“It’s [gambling] obviously not regulated that well”: insights into Aboriginal peoples’ views on gambling regulation in the Northern Territory of Australia

Aim: This study is the first in-depth qualitative study that has provided insights into Aboriginal (All participants in this study identified as Aboriginal and thus we have not included any reference to the Torres Strait Islander peoples in this paper.) people’s views on current gambling policy and legislation in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia. 

Subject and methods: In-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a targeted selection of participants. The sample comprised 29 participants, aged 18+ years, weekly and nonregular gamblers, and those negatively affected by others’ gambling. An open coding technique (a combination of inductive and deductive analyses) was used for data analysis. Appropriate ethics approval was also obtained. 

Results: Participants described gambling as a revenue-generating product for the government and the gambling industry. Hence, their role in influencing the regulation of gambling for public benefit was debated. Participants provided practical suggestions that the government and the gambling industry could adopt to inform gambling regulation to minimise harm from gambling among Aboriginal people and the wider community in the NT. The suggestions included establishing stricter regulations relating to the licensing and opening hours of venues, limiting bet size and restricting the availability of gaming machines at venues. Participants also encouraged the reinstatement of mandatory formal dress codes at venues and the creation of health promotion resources such as advertisements and awareness campaigns tailored to the needs of the local Aboriginal people. 

Conclusion: Both community-wide and targeted approaches are required to regulate and reduce gambling harm among Aboriginal people in the NT. Although both are important, having more explicit preventive approaches in place may eliminate the need for downstream interventions and strategies.