The 32nd annual GARLS Symposium will be held April 25, 2025 as an in person conference at the University of Waterloo. This year's theme is “Leisure without limits.”
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Craig Fortier. The conference takes place in LHI 1621 - Sun Life Financial Auditorium.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.
Thank you kindly,
Organizing Committee
32nd Graduate Student Leisure Research Symposium
- Keynote speaker
- Student presentations
- Symposium schedule
- Registration
- Location
- Abstracts - Oral presentations
- Abstracts - Posters
Primary objectives of the symposium
- To offer students the opportunity to present their research and ideas in a supportive, inclusive atmosphere.
- To advance the state of knowledge about leisure, recreation, sport, and tourism through a public forum of shared research.
- To facilitate scholarly communication among students and faculty interested in leisure research, and to create the opportunity for constructive criticism and debate.
Keynote speaker
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Craig Fortier.
Student presentations
Papers submitted for presentation may either be a completed research studies, or a work in progress. Case studies, philosophical pieces, literature reviews, conceptual development papers, and completed empirical studies are all appropriate formats for presentation.
Both oral and poster presentations will be considered. Traditionally, the format for oral presentations has been limited to fifteen (15) minutes for the presentation and 5-10 minutes for discussion. However, to embrace diverse research methodologies, alternative presentation formats will also be considered.
Symposium schedule
| Time | Session and Speakers |
|---|---|
| 8:30 - 9:00 | Meeting room opens and gathering begins |
| 9:00 - 9:15 | Land Acknowledgement and welcome - Elder Henry |
| 9:15 - 10:15 |
Student presentations: Anke Föller-Carroll; Laura Leitch; Wut Tee Kyi Pyar |
| 10:15 - 10:35 | Coffee and networking |
| 10:35 - 12:00 |
Student presentations Erica MacTavish; Jennifer Holman; Marcus Thomas Pereira; Bronwen Valtchanov |
| 12:00 - 1:15 | Lunch and posters |
| 1:15 - 1:45 | Panel discussion -Should I stay or should I go now?: Academic travel and Trump turbulence |
| 1:45 - 2:45 |
Student presentations: Asha Edwin; Lynton Lam and Megan Piché; Joseph Dick, Lynton Lam, and Megan Piché |
| 2:45 - 3:00 | Coffee and networking |
| 3:00 - 4:00 | Keynote: Dr. Craig Fortier |
| 4:00 - 4:15 | Closing remarks: Dr. Heather Mair |
Social at McCabes to follow.
Symposium registration
Registration is now closed. Please email garls.symposium@uwaterloo.ca with any last minute changes to your registration.
Location
The conference takes place in LHI 1621 - Sun Life Financial Auditorium.
Abstracts - Oral presentations
Voices of the Land: Indigenous Tourism Entrepreneurs’ Experiences with Visitors
Anke Föller-Carroll, PhD Candidate
Working Paper
The inequities generated by tourism and the increasing awareness among travellers regarding their political influence make it an important sector to think through social justice responses (Higgins-Desbiolles, 2018; Seyfi et al., 2023). Meaningful exchanges with hosts in destination communities may foster mutual understanding, appreciation, personal growth, and support relationship building. Indigenous community-based tourism harnesses such potential; however, colonial legacies hinder the success of Indigenous tourism (Sofield, 1993; Taylor, 2017; Aikau and Gonzalez, 2019). Western concepts like sustainability emphasize socio-economic and environmental impacts but not Indigenous worldviews encompassing reciprocity, spiritual connections to land, and agency of non-human matter (Shrestha and Decosta, 2023; Mika and Scheyvens, 2022). Regenerative tourism in contrast, advocates for the inclusion of diverse perspectives and deeper connections with environments and communities. Indigenous tourism in communities such as Six Nations of the Grand River, if planned responsibly, could respond to Calls #62-65 (education) of the 94 Calls to Action published by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015), which have become central to Canadian Indigenous tourism strategies (ITAC, 2022). Grimwood et al. (2024) observe that the scholarship on decolonization through tourism has become more substantial. Yet, a critical review of the body of scholarship reveals that while attention centres on Indigenous communities, the perspectives of tourism entrepreneurs that drive connections with their environments and communities are underrepresented. Based on this gap, the aim of this work is to improve the understanding of the storied experiences of Six Nations Indigenous tourism entrepreneurs through narrative inquiry informed by decolonial theory. This theoretical and methodological approach was selected to centre the non-Western voices of the research participants (Grimwood et al., 2019) and to best align with how oral societies such as Six Nations share information (Hill, 2017). The goal of this work is to contribute to the growing body of scholarship on community-based tourism.
Demystifying Disability through Recreational Sport Participation
Laura Leitch
Working Paper
Sport has long been understood as a space where bodies and minds are forged through the rigors of training and competition, where strength and prowess are valued. Persons with Disabilities have historically been segregated, institutionalized, and otherwise made marginal (Oliver, 1990). In short, sport for Persons with Disabilities is often non-existent; when it does exist, it is often in the form of therapy or rehabilitation or framed as a means of overcoming a disability. Yet, the benefits of sport participation are numerous and easily extend to Persons with Disabilities (Barnes et al., 2017).
Persons with Disabilities are often marginalized by many socially constructed barriers that limit their participation in sport. Understanding disability as a socially constructed phenomena rather than a medical deficiency allows for the use of ecological models to comprehensively identify, understand, and dismantle barriers to sport participation for Persons with Disabilities (C. Barnes and Mercer, 2001). But dismantling barriers is only the beginning of creating sporting opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
Too often Persons with Disabilities are marked by what they cannot do. They are understood in terms of deficits and limitations. In my work, I will explore the possibilities that come with a strength-informed perspective to learn what a more inclusive sporting community for Persons with Disabilities could entail (Cooperrider abd Srivastva, 2013). With accessible and inclusive spaces and programming, I hope that sport can prove to be an arena in which disability can be demystified.
Exploring the regenerative activities and care of youth in tourism destination communities: A hermeneutic phenomenology analysis
Wut Yee Kyi Pyar
Critical tourism scholars’ have voiced critiques regarding traditional and sustainable tourism models for their anthropocentric and Eurocentric orientations, which reinforce neoliberal capitalism supporting growth orientation and reductionist worldviews; excluding feminist, Indigenous, and diverse perspectives (Higgins-Desbiolles, 2018; Boluk et al., 2019; Carnicelli & Boluk, 2021). Such critical scholars call for a transformative shift from traditional sustainability models to regenerative approaches in tourism (Pollock, 2019; Cave & Dredge, 2020; Bellato et al., 2022; Sheldon & Daniele, 2017). Recent scholarship has responded to concerns regarding the absence of equity-deserving groups in the scholarship (Thakur et al., 2023). Yet, the perspectives of youth in host destination communities are often side-lined and viewed as marginalized populations (Canosa et al., 2016). As such, understanding the role of young advocates’ is warranted to discern the contributions of youth and their social impacts within and beyond their communities (Boluk, Canosa & Carnicelli, 2023; Canosa, Carnicelli & Boluk, 2024). Furthermore, critical analysis of the caring capacities of youth in destination communities is needed to enhance understandings regarding their role in contributing to regenerative tourism. This study will adopt Hamington's (2004) theory of embodied care as theoretical framework and Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenology as methodological guide to recognize the essence of young advocates’ lived experiences and particularly how they acquire caring knowledge, develop caring habits, and use a caring imagination in their contributions to destination communities. The findings hope to elucidate the social impacts of youth in Ontario’s destination communities, and enhance the inclusivity of youth in research and tourism development.
Exploring Social Citizenship in the Context of Leisure in Residential Care Settings
Erica MacTavish
Stigmatizing narratives of dementia emphasize tragedy and the complete loss of self, constructing people living with dementia (PLwD) as ‘unagentic’ and ‘failed’ aging subjects. This stigma has significant consequences for PLwD in all aspects of their lives. For example, coupled with the biomedical culture in many long-term care (LTC) settings, recreation and leisure is often focused on targeting therapeutic goals or managing “difficult behaviours”, rather than on life enrichment. A social citizenship framework challenges these deficit-based narratives/approaches by recognizing PLwD as active agents with rights, history, and capacities. Relational citizenship further highlights the importance of embodied selfhood and relationships in shaping agency. Although leisure has the potential to support social and relational citizenship, existing research is focused almost exclusively on community-based settings, leaving long-term care (LTC) contexts under-explored. Drawing on narrative citizenship and an ethnographic approach to narrative inquiry, this study addresses this gap by exploring how leisure shapes social and relational citizenship for PLwD living in LTC settings. Participant observations of leisure programs and research conversations with both PLwD and recreation staff were conducted in a LTC home in Southern Ontario. Four stories reflect the complex relationship between leisure and social citizenship in LTC contexts: Holding onto Selfhood, The Right to Choose, Beyond Isolation, and Negotiating Freedom and Care. These stories provide important insights into how LTC environments can intentionally support residents’ social and relational citizenship by prioritizing interdependence and relational agency, addressing the systemic and structural barriers that limit relational citizenship in LTC.
Beyond Sustainability: Rethinking Destination Assessment for Regenerative Tourism
Jennifer Holman and Dr. Bryan Grimwood
Regenerative tourism moves beyond sustainability by fostering net positive environmental, social, and economic impacts in destination communities. Unlike sustainable tourism, which primarily focuses on minimising harm, regenerative tourism actively restores ecosystems, strengthens local communities, and enhances cultural resilience. Despite the growing recognition of regenerative tourism’s potential, there remains a lack of comprehensive frameworks to assess and monitor its effectiveness. While the fields of sustainable tourism research and industry practice are saturated with auditing tools, these frameworks are not specifically designed to evaluate regenerative tourism’s transformative goals.
This study addresses this gap by developing a robust auditing tool tailored to regenerative tourism. Informed by a systematic literature review and an analysis of existing sustainability auditing frameworks, the tool identifies key principles, criteria, and indicators critical to assessing regenerative tourism initiatives. By integrating best practices from established sustainability assessment methodologies, the tool provides a structured framework for evaluating tourism policies and initiatives based on their capacity to restore natural environments, enhance community well-being, and promote cultural vitality.
To assess its applicability, the auditing tool was applied to twelve destinations, identifying best practices in regenerative tourism policy. The findings offer policymakers, tourism operators, and local stakeholders a practical mechanism to measure, guide, and enhance regenerative tourism efforts. This research contributes to bridging gaps in sustainability assessment approaches by offering a specialised tool that aligns with regenerative tourism’s ambitions. Future research should focus on field testing and refining the tool to ensure its adaptability across diverse tourism contexts and scales.
Open Decks: The Myth of Opportunity
Marcus Thomas Pereira
This paper critically examines the concept of "open decks" within the DJ industry, exploring whether these platforms genuinely support DJs in developing their skills, building community, and fostering career opportunities—or whether they are exploitative in nature, relying on unpaid labor masked as opportunities for growth. While not aimed at discrediting the individuals or organizations that offer these events, the paper focuses on the mismatch between the aspirations of aspiring DJs and the often minimal opportunities for meaningful progression that "open decks" provide. It argues that although these spaces are essential for skill-building and networking within the industry, there is a pressing need to reassess how they are structured. By shifting focus towards nurturing talent in a more equitable and sustainable way, the DJ community can ensure that open decks serve as authentic stepping stones for growth rather than as sources of free labor.
Becoming...Mourning People: Centering Leisure as Relationships in Young, Divorced Women’s Gendered Grief
Bronwen Valtchanov
Marriage remains one of the most important social institutions organizing individuals’ lives (Crossman, 2024; Eichler, 2012). When marriage ends in divorce, there is a profound personal and social disruption (Caputa, 2014; Catron & Chiriboga, 1991). While there has been a preponderance of divorce research, there remain significant research gaps, including a paucity of current research on the lived experiences of young women—in their 20s and 30s— without children, experiencing divorce (cf. Ahrons, 2007; Cooke et al., 2013; Lyngstad and Jalovaara, 2010; Stanley, Rhoades, & Markman, 2006). This group of women has distinct sociocultural influences, such as powerful gendered ideologies of femininity, coupledom, and pronatalism that promote self-worth and self-definition through women’s heterosexual relationships leading to eventual marriage and motherhood (Cobb, 2011; DePaulo, 2006; Lazar, 2002; Ulrich and Weatherall, 2000). As with other ideologies, those affecting young, divorced women are often reproduced, maintained, and resisted within leisure contexts (cf. Berbary, 2013; Shaw, 2001; Parry, 2016).
This feminist narrative inquiry (Chase, 2005) research used reflexive, dyadic interviews and interactive, small group interviews with twelve women to illuminate complex experiences in which leisure played a central role in how gendered ideologies were experienced, reproduced, negotiated, and resisted.
The findings are represented using Creative Analytic Practice, through a variety of literary forms, to elucidate the nuances of women’s experiences. Discussion for this presentation focuses on expanding current conceptualizations of grief (cf. Kübler-Ross, 1969/2008) to consider distinctly gendered forms of grief as participants confronted and navigated the “shattering” of their married selves and “re-created” distinct post-divorce selves against the sociocultural backdrop of gendered ideologies.
This dissertation research critically centers leisure as relationships, moving beyond more typical “limits” of leisure as activities, to add complexity to our thinking about women’s relationships, broadly—with romantic partners, friends, family, and self—as a shifting cultural nexus where leisure contexts both confine and expand notions of femininity and love.
Project Run to You: Documenting Black Women Runners in Toronto and the Impact of Movement and Community on Definitions of What It Means to Be at Home in Our Bodies
Asha Edwin
Presentation Abstract: Emerging from personal experiences with running and yoga, 'Body is Home' was a creative pursuit of how movement and community reshaped my relationship with myself and my body as an adult, a return home – symbolizing spiritual, social, political, and ancestral connections as a Black woman who is always in motion.
The title of this presentation, "Project Run to You: Documenting Black Women Runners in Toronto and the Impact of Movement and Community on Definitions of What It Means to Be at Home in Our Bodies," is the initiative's first project. We followed the journey of 15 Black women participants from April to October 2024. We examined the impact of movement and community on participants' experiences and definitions of wellness, as well as what it meant to them to be at home in their bodies. We began with an exploration of self-esteem and later introduced concepts of womanhood, sisterhood, and physical experiences and practices integral to their running experience.
As an emerging research project under the IDEAS Research Lab, the ‘Body is Home’ initiative explores the intersection of movement, sport, art, education, community, and social justice to examine what it means to be at home in our bodies. Through this, we challenge notions of intimacy, pleasure, resilience, and representation, explore the meaning of ‘home,’ and examine how we define, affirm, and challenge our individual and collective identities through participation in and reimagination of movement and community. The initiative informs the impact on healing, health, and wellness within the realm of recreation, sport and leisure.
Beyond the Ice: Understanding Value Alignment in Youth Girls’ Hockey
Lynton Lam and Megan Piché
The increasing popularity of women's sports has led to a need to reassess programs to promote long-term participation among girls (Eime et al., 2020). Research highlights that tailored sports programs can foster confidence, empowerment, and life skills (Kerwin and Leberman, 2023; Piché et al., 2024). Marra’s (2015) dimensions of program evaluation related to gender equity frame our exploration of sport programming efficacy in promoting life-skill development, participation, and other design outcomes.
This study investigates the value alignment between athletes and parents in a youth girls’ hockey association. It examines the interplay between program design, participation, and outcomes, using the Youth Sport Values Questionnaire-2 (YSVQ-2). The YSVQ-2 measures competence, moral, and status values. Data was collected from 110 athletes and 113 parents in the Guelph Girls Hockey Association (GGHA) and analyzed using a multivariate approach.
An independent T-test revealed that athletes and parents rated the level of importance of morals and status indices significantly differently. Parents rated status and morals as less important than athletes did, t(221) = 5.46, p < .001, t(221) = 2.84, p = .005, respectively. When looking at competence values, athletes and parents scored similarly, t(221) = 1.65, p = .10. Furthermore, competence, status, and morals scores can be used to predict if an individual is a parent or athlete, R2 = .10, F(1, 221) = 25.66, p > .001. Additionally, athlete age was positively correlated with valuing both female and non-parent coaches (r = .38, r = .30). These findings align with existing research indicating that sport values change as athletes mature. As players age, developing an independent identity and achieving their desired outcomes become more important. The insights gained assist community sport organizations to develop programs that enhance athlete satisfaction, identity development, and continued participation.
Changes in Attitude toward Disability and Para-sport among different Canadian Demographics through the 2024 Paralympic Games
Joseph Dick, Lynton Lam, Megan Piché
Governments frequently invest substantial resources in elite sporting events to generate societal outcomes (Grix and Carmichael, 2011). The Paralympics advance a unique set of social objectives, including enhancing disability awareness, promoting inclusive policies, and improving attitudes toward persons with disabilities (PWD; Nordhagen et al., 2024; Hodges et al., 2015; Pullen et al., 2020). Much of this research stream focuses on the host nation’s legacy, leaving international audiences understudied (Karadaskis and Kaplanidou, 2012). Given the Canadian government’s investment in public broadcasting for the games, understanding its societal influence is critical. This exploratory study examines how the 2024 Paris Paralympics shaped Canadians’ attitudes toward disability and impressions of para-athletes, while particularly focusing on the impact on various demographic differences, including the nature of interaction with PWD, sport fandom, and generational cohort differences.
To address this research gap, a panel survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of Canadians, employing a pre-post design to assess attitude changes before and after the 2024 Paralympic Games. While data analysis is still ongoing, preliminary findings suggest the impact of the Paralympic Games varied based on the nature of interaction with PWD (real life vs. parasocial), level of sport fandom (sport fans vs. non-fans), and generation cohort (Generation Z vs. general population).
Implications will be detailed to describe how various demographics may impact upon one’s attitude toward disability and para-athletes. Practical implications to government, disability advocates, and Para-sport organizations will also be explored, pointing to how these groups may alter attitudes toward disability and para-sport.
Abstracts - Posters
Re-Imagining Therapeutic Recreation Philosophy and Practice: A Post-Qualitative Inquiry
Silvo Aleksi Topias Hernesniemi
The Therapeutic Recreation (TR) profession continues to endorse standardized assessment practices, formalized treatment planning, behavioural performance measurement, prescriptive interventions, and the evaluation of instrumental outcomes (Stumbo & Peterson, 2021). There has been a growing emphasis on predicting health outcomes, which is consistent with the dominant positivist ideology in broader healthcare influenced by neoliberalism and capitalism (Kontos and Grigorovich, 2018). This trend of legitimizing TR through medicalization is concerning because it can lead practitioners to unintentionally engage in overly prescriptive, reductionistic, deterministic, and non-inclusive practices that can cause iatrogenic harm to clients, especially those who are vulnerable or marginalized (Arai et al., 2015; Sylvester, 2015). Indeed, scholars have observed and critiqued growing tendencies among TR professionals that focus on clients’ deficits to ameliorate them through prescribed interventions rather than promoting relational and person-centred care (Anderson and Heyne, 2021; Dieser et al., 2005). This is why current TR practices are labelled by some as “interventionist,” where professionals hold power over their clients, unintentionally silencing their voices and removing the possibility of doing things differently (Genoe and Dupuis, 2014). Inspired by my own “ontological hauntings” and “moments of shock and disorientation” (St. Pierre, 2019, p. 12) as a TR professional, I will engage in a post-qualitative inquiry into the philosophy and practice of therapeutic recreation. Beginning with a deep reading into post-structuralism, I will consider how power, discourse, taken-for-granted assumptions, and dominant ideologies in TR can be deconstructed, reworked, and re-deployed to be more socially just and dignifying. Through experimentation and the creation of “the new” (St. Pierre, 2019), my inquiry will do the important work of pushing the boundaries on how we think about TR to their limit – exploring what can and must be thought (St. Pierre, 2023).
Inclusion of Esport in the Paralympic Games
Suenghoon Lee
Following that decision of the 142nd IOC, inaugural Olympic Esports Games will be held in 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (IOC, 2025). While there have been unresolved issues including the governance legitimacy of Esports within the Olympic Movement, this event may be viewed as a pathway for inclusion of Esport in the Olympic Games. In the Paralympic Movement, there has been a growing interest in Esports for people with impairments as well (Anderson and Johnson, 2022). Approximately 20% of Gamers have impairments restricting their Gaming (Hamilton, 2016). National and International level of Esports events for para-athletes have been held across the world, however, governing structures, disciplines, rules and regulations, and classification differ from the events. Particularly, the classification system is a functional evaluation ensures the eligibility of para-athletes and competing them in a right group (IPC, 2025). To be recognized as para sports, the sports must comply with the international standard called ‘IPC classification code’. Researchers have identified required modifications to be considered for Esports for people with impairments such as competition formats, accessibility, assistive technology, and code of ethics (Hassan et al., 2024). However, there has been a lack of research on the classification system in Esport. The absence of such a system could challenge the development of Esports in the Paralympic Movement. This research uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine the opportunities and challenges of inclusion of Esport in the Games for people with impairments.
Foraging in Southern Ontario
Leah Scheffler
Foraging, a practice deeply rooted in human history, has seen a resurgence in recent years. Edible wild goods carry contrasting meanings- they can be a means of survival or an expensive culinary experience, a practice that exists outside of capitalism yet is also commodified and made exclusive. Foraging can serve as an act of protest against modern food systems, a means of preserving cultural heritage, a way to connect with the land, and an activity that fosters environmental stewardship while also posing risks of over-extraction. This research aims to explore the experiences and perceptions of foragers in Southwestern Ontario, examining how foraging shapes understandings of self, environment, and place. Grounded in dwelling theory (Ingold, 2011), the study considers the political and ethical dimensions of foraging, including sustainable land use, nature connection, and Indigenous-Settler relationships on Turtle Island. Using semi-structured interviews with foragers recruited through snowball sampling and online communities, this study will investigate themes such as nature connection, cultural heritage, and sustainability. It also examines broader social, political, and environmental dynamics, including access to land rights, the commodification of wild plants, and racial inequalities in outdoor recreation. By highlighting the complexities of foraging in Southern Ontario, this research aims to inform policy discussions, community initiatives, and future scholarship on sustainable and equitable foraging practices in Canada and beyond.
Mutual Aid and Leisure Research
Sarah Brady
In our capitalist society, mutual aid practices are discouraged and actively prevented. Capitalism operates on the profit principle, commodifying essential resources such as healthcare, housing, food, and education (Grubacic and Hearn, 2016).This conflicts with the mutual aid principle of sharing resources with the intention of collective well-being without expecting profit (Spade, 2020). This leads to individualism versus community; capitalism thrives on competition and self-reliance, while mutual aid thrives on solidarity and community. Building on existing literature, this study aims to understand the connections between mutual aid and leisure research. Narrative inquiry will be used so participants can story their experiences with mutual aid, leisure research and if they have ever engaged with mutual aid in their work (Savin-Baden and Niekirk, 2007). Hooley (2009) encourages researchers in different fields to utilize narrative inquiries' flexible design. Narrative inquiry can be adapted to explore leisure and recreation experiences, revealing how these experiences shape individuals' identities and knowledge within the context of leisure studies. The purpose of this narrative inquiry is to understand and illuminate how mutual aid practices are informing leisure research and how to develop these practices further. The participants' stories guide the interview through prompts rather than pointed questions. This study will use prompts to elicit personal narratives and insights highlighting the intersections between participants' experiences with mutual aid and their roles as researchers, community members, and individuals in their broader social contexts.
Developing an adaptive movement program for older adults living with dementia: A process analysis
Ashley Giroux
Overview: Older adults with dementia have been studied to find the positive connections between physical activity and wellness to decrease the rate of dementia’s progression. In a community-based setting where leisure professionals are responsible for program development, there is a lack of curriculum development and research being done involving movement-based research and critical disability studies, calling for interdisciplinarity implementation.
Purpose: Using a critical disability studies orientation through active leisure programming to shape and understand older adults’ experiences and capacities, the purpose of this study is to document and analyze appropriate and meaningful program development for adults with dementia, with the input of consultants and dementia community insiders.
Methods: As part of a larger work, the student primary investigator has been conducting a process analysis of a movement based program for older adults experiencing early stage dementia, Evergreen, to evaluate components of the program and its development, such as (1) lack of spaces for aging and pre-existing disability, (2) group dynamics and external relationships, (3) student-volunteer experiences, and (4) discourse relating to women and disability
Research Implications: The implications of this research are relevant for other disciplines interested in developing and/or exploring the benefits of inclusive movement and leisure programming. Interdisciplinary engagements across orientations such as disability studies, gerontology, therapeutic recreation, and leisure studies have the potential to promote inclusion, togetherness, and belonging, thereby contributing to positive well-being. Interdisciplinary engagement enables practitioners to examine, interrogate, and revise the current program evaluation processes and takeaway practices they can use for their own programs and spaces.
Gambling Research in Sport Management: A Scoping Review
Bryson Boddy
Researchers have previously underscored the importance of understanding how the gamblification of sport and sports betting’s emergence will change how people interact with sport (Hing, Rockloff, and Browne, 2023). This recognition, coupled with a variety of socio-political factors (e.g. recent policy changes in North America, cultural acceptance in Europe and Australia, and trend towards online betting), have spurred an increased interest in exploring the impact of sports gambling on the sport industry. Nevertheless, a review and integration of this scholarship are missing. The purpose of this paper was to conduct a scoping review of the sport management literature focusing on sports gambling. The author examined n = 65 articles from an online database (Scopus), using Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) scoping review methodological approach. Seven consistently present themes were found in the literature from the thematic analysis: consumer behaviour, market performance/efficiency, betting strategy, gambling law/policy, cheating/integrity of sport, and the impact of fandom. Results showed that largest theme within the sport management research about gambling focuses on consumer behaviour (32.3%), and researchers mostly employ quantitative research methods (49.2%). Additionally, American scholars have dominated the published literature on sports gambling (60%), despite only recent legalization of the practice. Overall, this scoping review implies scholars should look for cross-cultural phenomena in the future concerning sports gambling within the sport management literature. Furthermore, researchers should place emphasis on problem gambling and multi-method and multi-sport studies, moving away from betting strategy analyses.