GambleAware announces a £300,000 funding to research the problems associated with gambling in minority populations.

GambleAware infuses funding for gambling-related research  

GambleAware, an independent gambling charity, has given a consortium led by market research firm Ipsos MORI a £300,000 ($397,000) grant to understand better the lived experiences of gambling in minority groups in the United Kingdom. Ipsos MORI, which works in more than 90 markets worldwide, will lead a consortium of researchers from the University of Manchester alongside another managed by ClearView Research.

The 18-month study project, which is expected to be published in 2023, aims to elucidate the underlying causes that contribute to gambling hazards in marginalized and socially excluded communities. GambleAware has released the results of its recent grant-awarding procedure, stating that the organization hopes to take “a significant step toward decreasing the present inequities in gambling harms.” GambleAware was awarded £300,000, an increase from the original £250,000 request for ideas, to increase awareness of the lived experiences of minority communities, particularly minority ethnic, religious, and language groups, in connection to gaming and gambling harms.

Two consortia have been given grants: one led by Ipsos Mori and backed by researchers at the University of Manchester, and another led by ClearView Research. Ipsos Mori will conduct the research in its entirety. The 18-month program’s objectives include an examination of minority communities’ lived experiences with gambling, hazards, and guidance, as well as information, support, and treatment services.

Moreover, the consortia will be tasked with investigating the factors that contribute to gambling harms in minority communities in the United Kingdom, drawing on international research; and with identifying the services, interventions, and policies necessary to reduce and prevent gambling harms in these communities.

The project’s financing has been boosted from an initial £250,000 to £350,000. It has three primary aims. The first step is to examine minority communities’ lived experiences with gambling, gambling risks, and advising services. The second objective is to determine what motivates and exacerbates gambling effects among minority populations throughout the United Kingdom. The third objective is to identify the services and policies required to prevent and mitigate these gambling-related harms in communities.

The donation is part of GambleAware’s broader five-year goal to ensure that no community in society is harmed by gambling. The organization has received around £56 million in total financing to date.

According to a recent GambleAware-commissioned survey, up to 1.4 million adults, or 3% of the population, are gambling addicts; yet, only 3% of this population receives treatment for their addiction.

GambleAware adds that a final research report will be published in 2023, with interim findings published in the interim. The interim reports will feed the group’s five-year strategy, which seeks to build a society free of gambling harms for all communities.

Quotes from the Press Release

“While minority communities’ experiences with gambling are under-researched in the United Kingdom, evidence suggests that these groups are more likely to suffer harm from gambling and are less likely to access gambling treatment services than white communities,” explained Dr Jay St John Levy, GambleAware’s research lead.

“We are delighted to give this grant to these two consortia, which collectively bring significant expertise in examining people’s diverse lived realities. This will aid in determining why these populations bear a disproportionate share of harm and how to overcome the hurdles that prevent them from getting treatment.

“This research will help GambleAware and others commission a more diverse selection of treatment and support programs that are effective for minority ethnic, linguistic, and religious communities. As such, it is a critical first step in reducing current inequalities in gambling damages.”