Gaming machines research programme

Spring 2008

The Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, asked the Gambling Commission to prioritise identifying what further research could be done to understand the impact of high-stake, high-prize gaming machines on problem gamblers.

Summer 2008

We reported back with our plans for research during the financial year 2008/09.  We outlined our proposals in a Letter to Gerry Sutcliffe at DCMS on the impact of high-stake high-prize gaming machines on problem gamblers -  August 2008.

Our letter was informed by an exploratory desk exercise to improve our understanding on the potential harmful effects of high-stake, high-prize gaming machines on problem gamblers.

The Minister responded by welcoming a programme of research to explore the relationship between gaming machines and problem gambling.  See DCMS response to the Gambling Commissions letter on the impact of high-stake high-prize gaming machines on problem gamblers -  August 2008 for more information.

Summer 2009

We submitted a further report to the Minister for Sport ( Impact of high-stake, high-prize, and other gaming machines - June 2009), which was informed by a programme of work during the financial year of 2008/09.  This work included a consultation exercise with international and British gaming machine experts and qualitative research studying the behaviour of machine gamblers.

Our recommendations will be considered by the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board who will decide on longer term research priorities in this area.

The Minister for Sport supported our recommendations in his letter  Gambling Commission's review of gaming machines and recommendations for future research - July 2009.