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CHAPTER NINE: FUTURE DIRECTIONS
9.1 This chapter briefly reviews the state of current and planned research on gambling and problem gambling in Britain.
9.2 At present, one major programme is underway, jointly funded by the Economic and Social Research Council ( ESRC) and the Responsibility in Gambling Trust ( RIGT). Six projects have been funded under the programme, of which the report's authors are involved in one. This study will conduct a sociological analysis of routes in and out of problem gambling behaviour in the Glasgow region. It will utilise qualitative, longitudinal methods to follow a cohort of gamblers, from various demographic backgrounds, over three years and assess the impact of a range of factors on their gambling behaviour. It is currently the only study on gambling and/or problem gambling being conducted in Scotland.
9.3 The other studies in the ESRC- RIGT programme are:
- An anthropological study of bookmakers and Chinese betting based in London
- A Cambridge-based study of the neurobiology of gambling
- A multi-disciplinary study of youth, deviance and gambling based in Wales
- An Oxford-based study of Internet gambling
- A Leeds-based study of families and Internet gambling.
9.4 In addition, RIGT have commissioned a further two relatively small-scale studies. These include:
- A review of international gambling advertising codes
- A review of the effectiveness of gambling industry employee training schemes
9.5 Finally, the Gambling Commission has commissioned a prevalence study of gambling behaviour in Great Britain. This will be carried out this year by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), who conducted the previous survey in 1999. Like its predecessor, this survey will have only a relatively small sample in Scotland (circa 1,000). While large enough to highlight major differences at an aggregate level between Scotland and other parts of Britain, it will not allow detailed analysis of sub-groups within Scotland or for any sub-national geographic breakdown.
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