Standards

Research governance framework 

The Gambling Commission's Research Governance Framework.

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Published
30 April 2026

Last updated
30 April 2026 - Changes

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Contents

• Research governance framework 

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• Introduction
• • Research at the Gambling Commission
  • The Research Governance Framework
  • Developing and updating the research governance framework
• Ethical gambling research
• • Introduction to ethical gambling research
  • Core research principles and guidelines for ethical gambling research
  • Research involving AI
  • Conflicts of interest
  • Research misconduct
• Ethical approval for gambling research with human participants
• • Which projects require ethical approval
  • General considerations for ethical approval in gambling research
  • The ethical approval process
• The peer review process
• Roles and responsibilities
• Other external research involvement
• Research data governance
• • General principles of research data governance and research data safeguarding
  • What documents are required?
  • Data sharing
• Dissemination of research
• Monitoring, review and data corrections
• Appendices
• • Appendix 1: Ethics Checklist for projects requiring full Ethical Approval
  • Appendix 2: Data management plan checklist checklist
  • Appendix 3: Peer review checklist
  • Appendix 4: Research misconduct

6 - Other external research involvement

We may be involved in other external research, for example participation in:

• externally funded (or part externally funded) projects where our staff are co-applicant(s)
• joint research projects with an external partner (such as an Academic Partnership)
• projects undertaken by external organisations (such as universities, third sector or industry) where we or our activities are the subject
• projects where a member of staff has been requested to sit on an advisory group or provide a letter of support for an external research project.

The decision to be involved in any of these or similar activities should be based on the following considerations:

• we have been given sufficient time to consider and respond to the request
• the proposal is methodologically robust and complies with established and recognised research standards
• the aims and objectives of the project are likely to lead to information which will help shape our work
• our staff members have the necessary skills
• the support requirements, for example staff time, have been established and agreed. Consideration should be given to capacity and if the project or activity is likely to require significant support
• if deemed appropriate, we will have an opportunity to view results and comment on them before they are made available in public
• if we are the subject of the study, it should be considered if the investigators are of good standing and have a track record of delivering robust and ethical research; if the project has appropriate consent and disclosure agreements in place; if informed consent has been obtained individually from all our staff who take part in the research and if the appropriate peer review process has been followed.

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Research data governance - Research Governance Framework

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Last updated: 30 April 2026

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