Saturday, March 17, 2007

Saint Mary's University researchers have received $345,000 from the Nova
Scotia Gaming Corp. to study the impact of gambling on teens. "Our research
is aimed at uncovering the common themes coming from youth concerning the
commercial advertising of gambling and its impact on their perceptions of
gambling and their play behaviours," John McMullan, a sociology and
criminology professor who's the project's lead researcher, said in a news
release this week. The four-year project will look at advertising for
gambling from the Atlantic Lottery Corp., Casino Nova Scotia and the
Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Association, and unregulated advertising
from websites, television and radio from Jan. 1, 2004, to Dec. 31, 2006,
will be reviewed. Researchers will then interview teens to analyze the
impact advertising has on them, the news release said, and the last part of
the project will track beliefs and behaviours using continuous advertising
snapshots over time.