The Gambling Commission has welcomed two distinguished academics, Dr. Virve Marionneau and Dr. Spencer Murch, as the newest members of the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG). Their appointments bring a wealth of knowledge in gambling studies and enhance the board’s capacity to offer expert advice on gambling regulation and harm prevention.
Anna van der Gaag, Chair of ABSG, expressed her excitement:
“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.”
Dr. Virve Marionneau
Dr. Marionneau is a sociologist and the director of the Centre for Research on Addiction, Control, and Governance at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Her research spans a variety of gambling-related issues, including regulatory frameworks, digital gambling environments, and the social impact of gambling practices.
On her appointment, she remarked,
“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. 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.”
Dr. Spencer Murch
Dr. Murch, a cognitive psychologist and AGRI Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Calgary, Canada, specializes in understanding addictive behaviors tied to digital products and the potential for emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address gambling-related harms.
“I am eager to contribute to such a talented team as the ABSG,” he stated. “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.”
The ABSG plays a crucial role in advising the Gambling Commission on policies aimed at reducing gambling harm, with members appointed based on their expertise in various aspects of gambling regulation and public health. With the addition of Dr. Marionneau and Dr. Murch, the board strengthens its international research outlook and its capacity to shape effective gambling harm prevention strategies.