David Forrest

David Forrest is a British applied economist and econometrician whose work focuses on the structure, regulation and economic impact of the sports and gambling industries. Over several decades, he has built a reputation as one of the leading academic voices examining how betting markets function, how consumer behaviour evolves under regulation, and how integrity risks emerge within professional sport.

His research spans areas such as gambling demand modelling, price elasticity in betting markets, match-fixing detection, sports finance, and the social costs associated with problem gambling. Forrest has contributed extensively to peer-reviewed academic journals and collaborative research projects, often combining rigorous statistical analysis with practical regulatory insight. His work is frequently cited in discussions surrounding market transparency, consumer protection, and responsible gambling frameworks.

Beyond academia, he has played an active advisory role in public policy. He has provided evidence-based guidance to regulators and governmental bodies on issues including affordability checks, gambling harm measurement, market monitoring, and betting integrity systems. His expertise has also been sought by international organisations addressing corruption risks in sport and the structural vulnerabilities of global betting ecosystems.

What distinguishes Forrest’s contribution is his ability to bridge theory and practice. Rather than approaching gambling purely as a moral or political debate, he analyses it as an economic system governed by incentives, information asymmetry and regulatory design. His perspective consistently emphasises data-driven evaluation, proportionate intervention and long-term market stability.

In both academic and policy circles, David Forrest is recognised not simply as a commentator, but as a researcher whose empirical work has shaped modern understanding of gambling markets in the United Kingdom and beyond.