Addiction: An Hour With Auer

In this episode, the estimable Dr Auer and his craptacular sidekick Jon Bruford meet Dr. Richard Wood to discuss the complexities of responsible gambling, emphasising the importance of cultural differences, game design, and advertising in shaping player behaviour. The conversation highlights the shift towards a positive play approach, which encourages healthy gambling practices and aims to reduce...

In this episode we meet Vasiliki Panousi, Senior Manager of European Affairs at the EGBA, to discuss the role of the European Gaming and Betting Association in advocating for online gambling operators. The conversation covers various topics including the challenges of influencer marketing, the fragmentation of gambling regulations across Europe, the impact of regulation on black markets, and the i...

This episode of Addiction: An Hour With Auer sees us welcome the wonderful Keith Whyte to the show. If you’re not familiar with Keith’s work, where have you been exactly??? Keith discusses his extensive experience and the evolution of responsible gambling practices in the US, reflecting on the formation of the American Gaming Association (AGA), the growing awareness of problem gambling, and the im...

BetBlocker’s chief of safer gambling partnerships, the legendary Pedro Romero, joins Dr Auer and Jon to discuss a wide range of things, including the evolution of responsible gambling practices, the challenges of regulation, and the importance of algorithms in identifying problem gambling. He also highlights the role of BetBlocker in providing anonymous support for individuals struggling with gamb...

This week, hosts Dr Michael Auer and Jon Bruford welcome Chris Tipping, a lifelong football-sticker obsessive who crossed over to the other side, working inside Merlin/Topps in the late ’90s/early ’00s. It’s a warm, nerdy ramble through the golden age of sticker albums, how swap-shops became a phenomenon, and why foil “shinies” felt impossible to pull. We also get inside the production sausage: le...

In the third episode of Addiction: An Hour With Auer, we meet Paul Delfabbro, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Adelaide, to discuss the complex relationship between cryptocurrency trading and gambling. Paul shares insights on the psychological factors influencing crypto traders, including the role of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and the socio-demographic profile of those involved in cr...

Hosts Dr Michael Auer and Jon Bruford are joined by Simo Dragicevic, formerly of the Game Safety Institute and many other interesting projects… This episode we explore the complexities of the gambling industry, focusing on the evolution of regulations, the importance of data in identifying problem gambling, and the structural characteristics of gambling products. The challenges faced by initiative...

Hosts Dr Michael Auer and Jon Bruford explore the Labubu craze and the rise of blind box purchasing, essentially a gambling mechanism that is widely accepted in society. We talk to assistant professor Leon Xiao of City University Hong Kong about blind boxes, and the conversation evolves naturally to encompass loot boxes, one of the more controversial aspects of modern gaming. Leon explains the app...