Canberrans are being called on to help the ACT Government understand their experiences of gambling related harms with the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission throwing its support behind a University of Canberra (UC) research project.
Senior Research Fellow at UC, Kate Holland said the results of the Understanding Gambling Harms study would assist the ACT Government in the development of literacy materials and communication strategies relating to gambling awareness.
Dr Holland, who is also the lead researcher on the project, said UC’s 2019 ACT Gambling Survey revealed that 60.1 per cent of Canberrans gambled, however only 20.9 per cent had gambled online.
“In 2022, that number is expected to have increased significantly,” Dr Holland said.
“The new and emerging forms of online gambling are attracting increased attention, but traditional and land-based forms of gambling continue to be popular, and both present challenges for regulators,” she said.
“For many people, gambling is an enjoyable recreational activity, but it can also have negative consequences.”
Dr Holland said her team wanted to understand what community members knew about gambling harms and what they thought about harm prevention, education and communication efforts, in order to identify opportunities for improvement in these areas.
She said the research aimed to provide an evidence base for future policy and practices aimed at reducing existing and emerging harm related to gambling in the ACT.
“Interviews and focus groups for the project will kick off this month, and continue into early 2023,” the Senior Research Fellow said.
“The research team is looking to recruit people who participate in, or who are aware of, a range of gambling activities from across a range of demographics.”
Further information on the study, including the opportunity to take part, can be accessed at this PS News link.
