Biography
Samantha is a public health sociologist in the Determinants of Health Team, Institute for Health Transformation. She is the Higher Degree Research Coordinator for the School of Health and Social Development, and is the co-ordinator of the Qualitative Special Interest Group: Innovative Qualitative Methods in the School of Health and Social Development and the Institute for Health Transformation.
Samantha specialises in the commercial and political determinants of health, and public health advocacy. She specialises in understanding the range of factors that may contribute to the prevention and reduction of gambling related harm. Samantha has conducted a range of studies in the area of gambling, including the impact of gambling advertising on young people, young men and sports betting, young women's gambling, and factors that may contribute to the normalisation of gambling. She is involved in developing education programs relating to gambling harm prevention and reduction both in Australia and the United Kingdom. She is currently involved in projects examining the impact of tobacco marketing on young men in Cambodia, and new strategies to engage young people in climate change advocacy.
Prior to joining Deakin, Samantha worked at the World Health Organisation (Geneva), King's College London, Monash University, and the University of Wollongong.
Samantha has an extensive track record in competitive grant funding, and has received grants from the ARC Discovery and Linkage Grant Schemes, the NHMRC, the Victorian Department of Justice, the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Gambling with Lives (UK) and the NSW Office of Gaming.
Samantha has provided expert testimony to a number of Australian Parliamentary Inquiries, including the Australian Senate Committee on Gambling Reform. She most recently provided expert testimony to the UK House of Lords, and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Related Harm in the UK.
Her work is regularly featured in national and international press including ABC Four Corners.
Samantha currently supervises six PhD students in the area of gambling harm and tobacco control. Current PhD and Honours projects include:
- The normalisation of gambling for older adults
- Women and gambling related harm
- Young men and sports betting
- The impact of tobacco marketing on young men in Cambodia The role of industry discourses on the normalisation of gambling
- Conceptualisations of gambling risk, and housing instability
- Youth advocacy for climate change
Knowledge areas
Gambling
Tobacco Control
Public Health Advocacy
Youth health
Commercial determinants of health
Political determinants of health
Qualitative research
Media appearances
https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/gambling-companies-targeting-women/9370118
https://iht.deakin.edu.au/2020/04/with-pokies-shut-down-coronavirus-stress-could-drive-more-people-to-reckless-online-gambling/
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/crown-casino-closes-half-its-poker-machines-to-stem-coronavirus-spread-20200316-p54afm.html
https://www.deakin.edu.au/research/research-news/articles/uk-mps-call-for-gambling-ad-ban,-drawing-on-deakin-research
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-29/coronavirus-and-problem-gambling/12095714
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/concerns-for-problem-gamblers-as-unregulated-online-gambling-surges
Publications
No publications found
Funded Projects at Deakin
Australian Competitive Grants
Selling The Punt: An interdisciplinary analysis of the extent and impact of sports wagering marketing strategies in Australia.
Prof Samantha Thomas, Prof Michael Daube, Dr Ross Gordon, Prof Gerard Hastings, Prof Jeffrey Derevensky
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2017: $48,077
- 2016: $110,948
The big gamble: The normalisation of gambling in Australia
Prof Samantha Thomas, Dr Melanie Randle, Prof Michael Daube, Prof Susan Balandin, Dr Sean Cowlishaw, Prof Sylvia Kairouz, Dr Rebecca Cassidy
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2021: $18,600
- 2020: $93,105
- 2019: $86,909
The impact of gambling advertising, promotions, and sponsorship on children
Prof Samantha Thomas, Dr Hannah Pitt
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2021: $25,286
Other Public Sector Funding
A public health analysis of gambling marketing activities: Themes, targets, and impacts.
Prof Samantha Thomas, Prof Michael Daube, Dr Melanie Randle, Prof Simone Pettigrew
- 2016: $48,064
The commercial determinants of gambling normalisation: Causes, consequences and public health advocacy responses
Prof Samantha Thomas, Prof Michael Daube, Dr Melanie Randle, Dr Melissa Stoneham
- 2018: $7,874
- 2017: $70,874
- 2016: $78,749
Rethinking Approaches to Reducing Problem Gambling Stigma
Prof Samantha Thomas, Prof Stuart Thomas
- 2016: $23,276
The shaping of adolescent and young adult women's gambling risk behaviours: A socio-cultural investigation of gambling attitudes, beliefs and consumption intentions
Prof Samantha Thomas, Miss Amy Bestman, Dr Hannah Pitt
- 2018: $48,749
- 2017: $65,903
Pathways to the Pokies
Prof Samantha Thomas, Prof Susan Balandin, Dr Melanie Randle, Dr Sean Cowlishaw
- 2019: $18,275
- 2018: $42,643
People with lifelong disability and their lived experiences of gambling
Dr Hannah Pitt, Dr Joanne Watson, Miss Amy Bestman, Prof Samantha Thomas, Prof Susan Balandin
- 2020: $24,809
- 2019: $14,885
- 2018: $9,923
Responsible gambling for preventing and reducing harm through digital education.
Dr Nick Patterson, Mrs Sophie Mckenzie, Prof Jo Coldwell-Neilson, Dr Elicia Lanham, Dr Guy Wood-Bradley, Dr Chathu Ranaweera, Prof Samantha Thomas, Dr Hannah Pitt
- 2019: $75,000
The receptivity of young people to gambling marketing strategies on social media platforms.
Dr Hannah Pitt, Prof Samantha Thomas
- 2020: $29,761
Industry and Other Funding
Developing evidenced based gambling harm prevention education for young people.
Prof Samantha Thomas, Dr Hannah Pitt
- 2020: $20,000
Supervisions
Jennifer David
Thesis entitled: The role of public health advocacy: Strategies to prevent and reduce gambling related harm
Doctor of Philosophy (Health & Social Development), School of Health & Social Development
Amy Bestman
Thesis entitled: Pathways to Electronic Gambling Machine Venues in New South Wales
Doctor of Philosophy (Health & Social Development), School of Health & Social Development
Helen Miller
Thesis entitled: The problem with 'responsible' gambling: Government, industry and consumer approaches.
Doctor of Philosophy (Health & Social Development), School of Health & Social Development
Hannah Pitt
Thesis entitled: Sports betting advertising: Shaping children's gambling attitudes and consumption intentions
Doctor of Philosophy (Health & Social Development), School of Health & Social Development
Emily Deans
Thesis entitled: Young men's gambling: The influence of socio-cultural and marketing factors
Doctor of Philosophy (Health & Social Development), School of Health & Social Development