Mark Griffiths

Mark D. Griffiths: My Academic Journey into Gambling and Behavioural Addiction Research

My name is Mark D. Griffiths, and I am a British psychologist whose academic career has been devoted to the study of gambling, gaming, and behavioural addictions. For more than three decades, my research has focused on understanding why people engage excessively in certain behaviours, how those behaviours become addictive, and how the associated harms can be reduced through evidence-based policy and intervention.

I currently hold the title of Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Behavioural Addiction at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom. Over the course of my career, I have authored more than 1,600 academic papers, written and edited multiple books, supervised numerous doctoral students, and advised governments, regulators, and international organisations on gambling-related harm.

This article is a reflective account of my academic journey, research philosophy, and contributions to the field.

Early Academic Interests and Education

My interest in psychology developed early, particularly in relation to human motivation, learning, and repetitive behaviour. During my undergraduate studies, I became increasingly fascinated by activities that people pursued compulsively despite clear negative consequences.

I completed my BSc in Psychology (First Class Honours) at the University of Bradford, where I received a strong grounding in experimental psychology and behavioural science. I then went on to complete my PhD in Psychology at the University of Exeter, which I finished in 1990.

My doctoral research focused on fruit machine gambling (slot machines). At the time, gambling addiction was not widely accepted as a legitimate psychological disorder, and behavioural addictions were rarely studied in their own right. This research became the foundation for much of my later work and positioned me at the forefront of a field that was only beginning to emerge.

Early Career and Entry into Gambling Research

After completing my PhD, I began my academic career at the University of Plymouth, where I worked as a lecturer in psychology. During this period, I continued to publish empirical research on gambling behaviour, particularly focusing on:

• reinforcement schedules
• cognitive biases in gambling
• structural characteristics of gambling machines

These early studies reinforced my belief that gambling problems were not simply the result of individual weakness, but were deeply influenced by game design, accessibility, and psychological conditioning.

Nottingham Trent University and the International Gaming Research Unit

In 1995, I joined Nottingham Trent University (NTU), which became my academic home for the majority of my career. Over time, I progressed through the academic ranks and was promoted to Professor of Psychology in 2002.

Later, I was honoured with the title of Distinguished Professor of Behavioural Addiction, and eventually became Professor Emeritus.

One of my most important professional achievements was founding and directing the International Gaming Research Unit (IGRU). My aim was to create a dedicated research centre focused exclusively on gambling and gaming studies, combining psychology, sociology, public health, and policy research.

The IGRU attracted researchers and doctoral students from around the world and became one of the most recognised academic units in the field.

My Core Research Areas

Throughout my career, my work has focused on behavioural addictions, with gambling serving as a central model for understanding excessive and compulsive behaviour.

My primary research interests include:

• gambling disorder and problem gambling
• online gambling and remote betting environments
• video game addiction and gaming disorder
• internet and social media addiction
• behavioural tracking and player analytics
• responsible gambling and harm minimisation
• structural and situational characteristics of games

I have always argued that gambling-related harm must be understood as an interaction between the individual, the environment, and the product itself.

The Components Model of Addiction

One of my most cited theoretical contributions is the components model of addiction. In this model, I propose that all addictions—whether substance-based or behavioural—share six core components:

1. Salience
2. Mood modification
3. Tolerance
4. Withdrawal
5. Conflict
6. Relapse

This framework has been widely adopted in research on gambling, gaming, work addiction, exercise addiction, and social media use, and continues to inform both academic research and clinical practice.

Publications and Academic Output

Over the course of my career, I have published extensively across psychology, psychiatry, and public health journals.

My academic output includes:

• more than 1,600 peer-reviewed journal articles
• multiple authored and edited books
• hundreds of book chapters
• thousands of professional and public-facing articles

I have always believed that academic research should be both methodologically rigorous and socially relevant.

Books I Have Authored or Edited

Work with Policy Makers and Regulators

A significant part of my career has involved working directly with governments, regulators, and industry stakeholders. I have advised organisations such as:

• the UK Gambling Commission
• the UK Department of Health
• the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
• regulatory authorities across Europe, North America, and Australia

My goal in this work has always been to ensure that policy decisions are grounded in scientific evidence, particularly in relation to harm minimisation and player protection.

Public Engagement and Media Work

I have always believed that academics have a responsibility to communicate their findings beyond the university. As a result, I have appeared in thousands of television and radio programmes, written extensively for the popular press, and regularly commented on gambling-related issues in the media.

This public engagement has helped bring greater awareness to gambling-related harm and behavioural addiction more broadly.

Awards and Professional Recognition

Over the years, my work has been recognised through numerous awards and fellowships, including lifetime achievement awards in gambling research and election as a Fellow of several professional bodies.

These honours reflect not only my own work, but also the collective efforts of the students and collaborators with whom I have worked.

Reflections and Legacy

Looking back, my career has been shaped by a consistent belief: behavioural addictions deserve the same scientific seriousness as substance addictions. Gambling provided an ideal context in which to explore this idea, but its implications extend far beyond gambling alone.

I hope that my work has contributed to a more nuanced, evidence-based understanding of addiction, and that future researchers will continue to build on this foundation.