Nordic Gambling Research Network – Gambling in Context (GAMIC)

This GAMIC workshop explored, in a comparative way, the similarities and differences in state regulation of gambling across the Nordic countries. Although the Nordic countries share certain socio-cultural similarities, there are also important differences in the state-gambling relationships, the political economy of gambling and regulatory set-ups and their impact on gambling activities. Internationally, as well as on a Nordic level, there is little research that investigates the politics of gambling legislation. While the existing literature indicates a convergence towards a common policy standard, there still seem to be significant national variations across the Nordic countries. Also, there are indications that issues such as problem gambling prevention, treatment of problem gambling and consumer protection show notably variations across the Nordic countries. Several Nordic researchers have already made considerable contributions on these issues, however a significant part of this work is cast in a national frame of reference which calls for closer pan-Nordic collaboration. This workshop aim to bring relevant Nordic scholars together with junior researchers in order to fertilize a path for new comparative insights into the state-gambling relationship across the Nordic countries, laying the ground for future comparative research collaborations.

GARN Network Meeting

The GAMIC workshop was followed by a one-day meeting with the Swedish Network for Gambling Researchers (GARN), open for all registered GAMIC participants, on October 15th, 2019.

The second GAMIC workshop was on the theme "Nordic register data and gambling research - data and methodology" and will took place on November 18-19, 2021, in Bergen, Norway.

All Nordic countries have well-kept health registers. To which extent information about gaming and gambling problems are included in these are not well-known. While national studies provides general information estimates of the prevalence and incidence of problem gambling, at present any systematic Nordic overview of large health surveys or other surveys in terms of information about gambling and gaming data does not exist. In addition, as registered gambling is becoming an integrated part of responsible gambling approaches, the possibility to link player account data with health registry data, becomes an obvious possibility, however one that can be materialized specifically and with promising value in the Nordic countries. Also, within the existing health registries information about gambling diagnosis is to be found, which can be linked with data from a wide range of different health registries.

Hence, this workshop explored the existence of large datasets in the Nordic countries containing data about gambling and gaming behavior, the possibility to include questions about gambling and gaming in large national health surveys, the utilization of player account data and the link between player account data and health registry data within the Nordic countries. In addition, ideas for using existing health registry data relevant for gambling research was explored.

This workshop aimed at exploring and demonstrating the potential for Nordic gambling research in utilizing and combining existing data registers available in the Nordic countries as well as integrating player account data and other player data from gaming providers in Nordic gambling research projects.

Nordic Workshop on gambling and covid-19

Friday, November 19th, there was a workshop on gambling and covid-19. The workshop was led by Tony Leino (University of Bergen). An established Nordic network on research on gambling and covid-19 was presented, together with information about a related pan-Nordic research project on this topic. Presentations of preliminary results and discussions about data access/sharing was also conducted.

The third GAMIC workshop was held on the theme "Blurring boundaries, socio-cultural and commercial determinants of gambling and gaming" and took place on May 19-20th, 2022, in Aarhus, Denmark.

Along with the digitization and gamification of modern everyday life and subsequent increases in internet gambling, there has been a blurring of lines between digital gaming and monetary gambling. This has raised concerns relating to the penetration of gambling by way of socially accepted activities such as sport and video gaming and on how to protect vulnerable populations such as children and young people from gambling promotion. In some computer games it is possible to buy extra levels or otherwise improve the experience by buying “skins” that may be exchanged to currencies used in online casinos.

Another example is the use of loot boxes in some computer games. Esport-betting is a further rapidly developing practice that may appeal to a young audience and Esport spectators. Similarly, simulated digital gambling has emerged as another related area of concern. Simulated digital gambling covers a range of online, money free gambling activities that are offered through various online platforms. There is a lack of research exploring in-depth the implications of the blurring boundaries between gambling and gaming, how gaming or simulated gambling affects gambling attitudes and behavior.