Mark D. Griffiths is a UK-based chartered psychologist best known for his long-running research into gambling behaviour and gambling-related harm, especially where psychology meets game design, technology, and consumer protection. He is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Behavioural Addictions at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and has served as Director of NTU’s International Gaming Research Unit.
Chronology (education → career)
1987 — Completed a BSc (Psychology) at the University of Bradford (First Class Honours). ntu.ac.uk+1
1990 — Completed a PhD (Psychology) at the University of Exeter. ntu.ac.uk+1
1990–1995 — Worked as a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Plymouth. ntu.ac.uk+1
Oct 1995 → Joined Nottingham Trent University, where he later became a professor (awarded his Professorship in 2002) and received a Distinguished Professorship in 2017. ntu.ac.uk+1
2025 — Announced early retirement after roughly 30 years at NTU, continuing as Emeritus. LinkedIn+1
What he’s worked on (gambling-focused projects & applied research)
Across his academic career, Griffiths has combined real-world gambling industry questions (player protection, harm minimisation, responsible design) with research methods ranging from surveys/interviews to behavioural tracking of online play.
Key areas/projects documented by NTU include:
Behavioural tracking projects examining online gambling patterns and how responsible gambling tools perform in practice. ntu.ac.uk
National prevalence survey work on addictive behaviours (including gambling) and population-level risk. ntu.ac.uk
Collaboration and consultancy with public bodies and regulators (including the UK Gambling Commission and government departments), as well as work with operators on player protection and safer gambling approaches. ntu.ac.uk
A concrete example of applied safer-gambling evaluation: research linked to Norsk Tipping’s loss-limit tools, discussed publicly in relation to NTU research collaboration.
Publishing & public writing
NTU notes that he has published extensively across behavioural addictions, including gambling, and also writes journalism for major outlets. ntu.ac.uk+1
Examples of places where he has written or been featured include:
British Psychological Society (BPS) (e.g., long-form psychology writing under his name). BPS
The Guardian quoting him on reinforcement mechanics and gambling-style reward loops. Гардиан
Psychology Today contributor profile (overview of his role and output). Psychology Today
Podcasts / interviews
A few credible, publicly accessible examples:
The Naked Scientists Podcast (2005) — episode segment specifically titled around drug and gambling addiction, featuring Prof. Mark Griffiths. The Naked Scientists
The Slow Newscast — he shared that he was interviewed about the psychology of lottery gambling. LinkedIn
iGamingCare Podcast — listings include a long-form interview described as “Gambling Addiction Explained…” featuring him.
