NATIONAL GAMBLING IMPACT STUDY
COMMISSION

RESEARCH PROGRESS REPORT

Timothy A. Kelly, Ph.D.
N.G.I.S.C. Research Director

March 16, 1998
Boston, MA

National Survey and Community Database on Gambling Behavior:

Covered in Research Subcommittee report

Economic Research:

Covered in Research Subcommittee report

Lottery Research:

Covered in Research Subcommittee report

National Research Council (NRC) Study on P/P Gambling:

The NRC has completed the membership of the committee that will guide their research for the NGISC (see attached NRC progress report and membership list). The first committee meeting is scheduled for April 9, 1998, at the National Academy of Sciences. The meeting is open for Commissioners or their staff to attend, if interested.

Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR) Research on Laws, Regulations, and Ordinances:

The Research Subcommittee has decided not to move ahead at this time with the $475K proposal from ACIR. Instead, Commission staff have been asked to solicit competitive proposals from other research organizations in order to evaluate the reasonableness of the ACIR proposal.

ACIR, aware of the Commission's hesitancy to proceed with their current proposal, intends to seek Congressional permission to seek other contracts. Currently, the NGISC project is the only one allowed, which means that ACIR must pass 100% of their overhead costs to the NGISC regardless of the scope of work to be performed. If Congress permits other projects, ACIR plans to re-bid the work for the NGISC accordingly, perhaps in the range of $250K.

Internet Gambling:

Current plans are to focus on this topic (among others) at the Chicago meeting in May. NGISC staff are developing background research and a "white paper" on internet gambling identifying key research and policy questions. The paper will be sent out for review by commissioners when it is available, and should help focus both research and testimony goals. Also, the Research Subcommittee is working to identify a premier researcher in this area with whom the Commission may contract for a synthesis of the current literature.