Opportunity status:
Upcoming
Funders:
, ,,, UK Research and Innovation
Funding type:
Grant
Total fund:
£5,000,000
Maximum award:
£1,000,000
Publication date:
24 April 2026
Opening date:
8 May 2026 9:00am UK time
Closing date:
23 July 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding to explore the relationship between gambling and video games and produce evidence-based insights to:
* inform strategies and interventions to prevent, treat or reduce gambling-related harms
* shape policy, regulation and best practice
* promote safe and responsible video games
This opportunity is part of the UKRI Research Programme on Gambling (RPG).
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding.
The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £1,000,000. UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC.
Projects can last up to 36 months.
Who can apply
This is a UKRI funding opportunity led by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). It is open to the research and innovation communities of all UKRI research councils and Innovate UK.
This opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. .
International researchers
As ESRC is a lead funder for this opportunity, international researchers can apply as ‘project co-leads (international)’. You should include all other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners.
Read the for details of eligible organisations and costs.
Business, third sector or government body
Business, third sector or government body project co-leads based in the UK can also be included on research grant proposals as a project co-lead, with the exclusion of:
* organisations within the gambling industry
* Gambling Commission licence holders who are subject to the levy
* associated industries whose core business can be associated with harm to public health and societal wellbeing
* the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
Read for details of eligible organisations and costs.
Further eligibility requirements
Partnerships with non-academic higher education institutions and people across the third sector, community groups, industry, the public sector, people with lived experience and the public are important. These can contribute to diverse, innovative and cutting-edge research.
By ‘industry’ we mean any enterprise that places goods or services on a market and whose commercial activities constitute more than 20% of its annual operations. This definition applies across all sectors and is not limited to organisations within the gambling industry. However, we recognise the sensitivities in respect of partnerships and collaboration with businesses, the gambling industry or otherwise.
That is why we are clear that any engagement with industry partners, especially those from the gambling sector and the video games sector, must be demonstrably independent, evidence-based and research-led. They must also be aligned with the programme’s public interest objectives to further understanding of gambling and gambling-related harms.
Further, all proposals will be subject to robust scrutiny through our peer review and governance processes. Particular attention will be paid to the independence and integrity of the research, and the source and independence of the findings. Particular attention will also be paid to the potential for real-world impact in understanding gambling behaviour and preventing, treating or reducing gambling-related harms.
UKRI wishes to clarify that, as well as not being permitted to host awards, under the RPG UKRI does not permit funding to be provided to Gambling Commission licence holders who are subject to the levy. We have also placed restrictions on co-funding from such organisations. Furthermore, UKRI does not permit individuals to concurrently hold funding from licence holders subject to the levy whilst receiving funding from the RPG.
UKRI does not permit engagement with industries whose core business can be associated with harm to public health or societal wellbeing, in line with our ethical standards and harms-based exclusion principles. You should carefully consider who you are partnering with, whether the industries these are associated with might cause harm, and put appropriate mitigations in place. We encourage conversations with UKRI if you are uncertain.
Exceptions may be made for time-limited, purpose-specific interactions deemed essential to achieving legitimate and high-quality research objectives, for example, access to proprietary datasets or materials, provided that:
* there is no direct funding or co-authorship from the excluded entity
* the interaction is subject to robust ethical review and declared transparently
* appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent undue influence, reputational risk or conflicts of interest
* and the public benefit of the research demonstrably outweighs the risks of engagement
Such exceptions must be approved in advance through UKRI’s due diligence and governance mechanisms.
When preparing applications to this opportunity, we recommend that you follow UKRI’s policies and guidance on, and .
All applicants to opportunities funded under the UKRI RPG will be required to complete a Declaration of Interests Form.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.
We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:
• career breaks
• support for people with caring responsibilities
• flexible working
• alternative working patterns
for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.
What we're looking for
Demand management
Demand management is not being applied to this funding opportunity.
Context
In April 2023, the UK Department for Culture, Media, and Sports (DCMS) published a outlining a comprehensive strategy for modernising the regulation of the gambling sector. One of the key proposals in the white paper is the introduction of a statutory levy on gambling operators.
Following a and subsequent analysis of stakeholder responses, the UK government confirmed its intention to introduce a statutory levy charged to all licensed gambling activity. This is applicable at varying levels depending on the sector and nature of the gambling activity to ensure impacts are proportionate.
The was introduced via secondary legislation and commenced in April 2025 with funding flowing later that year. The Gambling Commission is responsible for collecting and administering the levy, operating under strategic direction from the UK government.
Levy funding is directed in specific proportions for the purposes of research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms. Each stream of the levy system also has a central commissioner. The streams are:
* research: 20% of levy funding to UKRI for the establishment of a bespoke RPG. A small proportion will go to the Gambling Commission to direct further research in line with the licensing objectives
* prevention: 30% of funding to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), and Scottish and Welsh Governments, to develop a comprehensive approach to prevention and early intervention across all three nations of Great Britain
* treatment: 50% of funding to NHS England, and Scottish and Welsh Governments, to commission treatment and support services
Within the funding stream allocated to UKRI for the RPG, this opportunity is designed to support interdisciplinary research into gambling and gambling-like features in video games. The aim is to generate actionable insights that can inform treatment, prevention and other interventions, as well as guide policy, regulatory approaches and best practices across the UK.
The research agenda supported by this funding opportunity aligns with the UK government’s ongoing interest in the implications and regulation of gambling and gambling-like features in video games.
In July 2022, DCMS published its to a on loot boxes, noting a link to gambling-related harms but no proven causation. In response, DCMS convened a technical working group comprising industry stakeholders to develop enhanced player protection measures. This collaboration culminated in the publication of industry by UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) in July 2023.
To support evidence-based policymaking, DCMS also released a in May 2023. This framework underscores the UK government’s commitment to fostering rigorous academic inquiry into the interaction with and impacts of video games, including, for example, in relation to game design, in-game features and monetisation strategies.
Scope
With widespread engagement across demographics, video games have become increasingly embedded in UK economy, culture and society. Over half of UK adults play video games (53%). This figure is higher among children and younger people, with nine in ten children aged 3 to 17 (89%) and young people aged 16 to 24 (85%) playing video games.
In recent years, a variety of practices have emerged at the intersection of video games and gambling, increasingly blurring the lines between the two and challenging traditional definitions. These include a wide spectrum of activities, such as esports betting, skins betting, loot boxes, social casino games and other simulated gambling products.
Current evidence suggests that gambling and gambling-like elements and practices in video games are associated with gambling-related harms. However, no causal link has been established. The relationship between gambling and video games necessitates further interdisciplinary inquiry to strengthen the evidence base and produce insights that can:
* guide best practices across the UK
* inform policy solutions and regulations
* support effective treatment, prevention and other interventions
* inform ethical game design and communication
* foster safe, responsible and equitable video games experiences
This opportunity will support research that investigates the relationship between gambling and video games. This can encompass both regulated gambling that is adjacent to video games, for example esports betting, and unregulated gambling-like activities in video games, for example social casinos and loot boxes. We are particularly interested to support research that explores:
* existing and emerging gambling and gambling-like phenomena in video games. This includes how different video games formats, platforms and technologies may intersect with gambling in distinct ways, with an eye to the potential need for different prevention and treatment strategies
* regulatory frameworks, both national and international, governing these phenomena. This includes evaluating the effectiveness of differing regulatory regimes and policy decisions, identifying grey areas, regulatory gaps and potential loopholes. It also includes proposing evidence-based recommendations to prevent or mitigate harms, promote player wellbeing and foster safe and responsible video games
* commercial determinants of health. This includes how market practices, design and monetisation approaches, and governance arrangements across relevant sectors may contribute to or mitigate gambling-related harms
* user engagement patterns, including how individuals interact with these phenomena, the platforms and channels through which they are accessed, and the role of advertising and promotion
* cross-sectoral connections, examining how gambling and gambling-like features in video games relate to other industries, and the regulatory environments within those sectors
* public attitudes towards the gamification of gambling and the incorporation of gambling-like features into video games. This includes the development of tools, resources and interventions aimed at enhancing public engagement, raising awareness and promoting positive behaviour change
* what works in terms of treating, preventing or reducing gambling-related harms associated with video games, including through game design and regulation
UKRI has identified the following priority themes for further investigation. However, this list is not exhaustive. Applicants are encouraged to focus on the most pressing challenges, particularly those that can generate new knowledge and have the potential for real-world impact in preventing, treating or reducing gambling-related harms. Priority themes identified by UKRI are:
* research that clarifies the specificity and direction of associations between gambling and video games and estimates the practical effect sizes of these relationships in real-world settings
* research that explores how such relationships may vary across different products and contexts and provides population prevalence information
* the impact of age ratings on preventing gambling-related harm, and the development, implementation and impact of age assurance technologies to protect against gambling-related harm
* esports betting, including scope, prevalence and associated harms, particularly among young people, and the relationship between esports betting and unregulated or novel forms of marketing and advertising
* influencer marketing, the role of influencers in promoting gambling or gambling-like interactions, emerging models of engagement and their impact on audiences
* gaming disorder and gambling disorder, including interactions and potential comorbidity between gaming and gambling disorders, and the extent to which treatment pathways and clinical approaches consider overlapping behaviours and risks
For more information on the background of this funding opportunity, go to the Additional information section.
Duration
The duration of this award is a maximum of 36 months.
Projects must start by 1 January 2027.
Funding available
The FEC of your project can be up to £1 million.
UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC.
Interdisciplinarity
We expect applications to bring together multidisciplinary research teams drawing on expertise from across the UKRI remit. Relevant disciplines may include but are not limited to psychology, sociology, behavioural science, economics, law and policy studies, computer science, game design, public health, and media and communication studies.
Collaboration and impact
To realise the ambitions of this funding opportunity, projects are expected to demonstrate clear plans for engaging with relevant stakeholders. You are not required to engage with all stakeholder groups listed below. Instead, you should identify which stakeholders are most relevant to your proposed research and describe appropriate engagement plans.
Potential stakeholders may include, but are not limited to, people across the third sector, community groups, industry, the public sector, people with lived experience and the public.
By people with lived experience and the public, we mean both individuals and the groups or organisations that support, work with, facilitate engagement with or represent people with lived experience and the public.
You should demonstrate how you will work with the relevant research users and stakeholders you have identified to shape and deliver their project, ensuring that the resulting outputs are meaningful, usable and accessible to those audiences. This is essential to ensure that the research can meaningfully contribute to the development and implementation of best practices, policy solutions, regulations and interventions, as well as advance public discourse on the intersection of gambling and video games.
We expect applicants to consider the potential. Outputs, dissemination and impact are a key part of the criteria for the assessment process.
UK government stakeholders
DCMS, the Gambling Commission, the OHID, the NHS and other government departments and functions are key stakeholders for this opportunity.
While applicants are not required to involve government stakeholders as project co-leads or partners, they must demonstrate clear consideration of:
* how their research is relevant to government stakeholders
* how their research will be made accessible and usable for those stakeholders
* how outputs could support policy development, implementation and regulation, or improve best practice, prevention, treatment or other evidence informed interventions used or influenced by government
DCMS are likely to be the key policy customers of this work. Therefore, to ensure a fair and transparent application process, we ask that you not contact DCMS to endorse your application. Successful teams will be able to engage DCMS, and you should build in capacity to work with them once funding is awarded.
You can refer to your experience of working with DCMS, but we do not expect these contacts to be named as project co-leads or partners on the application. UKRI will facilitate introductions to DCMS for the successful applicants.
Video games industry
We envisage the video games industry as a potential beneficiary of research funded through this opportunity. Where appropriate, we expect findings to help inform ethical game design and communication practices that ensure video games are safe, fair, transparent, inclusive and respectful of players’ rights and wellbeing.
Where relevant, we encourage collaboration with the video games industry, as defined in the. This includes video games companies, third-party service providers and professionals such as developers, publishers, platforms, industry researchers, software designers, software engineers and artists.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage with the framework’s recommendations, particularly those concerning the involvement of players and video games industry stakeholders in research design and delivery. All research should be guided by the principles of inclusivity, openness, transparency and independence, ensuring that it serves the public interest and contributes meaningfully to the wider research and innovation landscape.
UKRI Research Programme on Gambling (RPG)
Funded projects will be required to align with the wider UKRI RPG and coordinate with the Gambling Harms Research Coordination Centre (GHRCC). UKRI will facilitate engagement between funded projects, the broader programme and other relevant stakeholders through regular annual meetings and other engagement activities as appropriate. These activities are intended to:
* ensure insights generated across projects can be translated into actionable prevention, regulatory or policy-relevant outcomes
* support effective synthesis of learning across the portfolio
* ensure project outputs contribute to the work of the GHRCC and the wider levy architecture
You should allocate appropriate time and resources within your proposals to engage with these coordination activities once funding is awarded.
UKRI has commissioned a suite of to help identify evidence gaps within the research and innovation ecosystem. Outputs from these reviews will be publicly available in mid-2026, and UKRI will signpost them to successful applicants.
ESRC data infrastructure
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) supports a range of data infrastructure. Where relevant, we encourage applicants to consider whether the use of these resources could add value to the project. See for information on finding and using ESRC datasets which are available across the UK.
Smart Data Research UK’s and welcome enquiries from prospective applicants wishing to explore how their data and expertise could support and enhance proposed research projects. Where appropriate, we also encourage applicants to consider the use of .
Where relevant, details of datasets and infrastructure to be used in your project should be given in the Facilities section.
Research ethics
ESRC requires that the research we support is designed and conducted in such a way that it meets ethical principles and is subject to rigorous professional and institutional oversight in terms of research governance. We have agreed a Framework for Research Ethics that all submitted proposals must comply with. Read and guidance on compliance.
You must ensure that the activities and research of your project will be carried out to a high ethical standard, particularly given the sensitivities of research on issues concerning public harm and health. Gambling and the topics highlighted in this opportunity have the potential to be very sensitive and applicants are expected to have carefully considered all potential issues, integrity and conflicts of interest, safeguarding requirements and best practice.
You must clearly state how any potential ethical, safeguarding, and health and safety issues have been considered and will be addressed, ensuring that all necessary ethical approval is in place and all risks are minimised before the project commences. This is particularly important in the context of any planned public engagement activity and the involvement of people with lived experience or young people, all of which may require specific consideration.
We encourage applicants to make use of relevant resources on UKRI’s and to consider .
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.
As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.
, including where applicants can find additional support.
Data requirements
ESRC recognises the importance of data quality and provenance. Data generated, collected or acquired by ESRC-funded research must be well-managed by the grant holder to enable their data to be exploited to the maximum potential for further research. See our for details and further information on. The requirements of the research data policy are a condition of ESRC research funding.
Any data access negotiated with the video games industry should, where feasible, secure data that can be deposited in secure Trusted Research Environments (TREs). This is to support responsible data stewardship and enable secondary use by the wider research community in line with ESRC’s commitment to maximising the value of publicly funded research.
Where relevant, details on data management and sharing should be provided in the Data Management section. See and on the UK Data Service (UKDS) website for further guidance. We expect applicants to provide a summary of the points provided. The UKDS () will be pleased to advise applicants on the availability of data within the academic community and provide advice on data deposit requirements.
How to apply
We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service, so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.
Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.
To apply
Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.
1. Confirm you are the project lead.
2. Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email
Please allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service. We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to the Funding Service to enable you to apply to this opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account. This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you.
3. Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.
4. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
5. Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
6. Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.
Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant.
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.
When including images, you must:
* provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit)
* insert each new image on a new line
* use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application will be rejected if you include:
* sentences or paragraphs of text
* tables
* excessive quantities of images
A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
* * *
References
References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.
Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:
* references are easily identifiable by the assessors
* references are formatted as appropriate to your research
* persistent identifiers are used where possible
General use of hyperlinks
Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI)
Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.
For more information see our policy on the .
Deadline
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) must receive your application by 23 July 2026 at 4:00pm UK time.
You will not be able to apply after this time.
Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.
Following the submission of your application to this funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and submitted applications will not be amended. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
Personal data
Processing personal data
ESRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.
We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our .
Sensitive information
If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email
Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].
Typical examples of confidential information include:
* individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
* declaration of interest
* additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
* conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
* the application is an invited resubmission
For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read .
Institutional matched funding
There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.
This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.
Publication of outcomes
ESRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at .
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the.
Summary
Word limit: 550
In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.
We may make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:
* opinion-formers
* policymakers
* the public
* the wider research community
Guidance for writing a summary
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
* context
* the challenge the project addresses
* aims and objectives
* potential applications and benefits
Core team
List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:
* project lead (PL)
* project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
* project co-lead (international) (PcL (I))
* specialist
* grant manager
* professional enabling staff
* research and innovation associate
* technician
* visiting researcher
* researcher co-lead (RcL)
Only list one individual as project lead.
UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application.