The role of public health advocacy in preventing and reducing gambling related harm: challenges, facilitators, and opportunities for change

Abstract

Background: Public health advocacy is important in preventing harm and promoting health in communities. There has been little research into public health advocacy strategies which address gambling related harms. This study aimed to identify the role of advocacy in gambling reform, challenges to gambling advocacy implementation, and strategies that could facilitate change.

Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 50 stakeholders with backgrounds in gambling policy, research, health promotion, and advocacy. Participants were asked about how advocacy could be used to address gambling harm, and the range of barriers and facilitators for effective advocacy responses. A constant comparative method of analysis was used on the data.

Results: While participants perceived that there was a role for advocacy in preventing and reducing gambling related harm, they discussed a range of challenges. These included restrictions associated with funding of research and services, the power of the gambling industry, and the role of stigma in preventing people with lived experience of gambling from speaking about their experiences. Participants also described a range of facilitators of public health advocacy approaches, including independent funding sources, reframing the ‘responsibility’ debate, developing opportunities and capacity for people with lived experience of harm, and developing broadly based coalitions to enable cohesive and consistent advocacy responses to gambling harm.

Conclusion: There is a clear role for public health advocacy approaches aimed at preventing and reducing gambling harm. Future research could identify how advocacy strategies may be implemented as a part of a comprehensive public health approach to gambling reform.

Keywords::

• Advocacy
• gambling
• public health

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Ms Hannah Pitt, Ms Amy Bestman, and Dr Emily Deans for their contribution to interviewing some of the participants in this study. The authors would also like to acknowledge the stakeholders who participated in this study.

Ethical approval

Ethical approval was obtained from Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee. Participants provided written and/or oral consent prior to participating in the study.

Consent for publication

All participants consented to the data being used for publications.

Availability of data and material

These data will not be made available to ensure the privacy and anonymity of the study participants.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Jennifer L. David is the recipient of an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship aligned with an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant. The data presented in this paper were collected within a larger piece study funded by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation Competitive Grants Scheme. Associate Professor Samantha Thomas receives funding for gambling research from the Australian Research Council Discovery Grant Scheme, and the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. In the last 5 years, she has received funding for gambling harm prevention education from AFL Sportsready and the AFL Players Association. Associate Professor Melanie Randle receives funding for gambling research from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. Professor Mike Daube receives funding for gambling research from the Australian Research Council and the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. Professor Susan Balandin receives funding from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.