with great research
Protection System
communities and your business
into insight
Business of The Year
Welcome to Focal Research
Focal Research Consultants, is a research and data analytics company, that combines data science, technology, and analysis, to help our clients make better decisions.
Focal works with stakeholders worldwide, for commercial, social policy, corporate social responsibility, and consumer protection purposes converting data into evidence-based action.
With internationally recognized expertise, Focal provides clients with skill sets to inform real-world decision making and planning through research, data insights, analysis and predictive modelling.
Introducing Focal’s ALeRT™ BETTOR Protection System
1988 | Gambling Research (Industry, Gov't Health)
1989 - 1999 | Monthly Gambling Tracking Study (Longitudinal)
1990 | Data Informatics Initiative, Dalhousie University (Financial, Insurance, and Retail Databases)
1992 | Machine Gambling Research (VLTs, EGM's, Pokies)
1998 | Nova Scotia Regular VLT Study
1999 | First Gambling Behaviour Models
1999 | Identification of High-Risk Gambling Patterns on the Floor
2000 | Regular VLT Player Follow-Up Study (Longitudinal)
2001 | Healthy Bottom Line RG Player Program
2001 | Healthy Bottom Line launched in Europe
2001 – 2009 | Evaluation of Responsible Gaming Features and Automated Messaging
2004 | Healthy Bottom Line launched in Canada
2005 | First Commercial Casino Risk Models (Saskatchewan, Canada)
2005 – 2015 | Outcome Monitoring System (OMS) for Addiction Services (Alcohol, Drugs, Nicotine, and Gambling) - Adults and Adolescents
2007 | First Private and Wide Area EGM Models
2008 | Self-Exclusion Program Evaluation
2009 – 2016 | Alcohol Risk and Harm (National/International)
2010 | Release of Focal ALeRT™ Gambling Screen
(FLAGS)
2011 | Release of Focal Youth Gambling Risk Screen (FYGRS)
2013 | First Models for Remote Gambling (Sports Betting, Racing, and Online Casinos)
2014 | International Collaborative Study to Develop Practical Risk Detection Tool Using Player Data (ALeRT™)
2015 - 2018 | Development of the Focal ALeRT™ BETTOR Protection System
2017 - 2018 | Launch of ALeRT™ BETTOR Customer Care Program
2018 - 2020 | UK Trial of ALeRT™
2020 | Launch of ALeRT™ System (150+ sites)
2020 | Adapting Gambling Risk Detection Models for COVID-19
2020 | Interim Report Impact Evaluation of Staff Interactions for Player Outcomes
2021 | Development of Affordability Models
2021 | Final Report for Impact Evaluation of Staff Interactions for Player Outcomes
2022 | Identifying The Invisible Problem Gambler
2022 | International Collaborative Research to Identify In-Session Risk (During Play)
Latest News
Focal President to Present on Responding to Risky Play in Real-Time at RGC Discovery 2022
Recap of IAGR Melbourne 2022
Focal presenting at IAGR Melbourne 2022 on October 19
Focal’s CEO, Director of Safer Gambling to Discuss The Future of Gambling Prevention at AGLC Symposium
Focal Nominated for Two Vixio 2022 Global Regulatory Awards
Focal Presents Research on Affordability & The Impact of Customer Interactions at EASG Conference in Oslo
ALeRT™ BETTOR Protection System Preventing Gambling Risk and Harm in Over 400+ Locations Across The Globe
Tracy Schrans, Principal and President, Focal Research, discusses her upcoming session at IAGR2022 in Melbourne.
Presentations, Publications, and Research
Celebrating 30+ Years of Research
Commercial Algorithms
Player Risk Surveys
Customer Interactions
Data Points
Focal’s Responsible Gambling Solutions
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Our Solutions:
In a data-driven economy, a constant stream of information – ‘big data’ - is transforming how we work from the creation of new products to how we mitigate risk and diagnose harm.
Focal has been working at the forefront of this exciting interdisciplinary field bringing unique expertise in Data Theory, Data Architecture, Data Modelling and Data Analytics to help clients successfully navigate and channel this flow of information.
Relentless curiosity and commitment to excellence have kept Focal at the forefront of gambling research and player protection for over 30 years evaluating the latest techniques for measurement and risk detection, reviewing literature, and conducting leading edge research while setting standards for best practices. Focal Research uses advanced analytics, data science and information technology for commercial, social policy, corporate social responsibility, and consumer protection purposes in the gambling sector.
Focal works with academics, governments and public health in the areas of alcohol, drugs, nicotine, and gambling. Experience includes outcome monitoring, prevalence, adults, seniors, and adolescent surveillance, high-risk youth, and general population studies.
Focal has achieved international recognition for research design, sampling, developing advanced methodologies and analytical techniques.
Focal Research has designed and developed many targeted diagnostic measures and tools to assist our clients in applying market information to their decision-making process, including specialized analyses and customizable software packages.
The Focal team is fully experienced in gathering in-depth information from concept design to mapping the customer journey with B2C and B2B end-users using a variety of innovative and proven designs.
Focal has proven expertise in research design, complex sampling and robust methodology. We use innovative approaches to effectively operationalize research objectives to achieve representative and reliable information. This in turn can be used with confidence to make decisions and take action.
