Video games and gambling-related harms
This UKRI grant funds interdisciplinary research on how gambling and video games intersect, aiming to inform UK policy and reduce gambling-related harms through evidence-based insights.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: July 23, 2026 (Full application submission deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to £1,000,000 per project (80% FEC); total fund £5,000,000; project duration up to 36 months
Summary: Supports interdisciplinary research into the relationship between gambling and video games to inform UK policy, prevention, and best practices for reducing gambling-related harms.
Key Information: Lead applicants must be based at a UKRI-eligible research organisation; international and non-academic co-leads permitted with restrictions.
Description
This funding opportunity supports research projects investigating the intersection of gambling and video games, including both regulated activities (such as esports betting) and unregulated gambling-like features (such as loot boxes and social casino games). The goal is to produce actionable, evidence-based insights that inform prevention, treatment, policy, regulation, and best practices, ultimately promoting safer and more responsible video game experiences in the UK.
Projects should be interdisciplinary, engaging relevant stakeholders (including those with lived experience), and must demonstrate independence, research integrity, and real-world impact. Priority research themes include the prevalence and impact of gambling-like practices in video games, regulatory frameworks, user engagement patterns, commercial determinants of health, and effective interventions.
Proposals are expected to align with the UKRI Research Programme on Gambling (RPG) and to coordinate with the Gambling Harms Research Coordination Centre (GHRCC).
