About the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling
The Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling (AFSG) is a group of academic researchers dedicated to advancing the research needed to effectively prevent, reduce, and address gambling harm. The purpose of the AFSG is to act as a coordinated body to assert the importance of rigorous, independent research to prevent, reduce, and address gambling harm in the UK. To accomplish its aims, the AFSG engages in a number of activities including, but not limited to: responding to or initiating calls for evidence; providing seed grants for promising research; supporting independent gambling conferences; public engagement; providing opportunities for students; providing opportunities for international collaboration with UK researchers and institutions; increase the capacity for those with lived experience of gambling harm to be part of the research process.
Funding for the AFSG is derived from regulatory settlements for socially responsible purposes that are approved by the Gambling Commission. Monies represent a restricted payment to Greo who manages the funds on behalf of the AFSG. Greo Evidence Insights is a Canadian non-profit and is an independent knowledge translation and exchange organisation with over two decades of international experience generating, synthesising, and mobilising research into action across the health and wellbeing sectors. They provide administrative and logistical support to the AFSG.
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.
For further information about the funds and management of funds visit about the AFSG funds or contact afsg-funding@greo.ca
The Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling is steered by an Executive Committee of independent academics based in the UK. For details of current members of the Executive Committee, plus AFSG and Greo staff members, please visit our Team page.
Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling 