Tibor Barsony was the founder of RGC and an advocate for the prevention of compulsive gambling. He spent his life’s work persuading governments, regulators, operators, treatment agencies, and social service providers about the significance that problem gambling has on individuals and communities. As a result, for the past 40 years, policies, responsible gambling standards, research, and treatment emerged to prevent and reduce problem gambling and provide support to individuals who are experiencing challenges.

This award is presented each year in honour of Tibor Barsony’s legacy to a student who has demonstrated outstanding academic contributions in the field of problem gambling prevention research.

Eligibility:

• Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
• Registered, full-time (as defined by the student’s institution) in a recognized Canadian university or college program (undergraduate and graduate programs accepted). Undergraduate applicants must have completed a minimum of 4 full-time academic terms 
• Have obtained a cumulative average of at least a grade of “B” or greater as defined by your university/college 
• Must not currently hold a student research award valued at $5,000 CDN or more
• Must be, or have intentions to be, involved in gambling research focused on harm prevention (involvement in treatment-focused research is not eligible) 
• Research background in mental health and addictions, public health, and health promotion is also considered an asset 

Criteria:

1. A proposal outlining:
   1. A description of the proposed review (600 words max.), including a statement on how the review will contribute to the gambling harm prevention literature (i.e., how it differs from previously published review papers in the field).
   2. A summary of your gambling research interests/involvement (300 words max.)
   3. A declaration on how the award will support your academic development (200 words max.)
2. An updated CV/ Resume.
3. Your academic transcripts.
4. Two academic letters of reference (one from an individual familiar with your research capabilities and interests).

Administration:

• Applications will be reviewed by a panel of RGC Researchers and Prevention experts 
• After the selection process is complete, each applicant will be notified of the results by email  
• The bursary award recipient will be announced at the 2025 Discovery Conference
• The duration of the award is 16 weeks of full-time enrollment (Fall 2025 term) 
• RGC will meet with the awarded student 3 times during the Fall semester: 

  • September 2025: The student will meet with RGC at the beginning of the term to discuss research plans 

  • October/November 2025: The student will have one mid-term check in meeting with RGC to discuss progress, barriers, and any additional supports needed 

  • December 2025; the student will have one end-of-term debrief meeting with RGC to discuss their experiences after submitting their Final Report (debrief questions will be provided to student in advance) 

• Award will be administered via cheque directly to the student 
• Funds must be used to support education-related tuition, fees, supplies and/or living costs 

RGC aims to diversify this award pool by appealing to discipline-diverse researchers such as those with backgrounds in mental health and addictions, public health, health promotion, and others. This award may also be used to develop a research interest with a multidisciplinary approach to gambling studies. 

We invite all candidates to submit their application by April 4, 2025, to Discovery@rgco.org with Tibor Barsony Bursary in the subject line. If you have questions about your eligibility or the application process, please reach out to Sherene at sherenef@rgco.org ahead of the submission deadline.