Table 1.
Aboriginal gambling risk factors, potential public health modifications and aims
| Risk factors | Potential modifications | Aims/targets for reducing risk factors |
|---|---|---|
| Host (Individual factors) | ||
| Cultural factors | • In-depth knowledge on authentic cultural traditions & associated obligations, | Aim to identify & preserve the cultural significance of certain forms of gambling while raising awareness & educating people in culturally appropriate ways about the risks of gambling. |
| • Cultural traditions, obligations that endorse &/or include gambling activities, | • Culturally relevant information & increased awareness about gambling & winning, | |
| • Cognitive beliefs in levels of luck & skill involved in gambling, | • Increased knowledge & awareness of local neighbourhood cultures. | |
| • Compatibility, harmony with other cultures. | ||
| Psychological states | • Legislation (venue/host responsibility, responsible gambling features, bans), | Aim to identify & promote effective strategies, programs & treatment that act as protection, a buffer, in ameliorating negative psychological states. |
| • Co-morbid mental disorders, | • Screening people with co-morbid disorders for gambling problems, | |
| • Substance use with gambling (tobacco, alcohol, drugs), | • Increased knowledge & awareness about risks of using gambling as a coping mechanism, | |
| • Stress, | • Developing, publicising & promoting alternative but appropriate coping strategies. | |
| • Grief & loss. | ||
| Agent (Gambling products & services) | ||
| Exposure, availability & access to | • Conducting traditional gambling within authentic Aboriginal philosophies, & culture, | Aim to guide the development of culturally effective information for gamblers on practices & strategies that prevent the development of gambling-related problems with any gambling product or service. |
| • Traditional gambling | • Creating modern rules of play based on traditional cultural beliefs, | |
| • Commercial gambling | • Developing & promoting culturally appropriate responsible gambling strategies with & for Aboriginal gamblers, | |
| • Preferences for continuous gambling forms | • Legislation (venue/host responsibility, culturally appropriate responsible gambling features & counselling), | |
| • Increasing awareness, information & practical education about gambling products & chances of winning. | ||
| Gambling marketing | • Undertake a socio-economic analysis & publicly report the community benefits & costs from gambling operations, | Aim to see benefits outweigh costs of gambling by providing genuine & accurate information to communities. |
| • Gambling operations funding community projects, | • Legislation & industry codes of conduct restricting marketing of cultural representations associated with gambling. | |
| • Use of cultural icons. | ||
| Environment (Family, friends, community) | ||
| Families & friends | • Drawing on local cultural & family networks to create practical low-risk/social gambling strategies, | Aim to support gamblers, families and friends with information & education about gambling impacts and sources of help. |
| • Intergenerational gambling norms, | • Increased awareness & knowledge about impacts of gambling, about self-help for gamblers & sources of help for others, | |
| • High risk parental gambling, | • Publicising links between high risk gambling & poverty in protection & prevention messages. | |
| • Gambler friends | ||
| Adolescents | • Integrating gambling education & help into other school resources targeting high risk behaviour reduction, | Aim to educate adolescents, teachers & concerned others about gambling risks & attempt to reduce these risks. |
| • High risk behaviours | • Early intervention programs, | |
| • In-depth gambling information for teachers, parents & peers | ||
| Communities | • Increased awareness & knowledge about impacts of gambling, about self-help for gamblers & sources of help for others, | Aim to reveal differences between reservation & urban communities & target their distinctive gambling issues with appropriately developed public health strategies. |
| • Reservation & remote location, | • Developing alternative but engaging activities, | |
| • Urban location. | • Indentify unique issues facing people in urban centres & to publicise or develop cultural & economic support systems to encourage social inclusion, | |
| • To provide information, protection & prevention programs on coping. | ||
Adapted from Perese et al. (2005)