New problem gambling research centre launched

Media Release, Tuesday 9 October 2007

The Problem Gambling Research and Treatment Centre - a joint initiative of the University of Melbourne, Monash University and the Victorian Government - will receive core infrastructure funding of $4.2 million over four years, and access to a range of other program and research funding.

The Centre was launched on the 21st September at the University of Melbourne by the Victorian Minister for Gaming, Tony Robinson. "The Centre will be the hub for leading experts in the field of problem gambling, to drive cutting-edge research and the creation of new clinical practices and will play an important leadership role in the translation of research evidence into practice and foster a culture of learning in the Gambler's Help service sector."

The Centre will be based at the University of Melbourne's Parkville campus and Monash University's Clayton campus. It grows out of an existing inter-University research program with a decade of high level performance in the area of gambling research, service design and service evaluation, which has operated under the direction of Professor Alun Jackson, Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne and Professor Shane Thomas, School of Primary Care, Monash University.

Professor Jackson and Professor Thomas have been appointed Directors of the Centre.

Professor Jackson says the focus of the Centre is 'Thought Leadership', where innovation, service development, research and knowledge transfer are brought together within an environment of rigorous evaluation. It will:

• conduct cutting-edge research into problem gambling treatment approaches
• develop new clinical practices
• train new and existing staff working in gambler’s help services
• establish a postgraduate qualification in problem gambling treatment
• conduct a sustained epidemiological study of the various forms of gambling
• provide training on problem gambling to industry on a commercial basis.

A major strength of the Centre will be its multidisciplinary orientation.

Professor Jackson said that priorities for the Centre in the first 12 months of operation are to examine the relationship between depression and problem gambling, family violence and problem gambling and what sorts of interventions will work best in these areas. "We will also be looking at what sort of prevention and treatment programs are most appropriate for adolescents and young adults."

The Centre is already undertaking research on whether the children of problem gamblers are more likely to develop gambling problems, and on a range of individual, family and community risk and protective factors in relation to problem gambling, and will announce its full research plan in the new year.

Professor Jackson is available on 03 8344 9402