The Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, is collaborating with EPIC Risk Management, a gambling harm minimization consultancy, to conduct research about elite athletes’ relationships with problematic gambling behavior.

The survey will aim to address:

-The current state of gambling and gambling-related problems among professional athletes
-Correlates for gambling and gambling-related problems among professional athletes
-Professional athletes’ key gambling and gambling-related problem awareness, experience and actions

Division on Addiction Director of Research, Dr. Sarah Nelson said, “The Division is excited to begin work with EPIC Risk Management to examine gambling and risks for gambling harm in this potentially vulnerable population.”

Partial funding for the research is provided by GVC Foundation US, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting responsible gambling and sports integrity. This work will occur in parallel with GVC Holdings’ ongoing research partnership with the Harvard Medical School Faculty at the Division of Addiction to study GVC’s online and retail players to better understand how to minimize gambling-related harm.

The Division on Addiction will develop a survey, which will be implemented by EPIC Risk Management through educational sessions with up-and-coming and professional athletes in 14 locations across the U.S. in 2020 and 2021, covering New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Tennessee, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, North Carolina, Colorado, DC, and the New England region. Faculty from the Division will independently analyze the results from the surveys. The program is fully funded by GVC Foundation US, who will provide $2.5 million in financing over the course of two years.

“We are delighted to be working with Harvard Medical School on this groundbreaking program with elite and up and coming athletes in the U.S. By working with elite sports across the U.K. and Europe we know that professional athletes are competitive and don’t like to lose, and this can lead to a higher propensity to gamble, and suffer gambling problems, than the general population. This program between EPIC and the GVC Foundation US will provide sector leading education and awareness to professional athletes across the leagues and the data collected in the sessions will be passed to Harvard for independent evaluation and research,” said Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Risk Management.

“Proper research on responsible gambling and the relationship that professional athletes have with sports betting is sorely needed in the gambling industry. By addressing the key behaviors and experiences of athletes, we’ll be able to help sports betting grow in a safe, sustainable way that benefits everyone involved,” said Bill Pascrell, III, Trustee of GVC Foundation US and Partner at PPAG.

“GVC Foundation US is very pleased that the Division on Addiction of the Harvard Medical School has agreed to become the research partner to its groundbreaking educational program with EPIC Risk Management in the United States. Responsible gambling and sports integrity are weaved into the DNA of the sports betting industry – professional athletes are at the heart of the action and as a result need to be duly protected from the ills gambling may occasion. Gambling related education, based on scientific research, is absolutely key to achieving this objective,” said Martin Lycka, Trustee of GVC Foundation US and Director of Regulatory Affairs for GVC Holdings.

About Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance

The Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance’s mission is to alleviate addiction-related social, medical, and economic burdens through research, education, training, and outreach. The organization offers encouragement, education, and training to a diverse group, including health care providers, policy makers, and scientists. The Division was founded at the Harvard Medical School 25 years ago.

About EPIC Risk Management

EPIC Risk Management (www.epicriskmanagement.com) is the world’s leading independent gambling harm minimization consultancy. Working across the highest risk sectors for gambling related harm, EPIC have worked in 14 European countries on ground breaking harm minimization programs, responsible gambling training and class leading advisory. EPIC draws on lived experience to help individuals and organizations across financial services, elite sport, the military, criminal justice, education and the gambling industry to minimize the risks posed by gambling harm.

About GVC Foundation US

GVC Foundation US is a first-of-its-kind nonprofit dedicated to promoting responsible gambling, sports integrity and corporate compliance in the U.S. The Foundation was launched by the GVC Global Foundation and GVC Holdings PLC (LSE: GVC), one of the world’s largest sports betting and gaming groups, operating both online and in the retail sector.

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