12 November 2019
GVC Holdings PLC
(“GVC” or the “Group”)
GVC Hosts Safer Gambling Research Symposium with Harvard Medical School
Faculty from the Division on Addiction at the British Academy
Following its groundbreaking $5.5m multiyear research partnership with the Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, announced in January 2019, GVC is today pleased to be holding a symposium on research into safer gambling at the British Academy. Led by faculty from the Division of Addiction of the Cambridge Health Alliance, the symposium will outline the scope and ambition of the research to an invited audience of academics, researchers and industry leaders.
Professors, Dr Debi LaPlante and Dr Sarah E. Nelson, will explore the range of research being undertaken by the Division on Addiction using anonymised player data provided by GVC across a broad range of areas including:
- Patterns of normal internet gambling behaviour
- Behavioural markers of harm, evaluating the effectiveness of algorithms deployed by GVC
- Safer Gambling limits and the affordability of online gambling
- Adopting an evidence-based approach to product safety
- Review of responsible gambling training and its effectiveness
The symposium will also include a panel discussion chaired by Sarah Hanratty, CEO of the Senet Group and featuring Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Risk Management, Anna Hemmings, CEO of GamCare and Brigid Simmonds, Chair of the Betting and Gaming Council. The panel will address topics including the effectiveness of responsible gambling intervention messaging, the impact of operator’s responsible gaming tools and how the industry can better detect at-risk behaviours.
Commenting on the symposium, GVC’s CEO Kenny Alexander said:
“As part of our Changing for the Bettor strategy, we at GVC are determined to advance the understanding of problem gambling so that we can more successfully intervene to minimize harm to potentially vulnerable individuals. Our partnership with Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addiction is vital to this process and we are delighted to be hosting today’s symposium to bring together so many people who share our ambition.”
Dr Debi LaPlante, Director at the Division of Addiction of the Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School added:
“It is only by taking an evidence-based approach to examining gambling that we can develop better strategies and tools to limit its potential to cause harm. The collaboration with GVC that is at the heart of today’s symposium will play a significant role in advancing our knowledge about the issue of problem gambling and is warmly welcomed.”
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Enquiries:
Jay Dossetter
020 7337 0100
About GVC Holdings PLC
GVC Holdings PLC is one of the world’s largest sports-betting and gaming groups, operating both online and in the retail sector. The Group owns a comprehensive portfolio of established brands; Sports Brands include bwin, Coral, Crystalbet, Eurobet, Ladbrokes, Neds and Sportingbet; Games Brands include CasinoClub, Foxy Bingo, Gala, Gioco Digitale, partypoker and PartyCasino. The Group owns proprietary technology across all of its core product verticals and in addition to its B2C operations provides services to a number of third-party customers on a B2B basis. The Group has also entered into a joint-venture with MGM Resorts to capitalise on the sports-betting and gaming opportunity in the US. The Group, incorporated in the Isle of Man, is a constituent of the FTSE 250 index and has licences in more than 20 countries, across five continents.
For more information see the Group's website: www.gvc-plc.com
About Division on Addiction
Our mission is to alleviate addiction-related social, medical, and economic burdens through research, education, training, and outreach. We offer encouragement, education, and training to a diverse group, including health care providers, policy makers, and scientists. The Division was founded at the Harvard Medical School 25 years ago. We are part of the Department of Psychiatry at the Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital. Our faculty and staff come from diverse professional backgrounds helping us to expand our understanding, prevention, and treatment of addiction. We are funded through a variety of private and public agencies, businesses, and foundations. Those interested in joining our team, should review our latest fellowship and job opportunities.
For more information see: https://www.divisiononaddiction.org/