Experimental medicine to define mechanisms of gambling disorder: stage one

Open UKRI funding opportunity · Grant. Closes 2027-04-14. Total fund £10 million. Opportunity page: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/experimental-medicine-to-define-mechanisms-of-gambling-disorder/

Apply for funding for academically led experimental medicine studies in humans that deepen understanding of the causal biological and psychosocial mechanisms underlying the effects of gambling activities, products and interventions on gambling disorder.

Your project must:

- focus on a mechanistic hypothesis

- include an experimental intervention or challenge in humans

- be independent from gambling industry associations

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for Medical Research Council (MRC) funding.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £3 million. MRC will fund 80% of the FEC.

What we're looking for Aim

The overarching aim is to generate a more integrated mechanistic understanding of gambling disorder development, progression, persistence, relapse and recovery which may help identify modifiable targets and build an evidence base for future prevention and treatment strategies. Secondary outcomes could also inform policy changes for example regulation of gambling products and related advertising.

Scope

It is increasingly recognised that gambling disorder arises through complex interactions between gambling products and environments and biological, psychological and social processes. The mechanisms through which these factors interact to shape risk, trajectory and recovery of gambling disorder are poorly understood. Additionally, modern gambling products and environments are rapidly evolving, incorporating features designed to maximise engagement by leveraging human reward, learning and attentional processes.

Advancing our understanding of the causal mechanisms through which gambling disorder develops, progresses and persists and how interventions modulate outcomes is essential. The insights gained will help identify the…