FILIP KOVAŘÍK , PHD

Research Areas:
I am a research fellow at the Department of Geography, Palacký University Olomouc. My research focuses on the spatial dimensions of gambling, examining how geographic factors influence gambling behaviours, accessibility, and social impacts. I am particularly interested in exploring the intersection between gambling and geography, including the spatial distribution of gambling venues, socio-economic disparities in gambling exposure, and the geographic patterns of gambling-related harm. Additionally, my work extends to gambling within the sporting environment, where I investigate the role of sponsorship and advertising in normalising gambling practices.

Publications:

• Kovařík, F., Fiedor, D., Frajer, J., Šerý, M., Charvát, M., & Aigelová, E. (2025). Daily Encounters as a Measure of Accessibility: An Innovative Approach to Assessing the Influence of Gambling Landscape on Gambler's Behaviour. Journal of Gambling Studies, 41(3), 1247-1267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-025-10392-0

• Kovařík, F., & Fiedor, D. (2025). Soft Forms and Hard Forms of Gambling: A Systematic Review with a Narrative Synthesis. Current Addiction Reports, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-025-00656-5

• Fiedor, D., Charvát, M., Kovařík, F., Frajer, J., Aigelová, E., & Šerý, M. (2025). Perceived Riskiness and Problem Gambling Across Different Forms of Gambling: A Focus on 'Soft' Gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 41(2), 821–839. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-024-10370-y

• Frajer, J., Fiedor, D., Kovařík, F., Šerý, M., Aigelová, E., & Charvát, M. (2024). Changing ‘casinoscape’: Spatial patterns of casino municipalities and impacts of the new gambling act in the Czech Republic. Journal of Maps, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2024.2387921

In Print:

• Kovařík, F., Fiedor, D., Frajer, J., Aigelová, E., Šerý, M., & Charvát, M. (2025). Where to Place My Bets? Players’ Adaptation to the Reduction of Gambling Venues. Moravian Geographical Reports.

• Fiedor, D., Kovařík, F., Frajer, J., Šerý, M., Aigelová, E., & Charvát, M. (2025). The Geography of Gambling Access: Insights from a Saturated Central European Market. GeoJournal.

Under Reviews:

Collaboration:
If you are interested in collaborating on research, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I'm always open to discussing potential joint projects or methodological exchanges. Similarly, if you're interested in learning more about my research or would like to discuss my findings and approaches, I'd be happy to connect. Please feel free to reach out via email.