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

7.2 - What documents are required?

Each research project that involves the collection of new data or the processing of non-anonymised human data requires the following documents.

Data management plan

A Data Management Plan (DMP) should include details on:

• description of the data
• data collection and/or generation
• data management, documentation and curation
• data security and confidentiality of potentially disclosive information
• data sharing and access, including making data available for reuse
• responsibilities of each researcher and/or each member of the research team in managing data for the research project.

Research Managers should use our generic DMP and adapt it to each project. External research suppliers should also create a DMP for their side of data governance. This needs to be completed and submitted to the Research Governance Manager prior to ethical approval.

Researchers can refer to additional guidance in the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) Data Management Plan guidance (opens in new tab). Researchers may also consider the UK Data Service plan to share (opens in new tab) guidance.

Data Protection impact Assessment

A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is recommended for any project which requires the processing of personal data that is likely to result in a high risk to individuals rights and freedoms. More information can be obtained from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Data Protection Impact Assessments (opens in new tab).

Should a DPIA be necessary for a project, this needs to be completed and submitted to the Research Governance Manager prior to ethical approval.

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General principles of research data governance and research data safeguarding Next section
Data sharing

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Last updated: 30 April 2026

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