Sydney University Raises Conflict of Interest Concerns with Gambling Investments

The University of Sydney has been criticized for its investment ties to major gaming companies, such as Aristocrat Leisure Limited and Entain Group. The companies have funded its academics and bankrolled academic research and gambling treatment programs conducted by the institution.

Documents acquired through freedom of information (Fol) laws indicate the university held shares in Aristocrat, the global leader in poker machine production, and Entain, which runs renowned betting platforms like Ladbrokes and Neds. The institution also has additional shares in International Game Technology (IGT) and Crown Resorts.

Call to Drop Gambling Investments

The University's student representative council obtained a list of the institution's investments, including foreign currencies and international shares, and strongly opposed its gambling ties. The council's president, Angus Fisher, explained that concerns are rooted in "the broader societal impacts of gambling and industry's funding of academic research."

"The issue is particularly pressing as gambling-related harm disproportionally affects vulnerable communities, and the industry's role in funding research can lead to perceived or actual conflict of interest," Fisher stated, adding, "It is concerning that a university committed to advancing knowledge and social equity may be profiting from an industry that thrives on exploitation and addiction."

University Responds to Criticism

A university spokesman asserted it was a "not-for-profit entity and reinvests all available revenue into research and teaching capabilities." They also noted the institution's commitment to responsible investment practices: "We have strict rules around our investments and in recent years have reviewed our strategies to improve environmentally, socially and financially responsible investment practices."

The spokesman also assures research integrity: "It is in all universities' interests to ensure our research is robust and ethical – our research integrity is essential to our success. We have policies in place to ensure the avoidance and appropriate management of actual, apparent or perceived conflicts of interest by university staff and affiliates."

This sentiment highlights an online gambling inquiry report released in June 2023 that called on the Australian government to help "protect public policy and research from gambling industry interference."

Questionable Ties Outside the Gambling Industry

Simon Chapman, a retired academic who successfully lobbied for the university to cut funding ties with tobacco companies, insisted the same scrutiny is necessary in this case: "Universities cannot continue their research programs without support, but there is obviously controversy when the product is deadly or causes an immense amount of harm."

Prof. Samantha Thomas, a Deakin University public health, insisted the gambling industry should be treated like the tobacco sector, considering its social harms. Thomas expressed disappointment in the university's current gambling industry relationships, referencing its failure to handle the influence of the tobacco industry.