Dr. Heather Wardle

My Journey as a Gambling Researcher — Dr. Heather Wardle

I am Dr. Heather Wardle, Professor of Gambling Research and Policy at the University of Glasgow. My work stands at the intersection of public health, gambling behaviour, policy evidence, and societal impact. Over nearly two decades, I have worked to understand how gambling affects people’s lives, how technological change has reshaped gambling behaviour, and how societies can respond effectively and compassionately to the risks and harms that emerge.

This narrative—written in my voice—is not just about what I have done, but why I have done it: to better understand the human side of gambling, to inform policy, and to advocate for evidence-informed change.How I Became a Gambling Researcher

My academic path began as a social scientist deeply interested in population health, social policy, and behavioural trends. Early work in my career involved large-scale health surveys, including the Health Survey for England and the British Gambling Prevalence Survey. These studies offered a unique window into how behaviours like smoking, drinking, and gambling spread through populations, how they relate to health and wellbeing, and who is most at risk.

Gambling research appealed to me not merely as a study of behaviour, but as a lens through which we could see cultural, economic, and regulatory influences play out in real lives. My doctoral training equipped me with tools to design and analyse surveys, parse complex datasets, and ask meaningful questions about risk and inequality.

I realised early on that gambling was not just a recreational activity—its patterns of involvement, its harms, and its regulation spoke deeply to public health and social justice. This perspective has guided my work ever since.

What Drives My Research Today

My scholarship focuses on a few core questions:

1. How is gambling behaviour changing over time, across demographics and platforms?
   My work examines transitions in gambling involvement, including the rise of online and mobile gambling formats and their implications for public health.
2. How do technological infrastructures (internet accessibility, apps, payment systems) create both opportunities and risks?
   I study how digital innovations can reshape behaviours in ways that are neither entirely beneficial nor entirely harmful, but deeply consequential.
3. How should evidence be framed and used in policy decisions?
   It isn’t enough to collect data; we must also ensure that research evidence influences regulation in ways that protect vulnerable groups and inform practical solutions.

My forthcoming and ongoing projects explore the impact of gambling products, gambling harms, and how surveys capture and interpret these phenomena.

Key Research Contributions

Over the years, my research has appeared in academic journals, policy reports, and public health forums. Below you will find a table listing some of my influential publications—each linked for reference.

Among my works are systematic analyses of gambling involvement, policy framings of gambling and harm, and methodological contributions on how surveys capture gambling trends across populations.

Workplaces and Roles Over Time

While I have had various roles and institutional affiliations, my academic and research career has moved through a set of key institutions and projects.

Below is an interactive table showing my workplaces and roles.

This timeline shows how my research evolved from large national surveys to academic leadership in gambling, public health, and policy influence.

Research Themes and Public Engagement

Over my career, I have observed that gambling research must balance scientific rigour with policy relevance. My work spans multiple themes:

• Population patterns of gambling behaviour — how different demographics gamble and how behaviour shifts over time.
• Gambling harms and public health impacts — quantifying and understanding the non-financial consequences of gambling.
• Policy evidence and framing — how evidence is used in regulatory discussions and public debates.
• Technological change and risk — the implications of online gambling environments.

To illustrate the diversity of these themes, the table below shows interactive research focus areas.

Reflections on Gambling, Policy, and Evidence

Gambling research has broad implications for health policy, regulation, and social understanding. My work aims to ensure that evidence is not only collected, but interpreted in ways that can meaningfully inform decisions about risk, responsibility, and harm reduction.

I’m proud to contribute to efforts that raise awareness about the public health dimensions of gambling, challenge simplistic narratives, and push for policies grounded in empirical understanding rather than ideology.