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Professor Sally Gainsbury

Sally Gainsbury

Professor of Psychology & Co-Director of the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic
Professor Sally Gainsbury is a leading Australian clinical psychologist and researcher specialising in gambling behaviour, internet gambling, and harm minimisation. She is a Professor in the School of Psychology and Co-Director of the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre. Since 2011, her extensive research and practical expertise have been central to developing evidence-based reviews, player protection frameworks, and public health policy.

Sally Gainsbury – Online Gambling Expert

Sally Gainsbury is a psychology professor and gambling harm researcher whose work focuses on online gambling, digital risk, and safer gambling behaviour. Her reviews of Ruby Fortune Casino for New Zealand players are built around evidence, not hype. She looks at how casino design, bonuses, payments, and account controls affect real people, especially when gambling moves from occasional entertainment into risky behaviour.

Experience and expertise

Sally Gainsbury is Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Sydney and Director of the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic. She holds a Doctorate of Clinical Psychology and a PhD in Psychology, with more than 20 years of research experience in gambling, behavioural addiction, digital payments, and technology enabled gambling environments.

Her academic work has examined how online gambling products are designed, how players respond to risk, and which tools can reduce gambling related harm. This background makes her especially relevant for reviewing offshore casino brands used by New Zealand players.

Approach to casino reviews

Sally reviews casinos from the position of a researcher, not a promoter. For Ruby Fortune Casino, that means checking the licence, operator details, payment rules, withdrawal terms, bonus wagering, game fairness, responsible gambling tools, and the clarity of customer support.

She pays close attention to details players often skip, such as RTP, game contribution rates, maximum bonus bets, withdrawal caps, identity checks, and self exclusion options. If a term may create risk for a player, it is explained directly and in plain language.

Why New Zealand players can trust these reviews

New Zealand players face a specific situation when using offshore casinos. Online gambling is covered by the Gambling Act 2003, but Ruby Fortune Casino operates under an offshore licence from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and is not controlled by New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs.

Sally’s review style reflects that difference. She explains what the offshore licence means, where local protection may be limited, and when players should use responsible gambling support such as Problem Gambling Foundation NZ or the national gambling helpline.

Author’s materials on the website