Nerilee Hing

My name is Nerilee Hing, and I am a Professor specialising in gambling studies and responsible gambling research in Australia. For more than two decades, my academic and professional work has focused on understanding gambling behaviour, identifying sources of gambling-related harm, and developing evidence-based strategies that can better protect individuals, families, and communities.

Throughout my career, I have worked at the intersection of public health, psychology, marketing ethics, and regulatory policy. My goal has always been to produce research that is not only academically rigorous but also practically applicable — research that governments, regulators, treatment providers, and industry stakeholders can use to make gambling environments safer.

Early Academic Path and Research Foundations

My academic journey began with studies in business, marketing, and consumer behaviour. Early in my career, I was particularly interested in how marketing influences decision-making, especially in industries where products carry potential risks.

As gambling advertising and sports betting began expanding rapidly across Australia, I recognised a critical gap in research. While gambling was widely promoted, far less attention was being paid to how promotional tactics influenced risky behaviour. This realisation shaped the direction of my future work.

I gradually transitioned my research focus toward gambling studies, combining my marketing expertise with public health and behavioural science perspectives.

Academic Career and Institutional Leadership

I have spent the majority of my academic career at Southern Cross University, where I have held roles ranging from Lecturer to Professor of Gambling Studies.

Over the years, my responsibilities have included:

• Leading national research projects
• Supervising postgraduate researchers
• Publishing peer-reviewed studies
• Advising government and regulatory bodies
• Contributing to public policy development

My role has allowed me to mentor emerging scholars while continuing to expand the evidence base surrounding responsible gambling.

Research Focus and Areas of Expertise

My research spans several interconnected themes within gambling studies.

Responsible Gambling and Harm Minimisation

A core focus of my work has been evaluating harm-reduction strategies. I have examined tools such as:

• Self-exclusion programs
• Deposit and spending limits
• Behavioural feedback systems
• Player activity statements

My aim has been to determine which measures genuinely help people manage their gambling and which require improvement.

Gambling Advertising and Inducements

Another major area of my research examines gambling promotion — particularly the role of advertising in shaping attitudes and behaviour.

I have studied:

• Sports betting marketing
• Bonus offers and inducements
• Broadcast advertising during live sport
• Social media gambling promotions

My findings have highlighted how marketing can normalise gambling and increase participation, especially among young men and sports audiences.

Vulnerable Populations

Understanding how gambling affects vulnerable groups has been central to my work.

I have led and contributed to research exploring impacts on:

• Indigenous communities
• Multicultural populations
• Low-income households
• Young adults

This work has emphasised the importance of culturally appropriate harm-reduction initiatives.

Online Gambling and Technological Change

With the rise of digital wagering, I expanded my research to examine online gambling environments.

Key topics have included:

• Mobile betting behaviour
• In-play wagering risks
• Digital inducements
• Cross-platform gambling habits

As technology evolves, I continue to explore how consumer protections must adapt.

Selected Publications

Employment and Academic Roles

Policy and Government Advisory Work

Beyond academia, I have worked closely with government agencies, regulators, and public health organisations.

My research has contributed to:

• Gambling advertising restrictions
• Bonus inducement regulation
• Responsible gambling frameworks
• Public awareness campaigns

I have also served as an advisor and expert witness in regulatory reviews and parliamentary inquiries.

Research Methodology

My work uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including:

• National surveys
• Experimental advertising exposure studies
• Player tracking data
• Policy analysis

This mixed-methods approach allows for both behavioural insight and regulatory relevance.

Teaching, Supervision, and Mentorship

Teaching and mentoring the next generation of researchers has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.

I have supervised postgraduate research across areas such as:

• Gambling psychology
• Public health
• Consumer protection
• Digital wagering behaviour

Many of my former students now work in research, policy, and treatment services.

Ongoing and Future Research

My current and emerging research interests include:

• Cryptocurrency gambling
• Loot boxes and gaming convergence
• AI-driven harm detection
• Women’s gambling participation

As gambling technologies evolve, my work continues to focus on ensuring that consumer protections evolve alongside them.

Continuing My Research Journey

As my career progressed, my research expanded in both scale and impact. What began as a focused interest in gambling marketing and consumer behaviour gradually evolved into a broader public health mission. I became increasingly concerned not only with why people gamble, but with how structural, environmental, and commercial factors shape gambling risk.

This shift led me to collaborate more closely with policymakers, regulators, and treatment providers. I recognised that academic findings could not remain confined to journals — they needed to inform real-world decision-making. My work therefore moved toward applied research designed to support harm-minimisation frameworks and evidence-based regulation.

Work With Government and Regulatory Bodies

Over the years, I have been commissioned to contribute to numerous government inquiries and regulatory reviews examining gambling policy in Australia. These projects often involve assessing emerging risks associated with new gambling products, marketing practices, and technological innovations.

I have provided research input on issues such as:

• The growth of online sports betting
• The influence of wagering advertising during live sport
• Consumer responses to inducements and bonus offers
• The effectiveness of responsible gambling messaging

Participating in these policy discussions has been one of the most meaningful aspects of my career, as it enables research to directly shape consumer protections.

Focus on Gambling Advertising Reform

One area where my work has had particular impact is gambling advertising reform. Australia has one of the most heavily advertised gambling markets in the world, especially within sports broadcasting. I have conducted multiple studies examining how repeated exposure to wagering promotions influences attitudes, intentions, and betting behaviour.

My research has explored:

• How inducements encourage riskier betting
• The role of “risk-free” bets in player acquisition
• The normalisation of gambling within sports culture
• Youth exposure to betting brands

Findings from these studies have contributed to national debates around advertising restrictions and the timing of wagering promotions during televised sport.

Researching Sports Betting Behaviour

Sports betting has been one of the fastest-growing sectors within the gambling industry, and much of my work has examined the behavioural dynamics underpinning this growth.

I have studied:

• Fan loyalty and betting engagement
• Micro-betting and in-play wagering
• Mobile betting accessibility
• Emotional drivers of live betting decisions

This research highlights how technological convenience and marketing integration can intensify gambling participation and reduce natural breaks in play — factors associated with increased risk.

Collaboration With Public Health Organisations

My research perspective is strongly grounded in public health principles. I have worked alongside health agencies and responsible gambling organisations to examine population-level harm and prevention strategies.

Together, we have explored:

• Early intervention models
• Community education campaigns
• Treatment accessibility barriers
• Stigma surrounding gambling addiction

This work reinforces the need to treat gambling harm not solely as an individual issue, but as a systemic and environmental one.

Mentoring the Next Generation of Researchers

An important part of my professional life has been supervising doctoral and postgraduate researchers. Supporting emerging scholars allows the field of gambling studies to continue evolving with fresh perspectives and methodologies.

My students have researched topics including:

• Women’s gambling participation
• Esports betting
• Loot boxes and gaming convergence
• Cryptocurrency wagering

Many have gone on to work in academia, government, and treatment services, expanding the reach of responsible gambling research globally.

Addressing Emerging Technologies in Gambling

As gambling technologies continue to evolve, my research has increasingly focused on new digital frontiers.

Current and emerging areas of investigation include:

• Artificial intelligence in player monitoring
• Algorithm-driven betting recommendations
• Cryptocurrency and blockchain gambling platforms
• The convergence of video gaming and gambling mechanics

These innovations present both opportunities for consumer protection and new vectors for harm, requiring proactive regulatory approaches.

International Research Influence

Although my work is based in Australia, it has contributed to international regulatory dialogue. Comparative policy analysis has allowed me to examine how different jurisdictions approach gambling harm.

I have engaged with stakeholders and researchers in:

• The United Kingdom
• Canada
• New Zealand
• Various European markets

These collaborations enable shared learning and help identify best practices in harm minimisation and regulatory design.

Recognition and Professional Contributions

Throughout my career, I have been honoured to receive recognition for my research contributions and policy impact. These acknowledgements reflect not only academic output but also the societal relevance of gambling harm research.

I continue to serve on advisory panels, research committees, and review boards dedicated to advancing responsible gambling initiatives.

Looking Forward

As I reflect on the trajectory of my career, I remain deeply committed to advancing safer gambling environments through evidence-based research. The gambling landscape is changing rapidly, shaped by technology, globalisation, and evolving consumer behaviours.

My future work will continue to focus on:

• Strengthening consumer protections
• Informing ethical marketing standards
• Enhancing responsible gambling tools
• Supporting vulnerable communities

Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that research continues to inform policy, industry practice, and public awareness in ways that reduce harm and promote wellbeing.