Date: April 24, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Location: Northeastern University, East Village, 17th Floor, 291 St. Botolph Street, Boston, MA 02115
Register Now!
Description:
The Public Health Advocacy Institute and Northeastern University’s Center for Health, Policy, and Law invite you to participate in “Online Gambling and the Public Health Movement: An International Symposium,” a full-day event exploring the intersection of online gambling and public health. This symposium brings together distinguished scholars, researchers, public health professionals, and policymakers for a series of research presentations and policy discussions focused on the public health impacts of online gambling and pathways to meaningful reform.
Attendees will have the opportunity to:
• Hear from leading experts in gambling research and public health
• Engage in discussions on policy approaches
• Network with advocates and decision-makers working to protect public health
Whether you are a researcher, policymaker, advocate, or concerned community member, this event offers valuable insights into the growing public health movement addressing online gambling and its societal impacts.
Speakers are Expected to Include:
Professor Richard A. Daynard – Tobacco warrior who is taking on the online gambling industry
Dr. Matt Gaskell, MBE – Clinical Lead and Consultant Psychologist at the UK NHS Northern Gambling Service
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) – Senate Sponsor of the SAFE Bet Act
Professor Mark A. Gottlieb – Executive Director of Public Health Advocacy Institute, online gambling litigator, and faculty at Northeastern University School of Law
Dr. Deborah Haskins – Prominent mental health advocate, educator, and counselor specializing in gambling disorders, trauma, and culturally attuned wellness
State Senator John Keenan (MA) – Sponsor of the Bettor Health Act
Dr. Harry Levant – Director of Gambling Policy for Public Health Advocacy Institute
Professor Charles Livingstone – A leading expert on gambling policy and the social impacts of online gambling, and Associate Professor in the School of Public Health at Monash Univ (Australia)
Professor Darragh McGee – Univ of Bath (UK) sociologist and author of the upcoming book –Imitation Games: How Gambling Hijacked Sport
Professor Natasha Dow Schüll – NYU anthropologist and author of the highly acclaimed book, Addiction by Design
Ian Thomsen – Ian has been writing about sports in America and around the world for three decades on behalf of The Boston Globe, The National Sports Daily, The International Herald Tribune, Sports Illustrated, and Northeastern University.
Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) – House sponsor of the SAFE Bet Act
Near-Final Agenda
08:30 AM – 09:00 AM
Continental Breakfast
09:00 AM – 09:15 AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks – Professors Richard Daynard and Mark Gottlieb
09:15AM – 9:45 AM
The U.K. online gambling experiment: A warning for U.S. Gambling Policy – Dr Matt Gaskell
9:45 AM – 10:15 AM
Keynote: From Responsible Gaming’s Failure to the Public Health Movement – Dr. Charles Livingstone
10:15 AM – 10:45 AM
Exposing The Truth: UK Perspective – Dr. Darragh McGee
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Independent Gambling Research Funding in the United States – Asa Craig, Arnold Ventures with the American Institute for Boys and Men create a new independent research initiative
11:00 AM – 11:15 AM
Break – Coffee/Tea
11:15 AM – 11:45 PM
Addiction by Design – Even More So – Dr. Natasha Dow Schüll
11:45 AM – 12:30 PM
Panel Discussion on the Intersection of Research and Public Policy – Dr. Livingstone, Dr. Gaskell, Dr. McGee, Dr. Natasha Dow, and Mark Gottlieb – Moderated by Ian Thomsen
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch and Networking. An assortment of box lunches will be available and are included in conference registration
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Federal Policy to Set Minimum Safety Standards – Senator Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Paul Tonko
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
Politics, policy, and Advocacy – MA Sen. John Keenan, NJ Rep. Dan Hutchinson, Congressman Paul Tonko, Harry Levant, Dr. Deborah Haskins, and others – Moderated by Ian Thomsen.
02:45 PM – 3:15 PM
Deconstructing the Online Sports Gambling Playbook – Professor Mark Gottlieb
03:15 PM – 03:30 PM
Break – Coffee, Tea, and Treats
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Families and Friends of Gamblers Mission and Board of Directors
Families and Friends of Gamblers (FFOG) is a new national membership organization for those non-gamblers who have been adversely affected by the gambling struggles of those close to them.
3:45 PM – 4:15 PM
The Scope of Harm – From Families to Our Communities – Dr. Deborah Haskins
4:15 PM – 4:45 PM
The U.S. Public Health Perspective: from Advocacy to Action – Dr. Harry Levant
4:45 PM – 5:00 PM
Discussion and Closing – Dr. Matt Gaskell, Dr. Harry Levant