Gambling Commission assembles international expert panel on gaming machines
Press
release
Date: 27 February
2009
The Gambling Commission has assembled an international panel of
experts on gaming machines research as part of its ongoing research
into high-stake high prize gaming machines.
The panel members were confirmed earlier this month and are
considering some questions on the British regulatory approach to
machines. The panel will help the Commission develop a research
programme focused on gaming machine regulation and minimising harm
in the British context.
In March 2008 the Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, asked the
Commission to prioritise its existing work to identify what further
research could be done to understand the impact of high-stake,
high-prize gaming machines on problem gamblers.
High-stake, high prize gaming machines include category B2
machines (previously referred to as Fixed Odds Betting Terminals)
in casinos and betting shops, category B3 machines in amusement
arcades and betting shops and category B3A machines in
non-commercial clubs.
The Commission agreed to report back to the Minister on the
progress made with research by the end of June 2009 and published a
summary of its review of the existing available research last
December.
Matthew Hill, Director of Research, Strategy and Analysis at the
Gambling Commission, said:
“We are very pleased to have assembled this group of experts
with such an extensive knowledge of the issues surrounding gambling
and problem gambling.
“The panel will advise the Commission on further research
focused on gaming machine regulation and the evaluation of
potential harm minimisation measures. They will also help us to
evaluate the findings of any other machines research.”
Experts from Australia, Europe, the United States and New
Zealand are included and Dr Jonathan Parke, University of
Salford, is helping the Commission to facilitate this work.
The panel members are:
| Professor Max Abbott |
Professor & Dean, Faculty of Health and Environmental
Sciences |
Auckland University of Technology |
| Professor Alex Blaszczynski |
Professor of Clinical Psychology |
University of Sydney |
| Professor Paul Delfabbro |
Associate Professor of Psychology |
University of Adelaide |
| Dr Charles Livingstone |
Senior Lecturer, Health Science |
Monash University |
| Professor Jan McMillen |
Independent researcher and former Professor of School of Social
Sciences |
Australian National
University |
| Ms Sharen Nisbet |
Associate Lecturer in the School of Tourism and Hospitality
Management |
Centre for Gambling Education &
Research, Southern Cross University |
| Dr Tony Schellinck |
CEO & Principal of Focal Research |
Focal Research (Canada) |
| Arve Sjolstad |
Communications Manager |
Norsk Tipping |
| Dr Nigel Turner |
Research Scientist |
Centre for addiction and mental health, Ontario |
| Dr Rachel Volberg |
President of Gemini Research |
Gemini Research |
| Dr Richard Wood |
Chartered Psychologist & Director of Gamres |
Gamres |
Notes to editors
The Gambling Commission
- The Gambling Commission (the Commission) regulates gambling in
the public interest.
- The Commission’s objectives are: to prevent gambling from being
a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or
disorder or being used to support crime; to ensure that gambling is
conducted in a fair and open way; and, to protect children and
other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by
gambling.
- The Commission is responsible for licensing and regulating all
commercial gambling in Great Britain other than the National
Lottery and spread betting, which are the responsibility of the
National Lottery Commission and the Financial Services Authority
(FSA) respectively.
- Correspondence between Gambling Commission Chairman, Brian
Pomeroy, and Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, can be found on
the Commission website.
Further information
Further information is available from the Commission’s
website.
Gambling Commission: John Travers on (0121) 230 6700 or
communications@gamblingcommission.gov.uk