New research funding to tackle gambling and addiction

Gambling has been included in the NIHR Addictions Policy Research Unit, following recommendations made by experts at the University of Glasgow. Gambling has been included in the new National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Addictions Policy Research Unit, following recommendations made by experts at the University of Glasgow. NIHR has awarded over £100 million to 20 new Policy Research Units (PRUs) across England, to tackle important emerging health and social care issues including reproductive health, addiction and dementia. The PRUs, funded by NIHR's Policy Research Programme, play a vital role in making sure the government and arm's length bodies have the best possible information and evidence available when making policy decisions about health and social care. A £5.5 million funding award from the NIHR will support the creation of a PRU investigating addictions, led by the University of Sheffield, King's College London and the University of Glasgow. The inclusion of gambling follows recommendations made by Professors Gerda Reith and Heather Wardle, of Gambling Research Glasgow, to incorporate gambling into a Policy Research Unit, in the context of gambling harms and rapidly changing gambling technologies. Professor Heather Wardle, of Gambling Research Glasgow, said: "We're delighted that gambling has been included in the new Addictions Policy Research Unit, raising the profile and esteem of gambling research and policy in an unprecedented way.