Date: Wednesday 15th October 2025 
When: 6pm - 7:30pm 
Where:  The Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, BS8 1RJ
Register:  Free to attend, registration required via Ticket Tailor

The global gambling industry is worth around $580bn – that’s bigger than the GDP of 86% of countries on our planet.

But hundreds of millions of the world’s citizens are harmed by gambling through financial ruin, relationship breakdown, domestic violence, crime, and serious physical and mental health problems, including suicide.  Gambling is global public health issue.

The global availability of smartphones has propelled betting and gambling into a 24/7 activity across every time zone. Over the past decade, much of this activity has focused on football betting, as premier club matches become major global broadcast phenomena.   

The Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research at University of Bristol funds innovative, interdisciplinary research across the globe to raise awareness, enhance consumer protection and inform treatment of gambling harms. The Hub has funded amazing projects in Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and Namibia and we have lots to learn from these researchers.

The evening will start with a vibrant music video co-created and produced with young people affected by gambling harms in Uganda. Dr Branco Sekalegga will talk about how the video was made and the effects it has had on youth communities.

A panel discussion will follow, chaired by Professor Isabella Aboderin, co-facilitator of the ground-breaking Africa Charter that aims to transform the power relationship in UK-Africa research.  She will be in discussion with Professor Agnes Nairn Co-Director of the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms research and researchers from five African universities to uncover what the UK can learn from these colleagues:

• Dr Branco Sekalegga and David Kakeeto, Makerere University, Uganda. 
  How can we use music videos and social media influencers to engage young people in tackling gambling harms?
• Daniel Ikenna Molobe, Unified Initiative for Drug Free Nigeria.
  What part do gambling harms play in migrant communities as they leave and often return to their home?
• Dr Caitlin Ferreria, University of Cape Town, South Africa.  
  What is the scale, scope and effect of gambling advertising and sponsorship in South African cricket, rugby and football broadcasting?
• Dr Jacobina Mwiiyale, University of Namibia.
  How do consumers in Namibia find out about gambling activities?  How does it affect different groups across the country? What is the government doing?
• Dr Gregory Jumah Nyongesa, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST).
  How is gambling taking hold in public universities and what can be done to help students and staff?
• Professor Agnes Nairn, Co-Director of Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research, What can we learn from our African colleagues?
• Chair: Professor Isabella Aboderin, Chair, Perivoli Africa Research Centre (PARC), University of Bristol 

This event is kindly sponsored by Bristol Collegiate Research Society. 

About the Bristol Collegiate Research Society: The Bristol Collegiate Research Society is a charity committed to supporting an annual academic research symposium in the University of Bristol.  The Society was founded in 1899 by a group of Bristol citizens who wished to assist University College Bristol gain a Royal Charter and become the University of Bristol. 

 

Pan-African Gambling Harms Research Network Workshop - May 2025

This event is kindly sponsored by Bristol Collegiate Research Society.