Source · Select Committees · Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 125
Gambling data remains problematic; new research must be accurate, representative, and understood.
Conclusion
We recognise that much of the data relating to gambling is contested, misapplied, or entirely absent, and welcome that actions from the Government’s White Paper and changes to the Gambling Commission will mean that more research evidence can be commissioned. It is vital that any such research is accurate, representative, and understood.
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the committee's support for increased investment in gambling research through the levy and reiterates its plans for the Gambling Commission and UKRI to commission timely, high-quality research to inform policy.
Paragraph Reference:
125
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
We welcome the Committee’s support for the Government’s proposal to increase investment in gambling research through the levy both by the Gambling Commission and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as the umbrella body for UK research councils. We recognise that action needs to be taken on gambling research. Between 2005 and 2021, just 112 studies with a focus that included gambling were funded by UK Research Councils or the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) compared with 691 for alcohol. Evidence submitted to the Gambling Act Review suggested that just 6.6% of academic papers published containing empirical research on gambling behaviours and policies between April 2019 and March 2021 were from British-based researchers, and gambling as a research topic more broadly has a relatively low status. We therefore want the levy to support the Gambling Commission to directly commission timely research, in line with its Evidence Gaps and Priorities paper, to understand emerging issues. Further, to increase diversity and capacity in the wider research landscape on gambling, we have proposed the levy be used to establish a bespoke Research Programme on Gambling commissioned by UKRI. This will be a landmark step in supporting the government’s efforts to ensure we have timely and high quality research, including on advertising, to inform policy and also to improve the status of gambling as a research field more broadly.