Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming

Staff Spotlight: Dr. Harshdeep Mangat

Introducing Dr. Harshdeep Mangat, a recent CERG PhD graduate whose work sits at the intersection of esports, gaming, and gambling research.

From exploring behavioural patterns in digital environments to contributing to conversations around policy and player wellbeing, Dr. Mangat’s research reflects the evolving landscape of gaming and its wider societal impact.

You can find Dr. Mangat here:
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=qHIp-AoAAAAJ&hl=en
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9164-6936
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Harshdeep-Mangat-2/

Public Research Lecture Series

Adolescent Risk-Taking Behaviours and Mental Health in Gibraltar
Speaker: Julia Tibot (PhD Researcher, University of Gibraltar)

Young people today are navigating rapid biological, psychological, and social changes in an increasingly digital world. But what does the evidence tell us about the mental health and behaviour of adolescents in Gibraltar?

In this lecture, Julia will present findings from a large-scale study of students aged 11–20 across Gibraltar’s secondary schools, examining patterns of risk-taking, mental wellbeing, substance use, screen time, and digital behaviour.

-25 March 2026
-18:00 – 19:00
-University of Gibraltar

New research published in Comprehensive Psychiatry explores the link between online gambling and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).

In a study of 1,047 adults in the UK who gamble online, 64% reported a lifetime history of non-suicidal self-injury, including behaviours such as cutting, hitting, or interfering with wound healing.
The findings show that individuals experiencing more severe gambling problems were more likely to report self-injury. However, gambling severity was not the only factor. Emotional distress and sleep difficulties, particularly insomnia, emerged as the strongest predictors, with younger adults appearing especially vulnerable.

Importantly, self-injury was also present among those with lower-risk gambling, highlighting the need for early identification and support.
Together, these results emphasise the importance of addressing emotional wellbeing and sleep problems alongside gambling-related harms in prevention and treatment efforts.

Read the full publication here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2026.152686

New Publication Alert!

Researchers from the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming (CERG), University of Gibraltar, have published a new study in Comprehensive Psychiatry examining differences between esports bettors and traditional sports bettors.

This study compared individuals who bet on esports with those who bet exclusively on traditional sports across the UK, Hungary, and Canada (N = 685). Findings showed that esports bettors tend to be younger and more likely to report higher levels of problem gambling risk severity and gaming disorder symptoms. Esports bettors also reported greater impulsivity, stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, and were more likely to gamble for coping, social, and financial reasons.

Gaming disorder symptoms remained a significant predictor of esports betting even after controlling for other psychological and motivational factors. The findings suggest that esports bettors represent a distinct and potentially more vulnerable subgroup within the wider betting population, highlighting the need for targeted awareness and harm-reduction strategies.

Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2026.152667

The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA), in partnership with the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming (CERG) at the University of Gibraltar, is pleased to announce the upcoming event:

🎯 Customer Interaction: Insights, Challenges, and Future Directions
📅 Thursday, 27 November 2025
📍 University of Gibraltar
🕓 14:00 – 17:00, followed by networking drinks and canapés

This event will bring together industry professionals, regulators, researchers and other stakeholders. Join our speakers to discuss emerging practices and future directions in customer interaction and safer gambling.

⚠️ Please note: Spaces are limited.
To secure your place, kindly RSVP using the link below. The registration form will remain open until all spaces are filled.

Register here: https://unigib.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0HcTLJpEtllGQpo

Researchers from the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming at the University of Gibraltar, alongside international collaborators, have contributed to a new systematic review examining the connection between non-suicidal self-injury and behavioural addictions such as gambling, gaming, and problematic internet use. The findings open new conversations about how these behaviours intersect and the importance of understanding them together.

Read the full paper here: https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2025.00079

Researchers from the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming at the University of Gibraltar, alongside international collaborators, have contributed to a new study exploring the psychological factors linked to esports gambling. This paper tested the directionality between Gambling Disorder and desire thinking based the Elaborated Intrusion Theory of desire and the Metacognitive Model of Addictions among both general gamblers and esport gamblers. These findings shed light on important risks within the rapidly expanding esports betting landscape.

Read the full paper here: https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2025.00084

New Publication Alert!

Researchers from the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming (CERG) contributed to an international study just published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions.

Bringing together 307 experts from 35 countries, the study identified the top 25 global priorities for gambling research – guiding future efforts in evidence-based policy, prevention, and treatment.

Key priorities include understanding gambling among vulnerable and minority groups, the impact of advertising, the convergence of gaming and gambling, and improving existing intervention strategies.

This collaborative project represents a major step toward shaping a unified, global research agenda to reduce gambling-related harm.

Read the full open-access article here: https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2025.00072

Researchers from the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming at the University of Gibraltar, together with international collaborators, have contributed to an important new study extending the Gambling Motives Questionnaire. By examining not only social, coping, and enhancement motives but also escapism, pleasure, and financial drivers, the study provides a broader framework for understanding why people gamble. These insights may be key to distinguishing between recreational play and gambling-related harm.

Read the full paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2025.152633

New CERG Publication in Addictive Behaviors Reports

Does the unavailability of social media affect online gambling behavior?

A behavioral tracking data study before and after the October 2021 Facebook outage.

This study, based on data from 232,037 individuals across five European countries, examined whether the six-hour global outage of Facebook on October 4, 2021, influenced patterns of online gambling (casino gaming and sports betting).

Read the full article in Addictive Behaviors Reports: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2025.100629

The Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming was proud to present a series of cutting-edge research studies at the International Conference on Behavioural Addictions (ICBA) 2025, held 7–9 July.

Our team’s contributions covered a wide range of critical topics in the field, including gambling, gaming, impulsivity, stigma, and youth risk behaviours:

· Setting Priorities for Gambling Research - Dr Andrea Czakó

· Attentional Biases in Gambling and Video Gaming Problematic Use: An ERP Study - Dr Cristina Villalba-García

· Reputation, Macroeconomic Benefit, and Fair Share: SKAD Analysis of Gibraltar’s New Gambling Bill - Judith Anne Glynn

· Exploring Perceptions and Experiences of Gambling-Related Stigma - Yanisha Soborun

· Parental Stress and Children’s Video Gaming: A Social Control Theory Perspective - Dr Shu (Mogu) Yu

· Impulsivity and Compulsivity in Gaming Disorder and Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder - Dr Karol Lewczuk

· A New Measurement Tool to Assess Problems Related to the Use of Screen-Based Devices - Dr Andrea Czakó

· An Exploration of Metacognition Within Adolescent Health and Risk-Taking Behaviour - Julia Tibot

We are proud of our team’s outstanding contributions and the opportunity to help advance international discussions on behavioural addictions, public health, and evidence-based policymaking.