Michael O'Neil

Michael was appointed to the position of Executive Director of The South Australian Centre for Economic Studies (SACES) of the University of Adelaide in the year 2000. His particular responsibilities, apart from management of SACES operations, include the evaluation of large scale national programs, industry analysis, regional studies and analysis, specialist studies into economic and social issues (e.g., gambling, quality of life, social disadvantage) and labour market analysis. Michael has supervised and contributed to a number of significant program evaluations and case study research programs for national and state agencies, regional councils, regional development boards and associations and private organisations.

In gambling and wagering sector, Michael has authored some thirty studies, including the first national project on The Definition of Problem Gambling. He and the research team at SACES recently completed the first national study into Responsible Gambling and Casinos involving the 13 Australian casinos.

The SA Centre for Economic Studies has conducted studies into the economic, social and financial impact of gambling for state government, including South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. It was the first research group to estimate the impacts of gambling on regional communities.

The Centre for Economic Studies is internationally regarded for the development of robust methodologies to measure the social and economic impact of gambling. Michael was recently appointed as the independent reviewer to the economic and social evaluation of the impact of casinos by the USA Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

The SA Centre for Economic Studies, through Michael’s leadership has contributed to Parliamentary submissions, presentations to members of Parliament, delivered numerous conference discussion papers and presentations and authored reports into a diverse range of gambling related issues.