The Institute for Research on Gambling Disorders is an independent program of the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) charged with managing and administering a competitive research grants program, and conducting public awareness and education about gambling disorders. The NCRG is a 501(c)3 charitable organization devoted to funding research that helps increase understanding of and find effective methods of treatment for gambling disorders, and advancing public education about responsible gaming.

The Institute, under the guidance of its Scientific Advisory Board of independent experts, provides long-term funding for innovative, multidisciplinary research at the NCRG Centers of Excellence in Gambling Research. Centers of Excellence are currently based at Yale University and the University of Minnesota. 

In addition to the Centers of Excellence program, the Institute manages a competitive project grants program to support high-quality scientific research on gambling disorders. Project grants offer support for investigators from various disciplines and at all career levels, especially those new to the field. All research grants, both long-term and project-based, are reviewed by independent peer review panels of distinguished scientists in the field to ensure that only the highest quality research is funded.

The Institute also is actively engaged in public education and awareness activities, such as developing content for the NCRG’s Conference on Gambling and Addiction, developing new science-based resources, and collaborating and coordinating with other institutional partners to develop practical applications for research findings.