Experimental medicine to define mechanisms of gambling disorder: stage one
Experimental medicine to define mechanisms of gambling disorder: stage one supports academic teams studying causal mechanisms in humans to identify modifiable targets and inform future prevention and treatment.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: April 14, 2027, 4:00pm UK time (Stage one) | September 1, 2027 (Stage two, by invitation)
Funding Amounts: £10 million total fund; up to £3 million full economic cost per project, funded at 80%, for up to three years
Summary: Supports academically led human experimental medicine studies testing causal mechanisms of gambling disorder to inform prevention and treatment.
Key Information: Research must be independent of gambling industry associations and meaningfully involve people with lived experience.
Description
UK Research and Innovation, led by the Medical Research Council (MRC) with AHRC and ESRC, supports experimental medicine studies in humans that explain causal biological, cognitive and psychosocial mechanisms of gambling disorder. Projects must test a mechanistic hypothesis through an experimental intervention or challenge, examining how gambling products, environments or treatments influence risk, development, persistence, relapse, recovery or treatment response.
The aim is to identify modifiable targets and strengthen the evidence base for future prevention and treatment, with secondary insights potentially informing product and advertising regulation. Research on harms or addictive behaviours below the diagnostic threshold is welcome where clearly relevant to gambling disorder. Projects must address a defined knowledge gap, measure clinical, behavioural, cognitive or neurobiological outcomes, and articulate a path to impact in identification, treatment, prevention or policy.
