2024/2025

For the data collection period Fall 2025 – Winter 2026, our Re:Cognition laboratory collected 425 sets of data, spanning across 5 experiments, thanks to the contributions of 13 undergraduate personnel and a new graduate student (Abdul Majid El-Rifai) recruited from the AGRI Major Grant. In all experimental contexts, participants also completed the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS; Raylu & Oei, 2004). This large sample size will allow us to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis on the GRCS, thereby reviewing its contemporary psychometric qualities as the scale is now over 20 years old. Two preliminary experiments (n = 162) are completed that provide important baseline measurement for our new Competitive Touch Table technology, where we outline behavioural biases apparent during two expressions of chance performance (50% fixed win rate, versus, mixed strategy opponency) and one expression of exploitation (80% fixed win rate). The data collection for the proposed Experiment 1 (AGRI Major Grant; n = 80) is complete, where we separate effects of human mere presence, and, independent versus interdependent risk taking. The complementary Experiment 2 (AGRI Major Grant) is planned for Fall 2026 – Winter 2027.

The laboratory is also working on the redevelopment of our technological infrastructures between Spring - Summer 2026. One is the redevelopment of the main Re:Cognition Lab suite, where now four (as opposed to two) competitive touch tables can be housed in separate rooms. This is necessary for the proposed design of Experiment 3. The second redevelopment is the housing of a fifth competitive touch table in a dedicated room set up for motion capture, with motion capture hardware and software supplied from the laboratories of Dr Dana Hayward (Psychology; University of Alberta), and Dr Craig Chapman (Kinesiology; University of Alberta). The recording of concurrent more standard behavioural and unique motion data will integrate with the proposed Experiment 4, where errors of commission and omission will be studied under competitive decision-making contexts.

In terms of public policy and the measurement of gambling behaviour, we will consider the utility of the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS) and its relation to behavioural performance. Specifically, we have collected GRCS scores from 425 individuals between Fall 2025 – Winter 2026 and will perform a confirmatory factor analysis on the questionnaire items. Furthermore, we will seek predictable relationships between self-report items and risk-taking behaviour. Pilot data related to the AGRI Major Grant submission is now in revision at the Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology. Here, we point out large-scale ambiguities in the gambling terms ‘near-loss’ and ‘near-win’ and provide a framework for conceptual clarity. Furthermore, we empirically investigate the novel behavioural state of near-loss using a popular ‘push-your-luck’ game Can’t Stop. This paper is co-written with one graduate student (El-Rifai) and one undergraduate student (Tellier).

I will be hosting a science outreach session for the 2026 Canada Wide Science Fair (CWSF) Lab Experiences Tuesday May 26, 2026. We will open our innovative touch table technology and motion capture suite to young scientists (Grades 7-12) and educate them about the role of behavioural science in understanding gambling. At this year’s AGRI Conference, we aim to have 5 posters covering a variety of topics including electrophysiological data on the explore-exploit dilemma, an investigation of goal-states on the game Greyjack, and various data related to our new competitive touch table technology.

Dyson, B. J., Na, E. & Zhang, Y. (2025). Computer see, human do: Poorer performance but increased fun when the behaviour of a computerized opponent is enacted by a human agent. Poster presentation at the Alberta Gambling Research Institute Conference, 24th – 26th April, Banff, Canada.

During the reporting period, we completed our institution’s procedure to select a vendor (online survey company) in a competitive manner, which involved creating a 20-page project summary, posting it on a public platform, reviewing and ranking applicants’ proposals (totaling over 100 pages), and choosing the best vendor based on discussions. The winning vendor was Qualtrics, as per our grant application. In this process, we also received an institutional research ethics approval for the project. During this time, working with a graduate research assistant, we also updated our literature review. 

Working with a Qualtrics project manager, we created an online survey including all questions, response scales, instructions, and skipping logic. The survey was pilot-tested twice (N = 50 and N = 20). In March, 2026, we launched and completed the Wave 1 of our 3-wave longitudinal survey. We could double our sample size (N = 2,200) as we saved some cost in our competitive bidding process. Wave 1 data have been cleaned. Currently, we are discussing Waves 2 and 3 survey strategies with the Qualtrics manager.

To date, we have not disseminated our research findings primarily due to the delay in the research timeline. However, a silver lining in the delay was that the Government of Alberta’s (GoA) plan to legalize single-events sport betting within the province has been delayed substantially. The GoA recently announced that the sport betting will be incorporated into its iGaming platform in July, 2026. This means that as we originally hoped, our longitudinal data will capture potential effects of this policy change between our Wave 2 and Wave 3 surveys. This will make our survey data extremely valuable.

We will be developing one conference abstract and one journal manuscript from the cross-sectional Wave 1 data, considering that it is now one of the largest online gambling survey data available in Western Canada. We will be reporting online gambling, especially single-event sport betting. In addition, we will be developing two more conference abstracts and two more journal articles based on the longitudinal data (all 3 waves). Kono and Soebbing will also make media interviews, mobilizing our connections with TV news companies and radio stations.

Considerable progress on this project has been made during this reporting period. We (1) created the survey batteries to be used in the project, (2) collected data for all three planned time-points, (3) carried out data cleaning, (4) conducted preliminary analyses, and (5) scheduled a date to perform primarily analyses. We will then prepare several peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference presentation to disseminate the findings from this project.

We anticipate the project having an important impact, including guiding public health policy and the development of interventions for sports betting/gambling disorder. The preliminary findings will be presented at the upcoming AGRI conference, including a keynote presentation by Dr. Andrew Kim and a poster by Lindsey Snaychuk. We anticipate several additional conference presentations and 3-5 peer reviewed publications following the completion of primary analyses. 

Kim, H. S., (2026; April 29-May 2). Leveling the Playing Field: Current Knowledge and Future Directions of Sports Betting Research [Keynote talk]. 25th Alberta Gambling Research Institute Conference. Banff, AB.

Snaychuk, L. A., McGrath, D. S., Williams, R. J., Keough, M. T., Grubbs, J. B., & Kim, H. S. (2026; April 29-May 2). Who’s Playing and Who’s Paying? Gender Differences in Sports Betting. Alberta Gambling Research Institute Conference 2026, Banff, Canada

The present study aims to extend prior work investigating emotion regulation predictors of problem gambling and binge eating in community women (Farstad & von Ranson, 2021) by examining these relationships among community men. Over the past year, we hired an undergraduate research assistant to support the project’s execution. My trainee, Deepika Bajaj, MSc, presented an overview of the project at the 2025 AGRI conference. Consistent with our commitment to continued collaboration, we have collaborated with Dr. Farstad to enhance the study project. Recruitment interviews are to be scheduled in the coming weeks.

The impact of our research has yet to be determined, as this project is currently underway. Study results may have theoretical and clinical implications for community men with gambling and/or binge eating. Men engage in problem gambling at higher rates than women and are at an increased risk of engaging in problem gambling. Men also engage in binge eating behaviours yet remain underrepresented in eating disorder research. It remains unclear if binge eating should be conceptualized as a behavioural addiction, similar to gambling disorder. Cross-sectional studies indicate that difficulties in emotion regulation are associated with gambling and binge eating; however, prospective studies are needed to understand how emotion regulation difficulties predict problem gambling and binge eating over time. In a previous AGRI-funded longitudinal study, Farstad & von Ranson (2021) found that binge eating and problem gambling were associated with both shared and distinct emotion regulation predictors among community women. We are now applying this study design to community men.

By examining associations of binge eating and gambling with shared or unique emotion regulation deficits, the present study may improve our understanding of mechanisms that contribute to one or both behaviours and delineate if binge eating may appropriately be considered an addictive disorder. Our study may also have clinical implications by identifying prevention and treatment targets for community men engaging in problem gambling or binge eating. This study aligns with AGRI’s priority area on longitudinal research by increasing our understanding of risk factors that make individuals susceptible to problem gambling.

Bajaj, D. & von Ranson, K.M. (2025, April 24-26). A short-term longitudinal examination of problem gambling, binge eating, and emotion dysregulation in community men. Poster presented at the Alberta Gambling Research Institute (AGRI) Conference, Banff, Alberta, Canada.