
Abstract: This exploratory mixed-methods project will encompass two studies to develop and evaluate a brief-intervention that aims to increase gambling advertising scepticism and reduce gambling advertising persuasion amongst young-adult gamblers. Study one involves an online experimental pre/post-test control-group design in which participants will be exposed to either the brief-intervention video or a control-video. Self-reported measures of advertising scepticism and persuasion knowledge will be recorded before and after exposure in both conditions for analytical comparison. Study two involves an online focus-group study that utilises a sample of experts by experience and academics with a familiarity and understanding of gambling advertising. These focus groups will aim to evaluate and further develop the intervention content, feasibility, and acceptability.
October 2022 Postgraduate Support Grant Funding Call
October 2022 – Postgraduate Research Support Grant Competition
Recipient: Nick Ballou, Queen Mary University of London
Academic Supervisor(s): Dr. Laurissa Tokarchuk
Date of decision: 12 January 2023
Project Title: Untitled: Loot boxes
Recipient: Dr. Scott Houghton, Swansea University
Academic Supervisor(s): Prof. Simon Dymond
Date of decision: 12 January 2023
Project Title: Direct communication within the social media marketing of gambling: A machine learning approach
Recipient: Fay Laidler, University of Glasgow
Academic Supervisor(s): Dr. Heather Wardle, Prof. Gerda Reith
Date of decision: 12 January 2023
Project Title: Exploring the policy roles of women harmed by gambling
Recipient: Leon Y. Xiao, University of York; IT University of CopenhagenAcademic Supervisor(s): Dr. Rune Kristian Lundedal Nielsen, Dr. Philip W. S. Newall, Dr. David Zendle
Date of decision: 12 January 2023
Project Title: Reassessing the link between purchasing card packs and problem gambling
Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling 