Vol.:(0123456789) Journal of Gambling Studies https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-018-9792-9 1 3 BRIEF REPORT Responsible Gambling Research and Industry Funding Biases Robert Ladouceur 1  · Paige Shafer 2  · Alex Blaszczynski 3  · Howard J. Shafer 4 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018 Abstract This brief report examines whether there are diferences in aspects of diferent charac- teristics, including design/methodologies of responsible gambling (RG), between studies funded by industry as compared to other sources. To investigate this, the authors used those studies included in a recent meta-analysis focusing on the empirical basis of RG initiatives (Ladouceur et al. in Addict Res Theory 25:225–235, 2017). We examined eight associa- tions between funding sources, and diferent design/methodological characteristics of these studies; type of strategy, inclusion of comparison groups, measurement scales and repeated measures, publication source, number of inclusion criteria met, secondary sources of fund- ing, publication year. The results revealed no statistically signifcant diference between the funding source, and the index study characteristics. These results do not support claims that funding exerts infuence on the design or methodologies of RG studies. However, the absence of statistically signifcant fndings should not be used to assert the absence of a funding efect because there are many reasons for failing to fnd diferences, or interpreta- tion of fndings. Unexpectedly, a third of the papers included in this study failed to dis- close their funding sources. This fnding highlights the need for more open and transparent disclosures. Keywords Gambling · Funding · Outcome biases * Robert Ladouceur Robert.ladouceur@psy.ulaval.ca Paige Shafer paige.shafer@gmail.com Alex Blaszczynski alex.blaszczynski@sydney.edu.au Howard J. Shafer howard_shafer@hms.harvard.edu 1 School of Psychology, Université Laval, 2325, rue des Bibliothèques, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada 2 Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, USA 3 School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia 4 Division on Addiction, The Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA