The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has requested interested parties to provide feedback on its proposals for conducting research on risky gaming behaviors. The objective of this research is to identify such behaviors in players at an early stage and intervene before the situation worsens. This initiative aligns with the upcoming launch of online gaming in the Netherlands on 1 October.
Under one of the proposals, operators would be required to share data with a research institution upon request, responding within 28 days of receiving the request. It is mandatory for the license holder to ensure that the submitted datasets remain anonymous and cannot be linked to any individual player. The requests for data should include details regarding research questions related to gambling addiction, a research plan, and a description of how the results will be published.
The KSA emphasized the importance of making all research results publicly available through an open repository. It is crucial to analyze all requested databases and publish the results, regardless of whether any significant correlations are discovered. The chances of publication in scientific journals are higher when significant and notable connections are found. Nevertheless, for effective addiction prevention policy, it is necessary to have an overview of studies that do not demonstrate any effects, as ignoring such studies can lead to a distorted understanding of the problem.
In the Netherlands, the launch of igaming was postponed due to technical issues with the country’s self-exclusion system. Several major players including Kindred, Betsson, and LeoVegas had already suspended their gaming activities in the country.
