Top experts unite at University of Bristol to tackle gambling harms globally

Leading experts from across the world will join forces in the UK this week in a bid to confront the wide-reaching challenges and curb the devastating effects of gambling.

International researchers, regulators, treatment and support practitioners, policy experts, and people with lived experience are set to gather in Bristol on Thursday, 10 October, for the second annual International Interdisciplinary Colloquium of the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research at the University of Bristol.

Amongst other topics, this year the interrelationship of gambling and sport – including football, cricket and eSports – comes under the spotlight, in the wake of new research by the University which exposed the huge surge of gambling marketing at the start of the Premier League football season.

Keynote speaker Professor Simon Chadwick, founder of The Future Sport Forum, works with sports clubs, including Manchester United, governing bodies such as the Union of European Football Associations (EUFA), and sponsors to positively influence commercial strategy and policy.

Prof Chadwick said: “The Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research International Colloquium has very rapidly established itself as an important place for people to meet and discuss one of society’s biggest current problems. Gambling harms constitute a major public health issue, as well a challenge for leaders, managers, and decision makers across multiple sectors. 

“One of these is sport, where sponsorships involving betting brands continue to grow in number. Though we are now seeing some moves to regulate this type of deal, there remains a whole host of issues that sport governors and national governments must get to grips with. I look forward to sharing possible ways to address some of these issues and hearing from other leading experts on this and a wider range of other key areas.”

Delegates will consider factors drawing people into harmful gambling, how this deepens socio-economic inequalities and what innovative interventions can help combat these trends. Illegal gambling, fraud, and cryptocurrency are among other hot topics to be examined by more than 150 attendees from countries, including the US, Namibia, Norway, and Gibraltar.

Although gambling operators are huge global enterprises, regulations are devolved to different countries and sometimes regions, making it hard to keep betting activity in check. This problem has been exacerbated by the surge in online platforms offering gambling services around the clock and across borders.

Keynote speaker Brianne Doura-Schawohl is spearheading international gambling policy change and has a proven track record of legislative progress in this field in the US and across the world. Brianne will present a high-level overview of recent US legislative undertakings, including the legalisation of sports betting nearly six years ago, and how one Supreme Court ruling has fundamentally changed the landscape nationwide.

Brianne said: “Gambling always has been, and will always be, pervasive and deeply rooted within our culture. However, the massive expansion has had unprecedented impacts, including profound and worrisome ramifications on public health. With a woefully inadequate system to address harmful gambling, I will highlight the desperately needed policies, both legislative and regulatory, that would better protect players and the public.

“I am honoured to be a part of this colloquium, which aims to increase awareness and evidence about this global health issue. It will be a great opportunity to learn from others through many robust conversations and presentations highlighting what more we can collectively do.”

People with first-hand experience of gambling harms will also be sharing their stories.

Royal Navy veteran, Matt Losing, who experienced years of gambling-related harms, now works as the Armed Forces project lead at Ara Recovery for All, which provides support and recovery services for those affected. After seven years in recovery personally, he now channels his energies into breaking the stigma and helping others, including offering gambling harms awareness training tailored for the Armed Forces community.

Mother-of-two Julie Martin coordinates peer aid aftercare at Betknowmore UK, which delivers education and support services. Three years ago her husband took his own life after decades of battling a gambling addiction which saw him lose everything.

She said: “More and more lives are tragically being lost to gambling. The industry has got to change now so others can be spared. We need urgent reform so advertising is more robustly regulated and there are effective restrictive measures on people’s gambling in place. Events like this conference are great to better understand the many related problems and consider possible ways to limit the risk and damage.”

In 2022 the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research was launched at the University of Bristol to lead pioneering multidisciplinary research into the wide-reaching effects of gambling harms.

The independent hub, funded by a grant of £4million from national charity GambleAware, facilitates world-leading research to improve understanding of gambling harm as a growing public health issue which needs greater scrutiny and regulation.

Prof Michele Acuto, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement at the University of Bristol, said: “We are very proud of the pioneering work of the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research, which unites leading experts in the field to advance our understanding of the complexity of gambling harms.

“Today’s event is an example of our collective endeavour to keep pushing for positive change, as part of the University’s mission to protect public health, overcome inequalities, and champion social justice.”