Recapping the National Association for Gambling Studies 31st Annual Conference

Delegates from all over Australia, as well as international guests from New Zealand, Canada, Japan and the UK, were in attendance. 

The Conference was well represented by 188 delegates from community, industry, government and academia as well as a number of CEOs and directors of member clubs. The theme was ‘Follow the Money: Understanding the Financial Side of Gambling and its Practical and Policy Implications’ — though this was not the only focus of the event. 

The three-day event began with two pre-Conference workshops. Jay Robinson, principal of JR consulting and an expert in the field of gambling harm, held a workshop on ‘Smart Betting and Safer Gambling: Gambling Literacy Where it Matters Most’. The second pre-Conference workshop was hosted by Professor Michael Wohl on ‘The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly of Responsible Gambling: Things You Need to Know (But May Be Afraid to Ask)’. 

Michael is a Professor of Psychology at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada and has published over 190 peer-reviewed papers. He has been the recipient of many awards and funding for his work in gambling research.

After opening with a Welcome to Country, the Chair’s welcome and the official opening from Hon. Andrea Michaels, the first plenary session was delivered by Lauren Levin who received a Churchill Fellowship to learn about how Europe tackled gambling harm and prevention. The first concurrent sessions followed with presentations on harm reduction, technology and consumer/behaviour patterns.

After a busy first day, the Welcome Cocktail party was held at the Adelaide Zoo. Delegates travelled to the Zoo by the famous Popeye River cruise boats on the stunning Torrens River. During the cocktail party, which was held outside the Sumatran tiger enclosure, delegates were treated to a close-up view of the tigers enjoying their dinner.

The keynote address was delivered by Professor Wohl on day two. Dr Wohl had the audience captivated with his address on ‘Betting on Self-Worth: The Influence of a Financially Focused Self-Concept on the Development and   Maintenance of Problematic Gambling’. It was a fascinating address on how the belief that one's value as a person depends on how much money they possess plays a pernicious role in the development and maintenance of gambling problems. 

Concurrent sessions were held throughout the morning and afternoon of each day.  There was some thought-provoking and interesting sessions with topics encompassing harm minimisation, crime and justice, consumer protection, aboriginal and multi-cultural issues, attitudes and behaviours and financial counselling. 

Three excellent panels also delivered insights on advancements in responsible gambling — practice and policy implications, lived experience and the annual Michael Walker Memorial lecture ‘Watching the Money: Striking the Balance Between Player Privacy and Regulatory Control’. 

It was a superb three days of networking, hearing and learning about critical issues and advancements in the field of gambling research. 

At the closing of the Conference, Seaworld on the Gold Coast was announced as the venue for 2024. If you would like more information on the National Association for Gambling Studies, please visit nags.org.au.