The Changing Landscape of Indigenous Gambling in Northern Australia: Current Knowledge and Future Directions

Abstract

Little is formally known about the gambling practices, both regulated (e.g. poker machines) and unregulated (e.g. card games), of indigenous people in northern Australia, nor of the range of social consequences of these practices. To begin addressing this shortfall, a scoping study of indigenous gambling in the Northern Territory (NT) was conducted. This paper reports the key findings of this study and integrates them with information on indigenous gambling from the Northern Territory Prevalence Survey 2005 and from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey 2002. The emergent picture of indigenous gambling in the NT is one of widespread incorporation of gambling, both regulated and unregulated, into contemporary indigenous social practices with considerable negative consequence. However, the strength of this conclusion is tempered by the paucity of available data, by the limitations of existing gambling research methodologies and by the scoping purpose of the exercise.

Independent Correlates of Reported Gambling Problems Amongst Indigenous Australians

“…For example, a representative population survey carried out in Queensland found that Indigenous people were not over-or under-represented in nongambler or recreational gambler groups, but were significantly over-represented in low, moderate risk and problem gambler groups (Queensland Government 2006). This is significant given that the limited data available from national and state level surveys indicate that participation in regulated gambling by Indigenous people is no different to the general Australian population (McMillen and Donnelly 2008;Productivity Commission 1999;Young et al 2007). EGM play, the activity most associated with problem gambling in Australia, has consistently been identified as the most popular activity for Indigenous people (Dickerson et al 1995;McMillen and Doran 2006;Queensland Government 2007;Young and Stevens 2009;Young et al 2008b).…”

“…electronic gambling machines (EGMs) or 'pokies', casinos, racetrack betting etc.) by Indigenous people has identified significant related harm in all jurisdictions where studies have been carried out (Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council of NSW 2007;Brady 2004;Cultural Perspectives Pty Ltd 2005;Dickerson et al 1996;Foote 1996;Holden et al 1996;McMillen and Donnelly 2008;McMillen and Marshall 2004;McMillen and Togni 2000;Young et al 2007). For example, a representative population survey carried out in Queensland found that Indigenous people were not over-or under-represented in nongambler or recreational gambler groups, but were significantly over-represented in low, moderate risk and problem gambler groups (Queensland Government 2006).…”

Gambling in Great Britain: A Response to Rogers

“…There is also the issue of some important sections (such as the one on 'Ethnicity and Culture' on p. 49) that cite outdated references between 1990 and 1996 and completely omitting all the recent works that have been done on various aboriginal communities in countries such as Australia and Canada (e.g. Breen et al 2012;Young et al 2007). I would also argue that the section on 'Theories of Addiction and Problem Gambling' is both highly selective (not in itself necessarily problematic) but (in terms of psychological theory) woefully out of date (e.g.…”

Indigenous Australian gambling crime and possible interventions: a qualitative study

“…For example, Dunbar and Scrimgeour (2007) have noted that unequal power relationships might restrict their involvement. Additionally, for Indigenous people a public health approach may overlook multigenerational concepts of time (Blackstock, 2009) and the deprivation effects from colonisation (McDonald & Wombo, 2006;Young et al 2007), both structural and cultural (Lavelle & Poole, 2010).…”