Standards

Research governance framework 

The Gambling Commission's Research Governance Framework.

---

Published
30 April 2026

Last updated
30 April 2026 - Changes

Document actions
Print or save (opens in new tab)

Contents

• Research governance framework 

---

• 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

3.2.2 - Working with children and young people

A range of our research projects and themes, such as our Roadmaps Evidence Themes 1 and 3 require the involvement of children, young people and other vulnerable persons. These participant groups require special consideration if they are to be participants in gambling research. Vulnerable persons might include people with identified higher Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores or those with mental or physical health conditions.

Gambling research with children and young people needs to consider that these participants may not have the same mental capacity as adults to express their needs or interests or to give an informed consent to the research. Therefore, study designs and participant information need to be adapted accordingly (see also section 2.3.1 Informed Consent). Researchers working with children and young people need to be deemed suitable to do so by the research provider. Researchers must satisfy themselves that participants are enabled to give informed consent with special regard to the needs and capacities of people with vulnerabilities and children who may require gatekeeper permissions (whereby a gatekeeper may be a carer, parent or guardian). If a participant or gatekeeper cannot give informed consent, the participant should not be involved in the research. The research provider will record participants informed consent in appropriate ways subject to data protection and ethical considerations.

Researchers should ensure protection when collecting and processing children’s personal data. Any researchers who will be undertaking research with children and young people should follow UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s research with children and young people’s principles (opens in new tab). Researchers are recommended to also review ICO’s guidance on children’s personal data and processing (opens in new tab).

---

Last updated: 30 April 2026

Show updates to this content

No changes to show.