Search

The financial consequences associated with harmful gambling create significant health and social stressors for individuals, their families, and communities. However, there has been limited research exploring how people impacted by gambling harm conceptualise and experience the financial impacts on their lives. To help fill this gap, this study used in-depth qualitative interviews with gamblers harmed by their own gambling and affected others harmed by someone else's gambling. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. The study had three key findings. First, prior to experiencing harm, gamblers and affected others did not consider the financial risks associated with gambling and only recognised the risks once the financial losses negatively impacted other areas of their lives. Second, gamblers and affected others managed the day-to-day financial impacts of gambling by adjusting their financial priorities, reducing spending in other areas, or accruing debt. Finally, the financial impacts of gambling and the associated financial management strategies led to broader and long-term problems for gamblers and affected others. This study demonstrates that financial harms from gambling are complex and contribute to the stigmatisation of people who experience harm. Current educational messages and tools simplify this complex issue and may legitimise gambling as a leisure activity which can be managed by making 'responsible' financial decisions. Public health and health promotion initiatives must recognise this complexity, developing approaches that are independent from the gambling industry and informed by lived experience., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Background: Younger women's engagement with gambling has changed over recent decades due to a range of socio-cultural, environmental and commercial factors. However, younger women's distinct lived experiences with gambling have rarely been considered. The following critical qualitative inquiry explored factors that influenced younger women's engagement with gambling and their perceptions of gambling risks., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 41 Australian women aged 18-40 years. Participants were asked questions relating to their reasons for gambling, and the perceived risks associated with gambling. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to interpret the data., Results: Five themes were constructed from the data. First, women reported that they gambled to escape their everyday lives, with some women reporting gambling within their own homes. Second, women reported gambling for financial reasons, particularly to change their life circumstances and outcomes. Third, gambling was used by women as a way to connect with social network members. Fourth, gambling was an incidental activity that was an extension of non-gambling leisure activities. Finally, lower risk perceptions of participants' own gambling risk contributed to their engagement and continuation of gambling., Conclusion: Public health and health promotion initiatives should recognise that young women's gambling practices are diverse, and address the full range of socio-cultural, environmental and commercial factors that may influence younger women's engagement with gambling., (© 2022 The Authors. Health Promotion Journal of Australia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Health Promotion Association.)

Objective: This study aimed to explore regular gamblers' perceptions of the social acceptance and cultural accommodation of gambling in Australia, which are two dimensions of the normalisation of gambling., Methods: Qualitatively focused online survey with 363 adults in New South Wales and Victoria who gambled in a typical month. Open-text responses about the link between gambling and Australian culture were interpreted using reflexive thematic analysis to construct themes from the data., Results: Gambling was perceived to be a culturally significant part of Australian life due to existing traditions, the perception that gambling was central to the Australian identity, and perceived economic benefits. Participants considered that gambling was a common and socially accepted activity that was embedded in the activities of social networks. Participants also stated that gambling products, venues and marketing were embedded in everyday environments, although some believed that the embedding of gambling in society was harmful. Conclusion and public health implications: This study demonstrated that regular gamblers largely viewed gambling as being a socially accepted and culturally accommodated activity in Australia. There is scope for governments to develop comprehensive programs to denormalise gambling, including learning from research, evidence and experience in other areas of public health., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Objective: Research has demonstrated that gambling is becoming increasingly normalised for women. As limited research has sought to understand women's perspectives on this issue, we sought women's opinions about the factors that may contribute to the normalisation of gambling for women, and the strategies that may counter this normalisation., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 41 women in young and middle adulthood, aged 20-40 years., Results: Participants suggested that gambling was normal for women because gambling environments had been designed to appeal to women, newer technologies had removed the stigma of attending physical venues, and the growing equality and independence of women. To de-normalise gambling, women suggested addressing the influential role of marketing, designing new public education strategies, addressing the availability and accessibility of gambling, and restricting engagement with gambling products., Conclusion: This study highlighted women's perceptions of strategies to address the normalisation of gambling and the importance of providing risk information paired with broader policy reform and prevention initiatives to address the range of determinants that normalise gambling for women., Implications for Public Health: Involving women in advocacy and understanding their perspectives is important in developing relevant public health responses to the normalisation of gambling for women., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Background: Gambling has traditionally been conceptualised as an issue of addiction and personal responsibility. While there are now clear public health models that recognise that gambling harm is caused by a range of socio-cultural, environmental, commercial and political determinants, government and industry messages about gambling are still largely personal responsibility focused. Given the well-recognised issues associated with personal responsibility paradigms, this study sought to understand how gamblers themselves conceptualised responsibility for gambling harm., Methods: A qualitatively led online panel survey was conducted with 363 adult gamblers in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia. Participants were asked to respond to what they thought were the causes of gambling harm, and what could be done to prevent harm. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted., Results: Six common tropes were constructed from gamblers' responses: (1) Gambling in moderation; (2) Personal responsibility for rational behaviour; (3) Character flaws; (4) Personal responsibility to seek help; (5) More education is needed; and (6) Governments are responsible for action - but motivation and efficacy are questioned. Gamblers primarily understood gambling harm as being a matter of personal responsibility, and government responsibility was generally seen as limited to providing information to facilitate informed gambling choices., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that gamblers' perceptions of gambling harm are similar to the personal responsibility framings and tropes present in industry and government messaging strategies. Refocusing public communication strategies away from 'responsible gambling' messaging, and towards evidence-based approaches, will be an important part of addressing the harms associated with gambling., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: To understand how policies developed by Local Government Authorities (LGAs) to address electronic gambling machine (EGM) harm are developed and implemented., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants from 15 LGAs in metropolitan Melbourne who worked in a role associated or aligned with gambling. An inductive thematic analysis was used to interpret the data., Results: Three key themes emerged. First, participants described a shift from addiction frameworks to public health policy responses to EGMs, which was driven by increasing EGM losses and the harms caused by EGMs to communities. Second, there was the role of stakeholder groups in the policy-making process, including the challenges associated with engaging the community. Finally, there were barriers and facilitators to policy development and implementation. Barriers included a lack of financial resources and legislative boundaries imposed by the State Government. Facilitators included whole-of-LGA approaches, supportive councillors and collaborative efforts. Conclusions and implications for public health: LGAs have made shifts towards public health responses to EGM harm. Initiatives to further support policy development and implementation could include imposing a levy on EGM losses to directly support public health prevention activities and implementing robust state-based regulatory frameworks that support LGA responses to EGM harm., (© 2020 The Authors.)