The UK Gambling Commission has added to its Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG) with the appointments of Dr Virve Marionneau and Dr Spencer Murch.
Marionneau is a sociologist and Director of the Centre for Research on Addiction, Control and Governance at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Meanwhile, Murch is a cognitive psychologist and AGRI Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Calgary, Canada.
Anna van der Gaag, Chair of ABSG, commented: “We are very fortunate to have Virve and Spencer as our newest members. They are highly respected academics, both with a strong record of achievement in the field of gambling studies, and together they will expand the national and international research expertise we offer to the commission.
“Gambling is a global business and the regulatory challenges faced in different jurisdictions have much in common. I am delighted to be welcoming them and have no doubt they will bring valuable new insights to an ever-expanding range of topics which inform policy and practice in gambling regulation.”
Marionneau’s research covers several gambling-related topics, including regulations and policy evaluations, digital gambling environments, gambling industry practices and qualitative investigation of gambling experiences and harms.
“I am honoured to join the ABSG, especially at a time when increasing international and cross-sector collaboration is needed to regulate and control gambling,” stated Marionneau.
“I am thrilled to be a part of this impressive team of experts, and I look forward to advising particularly on regulatory practices and research from other jurisdictions.”
Murch’s work covers understanding cognitive, behavioural, and psychophysiological profiles of addictive digital product use, as well as exploring new opportunities for improving human health by using emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to detect, intervene and ultimately prevent gambling-related problems.
“I am eager to contribute to such a talented team as the ABSG,” Murch noted.
“As AI technologies and digital gambling opportunities continue to evolve, it is more important than ever to understand clearly the threats posed to human health in the United Kingdom and around the world.
“The mandate of this group is important, timely, and represents an opportunity to transform research insights into working harm prevention policies.”
