Published Research and Insight Projects

• The Emerging Impact of COVID-19 on Gambling in Ontario

  June 8th, 2020

  The Responsible Gambling Council

  In Ontario, COVID-19 has had a profound effect on public health and every-day life. In part, this impact has been reflected in the provincial government’s emergency measures declaration on March 17, 2020. These measures have resulted in the restriction of most hospitality and recreation businesses, including in-person gambling facilities, and many non-essential workplaces.

  In order to understand the effects of the pandemic on Ontarian gamblers and make evidence-informed changes and improvements to community outreach and prevention programming, the RGC’s Centre for the Advancement of Best Practices rapidly conceived and implemented a provincial study.

  Download the Report

• Driving Culture Change through Responsible Gambling Training

  New Horizons 2020
  March 12, 2020

  Janine Robinson, Director of CABP, RGC

  This workshop explored innovative solutions to fill knowledge gaps in the RG sector, and showcased the latest training strategies and communication tools for their implementation. It discussed how to begin a culture shift away from compliance-based programs and towards high value, impact-driven RG.

  Download Presentation Slides

• Continuing our Responsibility in an Era of Mistrust

  2019 Clubs NSW Annual Conference; Clubs ACT
  November 1, 2019

  Janine Robinson, Director of CABP, RGC

  This session outlined characteristics of RG leaders, highlighting leading practices in RG internationally and exploring how first-rate RG programs can build trust and increase social licence to operate. It outlined opportunities for growth and innovation in RG, including enhanced training and reinforcement for staff, targeting appealing and positive RG messaging to a broad range of players, and creating a culture of RG.

  Watch Keynote

  Download Presentation Slides

• Cross Jurisdictional RG Benchmarking

  Co-presented with the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation; International Think Tank on Gambling Research, Policy and Practice
  July, 2019

  Janine Robinson, Director of CABP, RGC

  As part of a cross jurisdictional comparison of RG in Ontario, Canada and Victoria, Australia, this presentation explored Ontario’s RG, highlighting collaborative and community-based prevention initiatives and OLG’s approach to RG across the province.

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• A Needs Assessment of Responsible Gambling Manager Education

  Co-presented with Kahlil Philander; 17th International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking
  May 28, 2019

  Janine Robinson, Director of CABP, RGC

  RG training programs designed to help frontline employees recognize and respond to player warning signs are relatively common in the industry, but more extensive and specialized training for those who design and lead RG programs is needed. This session shared the results of a training needs assessment for RG managers, conducted to fill this gap in the field.

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• Risk Mitigation Strategies for Lottery

  Discovery 2019
  May 8, 2019

  Sasha Stark PhD, Senior Researcher, RGC

  This presentation outlines the risks of lottery play and outlines mitigation strategies that address the needs of players, retailers, and operators. Recommendations focus on the importance of providing information, tailored training, organizational support, and evaluation.

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• A Framework for VLT Safeguards in Canadian Hospitality Settings

  Feb 14, 2019

  Responsible Gambling Council

  In the past two decades, there has been a considerable increase in our understanding of responsible gambling policies, strategies and safeguards for players in different gambling settings. The preponderance of the ‘best practices’ research and analysis however, has been focused on gambling venues like casinos and, more recently, online gambling. Responsible gambling programs and player supports in hospitality establishments such as bars, lounges and restaurants have received less attention.

  This report is intended to be one contribution towards closing that gap.

  The report provides an up-to-date picture of VLT gambling as well as the RG policies, player safeguards, and resources currently in place across Canada, and offers a series of recommendations which constitute a framework of best practice safeguards specific to VLT play in hospitality settings.

  Download the Report 

• Responsible Gambling Best Practices for Player Incentives: Land-Based Venues

  Mar 5, 2015

  Responsible Gambling Council

  This project focuses on player incentives at land-based venues and gathers information from Canadian and international jurisdictions. Literature and policy reviews, a focus group, and a two-day forum are all used to obtain data.

  On balance, player loyalty programs—as long as they are not seen exclusively as a marketing tool – have some potential benefits from a player protection perspective. That assumes that loyalty programs and other incentives actively build in tools and analytics that enable increased player information and safeguards. The report outlines best practices in the following areas:

  1. Promoting informed decision-making
  2. Ensuring marketing incorporates an RG perspective
  3. Optimizing RG in the earning and redemption of rewards
  4. Supporting at-risk players

  Download the Report

• Best Practices for Self-Exclusion Reinstatement and Renewal

  Mar 31, 2016

  Responsible Gambling Council

  This research project investigates and identifies best practices for self-exclusion reinstatement and renewal. Specific objectives are threefold:

  • Compile an inventory of reinstatement and renewal options applicable to both land-based and online gaming environments
  • Provide an assessment of pros and cons related to various reinstatement and renewal options
  • Synthesize the best available evidence and knowledge on promising reinstatement and renewal options

  The findings of this report favour an active reinstatement process that offers two streams based on the presence or absence of risk warning signs at the end of a self-exclusion term. Following the completion of a self-exclusion term, an operator assesses markers that may represent risks of future problems. The risk assessment process then takes into account such things as history of multiple breaches, as well as their risk signs including family concerns, records of unstable or threatening behaviour and other red flag indicators.

  Download the Report

   

• Public Health Implications of Online Sports Betting in Canada

  Public Health Policy Rounds, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
  September 2019

  Alex Price PhD, Senior Researcher, RGC

  This presentation provided an overview of sports betting world-wide and examined evidence of key risk factors, such as youth and young adulthood, marketing and advertising, betting features, cultural influence of sport, and substance use. The presentation closes with implications for sports betting legalization in Canada and policy options

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• Developing and Testing Messaging about Cannabis and Gambling for Young People

  20th Annual National Center for Responsible Gaming Conference on Gambling and Addiction
  October 13, 2019

  Sasha Stark PhD, Senior Researcher, RGC

  This poster reviews a scoping exercise to identify the needs for education and awareness messaging about gambling and cannabis among adolescents and young adults in Ontario. Results suggested that information on the links between gambling and cannabis, the risk associated with gambling following cannabis use, and strategies to reduce risk would be useful for young people. One social media message about the links between excessive gambling and cannabis use was pilot tested successfully among adolescents.

  Download Poster

• Knowledge Translation Strategy for Coming of Age Youth in Greater Sudbury

  New Critical Directions in Gambling Studies Conference
  September 3, 2019

  Sasha Stark PhD, Senior Researcher, RGC

  This poster outlines the results of a focus group and in-depth interviews conducted with 19 and 20 year olds who live in Sudbury, a large municipality in northern Ontario with a diverse youth population and that is undergoing gambling expansion. Results showed that coming of age youth could benefit from knowing more about gambling risks, ways to limit risk, and sources of support, and the best ways to share this information are online, on campus, and where they gamble.

  Download Poster

• Sharpening Our Approach to Youth Gambling Prevention

  17th International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking
  May 28, 2019

  Sasha Stark PhD, Senior Researcher, RGC

  This presentation outlines ways to improve approaches for youth gambling prevention, including building new partnerships, targeting high-risk subgroups, including other behaviours and/or substances, and finding new ways to reach and engage youth.

  Download Presentation Slides

• Understanding and Reducing Harms among Young Adults in Ontario

  7th Annual Momentum Research Realized Conference
  May 14, 2019

  Sasha Stark PhD, Senior Researcher, RGC

  This presentation provides a general overview of the increased risk of gambling harm among young adults, existing youth prevention programs in the province, and recent RGC initiatives focused on coming-of-age young adults and cannabis use.

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Explore Past Reports

• 2010 – 2014

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  Responsible Gambling for Lotteries

  Jan 10, 2014

  Responsible Gambling Council

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  Gambling and Problem Gambling in Ontario

  Jun 26, 2013

  Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre & The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care

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  Monetary Limits Tools for Internet Gamblers

  Jun 14, 2013

  Responsible Gambling Council

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  Responding to Patrons with Potential Gambling Problems

  Nov 8, 2012

  Responsible Gambling Council

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  Informed Decision-Making

  Jul 7, 2011

  Responsible Gambling Council

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