GamCare to launch new online gambling behaviour study

The project will comprise two phases, the first of which will focus around a small qualitative study with up to 20 participants who have gambled online in the last six months.

Phase two will see a larger, quantitative study rolled out in order to form a wider understanding of problem gambling in the UK market.

“This research aims to make online gambling significantly safer, with the vision of developing knowledge and interventions that protect gamblers by moving them away from harm and towards protection in digital gambling environments,” GamCare explained.

“Helping with this research will be extremely valuable and impact positively on the wider online gambling community.”

GamCare said the research team is now seeking participants for the first phase of the study, which will involve a one-hour, one-to-one interview via phone or video call with a researcher.

The interview will involve questions and answers to help the team understand online gambling habits, allowing participants to speak about their experiences, behaviours and feelings towards gambling on the internet.

Interviews, which will likely take place in early 2021, are open to people who have gambled online in the last six months.

The new initiative comes after GamCare in September launched a new toolkit to help UK financial institutions, gambling businesses and debt advice agencies identify and support customers experiencing gambling-related financial harms.

Available for free on the GamCare website, the solution was developed in partnership with debt charities and agencies, high street banks and gambling businesses, as well as people with lived experience of gambling harms.