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Center for Responsible Gaming and Research

In recent years, West Virginians’ access to gaming markets, particularly electronic gaming, significantly expanded. While gaming is a popular pastime, unlike many other consumer activities, it carries inherent risks that can affect participants and their families.

Problem gambling, though relatively rare, remains a persistent issue, causing substantial financial and emotional harm. Moreover, understanding all costs of participating in gaming markets can be challenging for consumers. These risks can be mitigated by monitoring of consumer activity in these markets.

The John Chambers College of Business and Economics will address these challenges through the establishment of a dedicated center for gaming market monitoring and research. Leveraging the expertise of renowned faculty members like Professor Christopher Ramezan and Professor Brad Price in cybersecurity and business data analytics, alongside Professor Brad Humphreys and Professor Jane Ruseski’s expertise in the economics of gaming markets, the center will focus on:

  • Promoting academic research on gaming markets to inform policy and increase understanding of outcomes in gaming markets.

  • Analyzing Transactions Data: By analyzing vast amounts of gaming transactions data, the center will identify instances of problem gambling and ensure fair pricing by bookmakers in these markets.

  • Integration into Research and Teaching: Faculty members will integrate data analysis into existing research and teaching curricula, enhancing College programs in Business Cybersecurity Management, Business Data Analytics, and Economics.

  • Industry Collaboration and Policy Influence: With a track record of collaborating with industry stakeholders and policymakers, the Chambers College is uniquely positioned to translate research findings into actionable insights for the gaming industry and government.

Join us in our mission to promote responsible gaming and consumer protection in gaming markets. Together, we can navigate the evolving landscape of gaming markets while safeguarding the interests of participants and the community.

People

Chambers College Faculty

Our team comprises experts dedicated to addressing the multifaceted challenges of gaming markets, from cybersecurity to business data analytics and the economics of gaming. With their diverse backgrounds and extensive experience, our faculty members are at the forefront of research, teaching, and industry collaboration, ensuring the success and impact of our center's initiatives.

Brad humphreys

Brad R. Humphreys, Ph.D.

Director, Center for Responsible Gaming and Research
Professor of Economics

Jane Ruseski

Jane E. Ruseski, Ph.D.

CRGR Faculty Affiliate
Professor of Economics

Price

Brad Price, Ph.D.

CRGR Faculty Affiliate
Associate Professor of Management Information Systems

ramazan

Christopher Ramezan Ph.D.

CRGR Faculty Affiliate
Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems

Riley

Richard Riley, Ph.D.

CRGR Faculty Affiliate
Professor of Accounting

Reddig

Kole Reddig, Ph.D.

CRGR Faculty Affiliate
Assistant Professor of Economics

Center for Responsible Gaming and Research Fellows

Center research fellows include internationally recognized senior scholars with decades of experience researching gaming market outcomes and sports betting.  The Research Fellows will collaborate with Chambers College faculty and students on research projects and provide strategic guidance to the Center.

walker

Doug Walker, Ph.D.

Professor, College of Charleston

Berkowitz

Jason P. Berkowitz, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, St. John's University

Paul

Rodney Paul, Ph.D.

Professor, Syracuse University

Perez

Levi Perez, Ph.D.

Professor, University of Oviedo (Spain)

Soebbing

Brian Soebbing, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, University of Alberta

Winebach

Andrew Weinbach, Ph.D.

Professor, Coastal Carolina University

Our Research

Center for Responsible Gaming and Research Faculty Affiliates and Research Fellows have made significant contributions to academic research, including research on data analytics, gaming, and gaming markets.

Brad R. Humphreys

Network Externalities in Consumer Spending on Lottery Games: Evidence from Spain (2010)  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00181-010-0448-6

The income elasticity of lottery: New evidence from micro data (2011)  https://doi.org/10.1177/109114211140362

Do Gamblers Think That Teams Tank? Evidence from the NBA (2011)  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1465-7287.2011.00298.x

Participation in Internet Gambling Markets: An International Comparison of Online Gamblers’ Profiles (2012)  https://doi.org/10.1080/15332861.2012.650987

The “Who and Why” of the Demand for Lottery: Empirical Highlights from the Seminal Economic Literature (2012)  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6419.2012.00732.x

Syndicated Play in Lottery Games (2013)  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2013.05.010

Consumption Benefits and Gambling: Evidence From the NCAA Basketball Betting Market (2013)  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2013.05.010

Access to Legal Gambling and the Incidence of Crime: Evidence from Alberta (2013)  https://doi.org/10.1111/grow.12034

Understanding Price Movements in Point Spread Betting Markets: Evidence from NCAA Basketball (2014)  https://doi.org/10.1057/eej.2013.10

Bettor Belief in the “Hot Hand”: Evidence from Detailed Betting Data on the NFL (2014)  https://doi.org/10.1177/1527002512465414

Sentiment Bias and Asset Prices: Evidence from Sports Betting Markets and Social Media (2017)  https://doi.org/10.1111/ecin.12404

Sentiment Bias in National Basketball Association Betting (2018)  https://doi.org/10.1177/1527002516656726

Casual Bettors and Sentiment Bias in NBA and NFL Betting (2020)  https://doi.org/10.1080/00036846.2020.1776833

Legalized Sports Betting, VLT Gambling, and State Gambling Revenues: Evidence From West Virginia (2021)  https://doi.org/10.1057/s41302-020-00178-0


Jane E. Ruseski

Household Consumption Decisions: Will Expanding Sports Betting Impact Health? (2019)  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11150-019-09474-x

The Effect of Recreational Gambling on Health and Well-Being (2021)  https://doi.org/10.1057/s41302-020-00181-5

Brad Price

Ridge Fusion in Statistical Learning (2015)  https://doi.org/10.1080/10618600.2014.920709

Automatic Response Category Combinations in Multinomial Logistic Regression (2019)  https://doi.org/10.1080/10618600.2019.1585258

Forensic Intelligence: Data Analytics as the Bridge Between Forensic Science and Investigation (2021)  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsisyn.2021.100162

Community Risks for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Fully Vaccinated US Adults by Rurality: A Retrospective Cohort Study from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (2023)  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279968

The Harmful Effect of Salesperson Babyface on Online Consumer Engagement (2023)  https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-03-2022-0173