The University of Nevada, Las Vegas handed out its 2025 ESPN Research Fellowships to four scholars yesterday, bringing together researchers from universities across the US and Brazil to tackle a pressing industry question.
Dr. Brandon Mastromartino from San Diego State University landed one fellowship, while Dr. Chris R. Noland at the University of South Florida grabbed another. The remaining spots went to Dr. Ramon Silva Leite in Brazil and Dr. Sarah Stokowski from Clemson University—all focused on how sports media actually handles responsible gambling messages.
Why Sports Media Gambling Research Matters Now
Sports betting ads are everywhere these days, but there’s surprisingly little research on whether responsible gambling messages actually work when they’re competing for attention with flashy promotions and celebrity endorsements.
The fellows will dig into how different approaches affect real bettors, including celebrity-backed Instagram ads and the responsible gambling PSAs that pop up during NFL games. Student-athletes represent another crucial piece of the puzzle since they’re constantly exposed to betting content online but face strict rules about their own participation.
What Each Fellow Will Research
- Mastromartino: Evaluating NFL responsible gambling PSAs during games to measure actual impact on behaviour.
- Noland: Analysing Instagram sports betting ads to determine how celebrity endorsements influence gambling decisions.
- Silva Leite: Examining how sports media delivers responsible gambling messages across platforms and messaging strategies.
- Stokowski: Studying how student-athletes perceive and engage with betting content in social media feeds.
How the Fellowship Program Works
Each fellowship runs for six months, with researchers presenting their findings during an IGI webinar in 2026. Dr. Kasra Ghaharian, IGI’s Director of Research, said the institute is “tremendously proud” of previous fellowship work since this research “holds important implications for all gambling stakeholders.”
Kevin Martinez from ESPN called responsible gaming “a priority for ESPN,” emphasising the company’s commitment to supporting research that “delivers real-world impact.”
The fellowships continue IGI’s partnership with ESPN on responsible gambling research in sports contexts. Earlier this year, IGI launched its first Executive Directors’ Advisory Board, bringing in industry leaders from DraftKings, Penn Entertainment, and Wondr Nation to provide strategic guidance to the institute’s research efforts.
