The International Center for Responsible Gaming Tuesday announced that Bowling Green State University in Ohio is the first recipient of a grant from its Sports Wagering Research Fund. Bowling Green will use the $401,930 grant to fund a national study of sports betting behaviors in the United States.
“This research project seeks to study the rapidly changing face of sports wagering in the United States, with a focus on understanding what factors might lead some people to develop problematic play, whereas other people are able to wager without problems,” said Bowling Green Principal Investigator Joshua Grubbs in a statement. “Our hope is that this work can better inform efforts to promote responsible play and prevent the potential harms that problem gambling can cause.”
The proposed study has four points of emphasis:
- Establishing the prevalence of sports-wagering behaviors in the U.S. adult population
- Identifying risk factors for problematic sports-wagering behaviors
- Exploring how technology influences sports betting
- Establishing the natural trajectories of sports-wagering behaviors over time
The ICRG’s Sports Wagering Research Fund is supported by gaming operators and interests, and sports leagues including the American Gaming Association; MGM Resorts International; DraftKings; William Hill US/Caesars Entertainment; Entain; NASCAR; Hard Rock International; the PGA; and IGT.
