Research Snapshot: Global Experts Identify the Top Priorities in Gambling Research

This project led by researchers from the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming at the University of Gibraltar – Dr Andrea Czakó and Prof Zsolt Demetrovics, together with researchers from Yale University (USA), the University of Barcelona (Spain), the University of Cambridge (UK), the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), the University of Montréal (Canada), the University of Cape Town (South Africa), the University of Calgary (Canada), the University of Macau (Macao, China), Flinders University (Australia) and ELTE Eötvös Loránd University (Hungary) engaged 307 gambling experts from 35 countries, along with regulators and stakeholder organisations, to build a clear roadmap for future research efforts.

Using a structured, multi-phase methodology, the researchers gathered more than 1,300 research questions and distilled them into 102 topics spanning epidemiology, prevention, treatment, and policy. These topics were systematically evaluated against six criteria by the experts, and the 25 highest-ranked priorities were identified. These centred on understanding problem gambling in underserved and vulnerable populations, emerging gambling technologies, advertisements, the convergence of gambling and gaming, and youth involvement in gambling. Experts also emphasised the importance of evaluating and improving existing interventions, rather than developing entirely new ones, and highlighted the need for deeper investigation into treatment-seeking behaviours, dropout rates, and relapse among people experiencing gambling-related harms.

Stakeholders placed strong emphasis on research that can reduce harm, promote equity, and support effective, evidence-based practices. As gambling continues to evolve through digital innovation and increasing global accessibility, this priority-setting exercise provides a crucial foundation for researchers, policymakers, and funding bodies to align efforts and address the most pressing issues in gambling harm reduction.

Full citation:
Czakó, A., Potenza, M. N., Hodgins, D. C., Yu, S. M., Wu, A. M. S., Jiménez-Murcia, S., Bowden-Jones, H., King, D., Billieux, J., Bőthe, B., Stein, D. J., Gambling Research Priority Setting Consortium, & Demetrovics, Z. (2025). Research priorities in gambling: Findings of a large-scale expert study. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 14(3), 1222–1249.