Ewa Bakun will highlight the influence and importance of evidence-based iGaming research in her presentation at iGB L!VE.

The fundamental importance of providing robust scientific research on gambling, focusing on testing, measuring, and improving solutions that can be implemented in the real world, will be the topic of the presentation given by Ewa Bakun, Director of Industry Relations at World Gaming, on the Sustainable Gambling Zone at iGB LIVE on July 2nd at 12:20 PM.

By characterizing the challenge faced by the sector not as a lack of research, but rather as a scarcity of research aimed at answering practical questions related to player protection, she stated: “Much research focuses on describing problems, while little sets out to address the issues and recommend solutions. This comes at a time when the gambling industry faces increasing scrutiny on the effectiveness of measures to prevent gambling-related harm. As regulation increasingly focuses on effectiveness rather than intent, evidence-based initiatives have become a commercial, regulatory, and reputational imperative.”

When discussing the work of the ICE Research Institute, an initiative launched and jointly funded by World Gaming and Fira Barcelona to mark ICE's move to the Catalan city, she explained: “The ICE Research Institute was created to fund independent and applied research that provides practical evidence for operators, policymakers and other stakeholders, with a special focus on prevention, behavior, sustainability and measurable outcomes.

“The projects funded by the ICE Research Institute are addressing some of the industry’s most pressing issues and recommending practical solutions. These projects include understanding the impact of public stigma and narratives surrounding gambling, evaluating the effectiveness of responsible gambling messaging, investigating why some consumer protection tools are underutilized, developing ethical frameworks for AI, and testing preventative approaches for younger audiences.”

By focusing on what truly works, the international gambling industry has the opportunity to move beyond reactive responses to regulation and, through a proactive, evidence-based strategy, build credibility, generate trust, and in the process, achieve better results. Simply put, the future of this industry will not be defined by what we say, but by what we can prove.