The Map the Gap report has been published yesterday and sets out the extent of the challenge facing British policy-makers in using evidence and research to support a national responsible gambling strategy.

In 2010 the Responsible Gambling Fund (RGF) sought to commission a critical review of available research on problem gambling, with the intention of gaining an understanding of the available knowledge base and enhancing the sector’s understanding of issues that were yet to be explored in research. ‘Mapping the gap’ in the available evidence would allow the RGF, as well as other commissioners and providers of research, to identify areas in which they might focus in supporting future work.

In part, the review sought to update the 2004 ‘Auckland report’1 which brought together studies on problem gambling conducted (largely) in the preceding ten years across Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

The RGF identified the following ten themes on which a critical review should focus:

1. A critical analysis of different approaches to treatment (e.g., Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, psychodynamic, person-centred/Rogerian etc.).

2. The workforce development needs of workers in the health and other support sectors, and the needs of personnel working in the gambling industry itself.

3. The impact of advertising on propensity to problem gambling.

4. The nature, prevalence, and effectiveness of consumer pre-commitment/self-limitation strategies.

5. The nature, prevalence and effectiveness of consumer self-exclusion strategies.

6. The impact of situational features on propensity to problem gambling (e.g., density and/or location of terrestrial gambling outlets) and the relationship of such features with socio-economic and demographic profiles of localities/regions/jurisdictions.

7. The comparative effectiveness of regulatory approaches

8. Issues regarding gambling-related risk and harm in relation to specific demographic groups, e.g., ex-service personnel, homeless people, prisoners.

9. The impact of structural features of gambling products, e.g., stakes and prizes; speed of play, etc.

10. The effectiveness of prevention/education initiatives; including operators’ corporate social responsibility measures.

As a result of a competitive tendering exercise the RGF selected two providers to carry out the review. This allowed the RGF to commission researchers with relevant topic-based and methodological expertise to inform their future work.

RAND Europe, an independent, not-for-profit research institute was commissioned to review literature on all the areas of interest except themes 3 and 7, which relate to the impact of advertising and the effectiveness of regulation. These two themes were addressed in a separate review conducted by Simon Planzer (Planzer Law, University of St.Gallen). While they have been drafted by different authors, and have their own executive summary and conclusions, the scope of the two reports has been carefully coordinated.

These reports are both available on the RGF’s website, and together they map the gaps in the knowledge base available to policy and decision makers in Britain on problem gambling.