Does one shoe fit all? Impacts of gambling among four ethnic groups in New Zealand (original) (raw)
Related papers
The New Zealand gaming and betting survey: Chinese and Indian people's experience
International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, 2012
Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to analyse attitudes, understanding of gambling and gambling related harm among Asians in New Zealand using secondary data from the New Zealand 2006/07 Gaming and Betting Attitudes Survey (GBAS). Design/methodology/approach-This survey interviewed 1,973 nationwide randomly selected youths and adults ($18 years) using structured questionnaire. Chinese (N ¼ 113) and Indian (N ¼ 122) data were analysed separately to compare between them and with NZ Europeans (N ¼ 792). Descriptive analysis was carried out and was subsequently tested for significant correlations by weighted (p , 0.01) and un-weighted (p , 0.05) variables. Findings-A higher proportion of Chinese males (66.8 percent) represented in the survey compared to Indian (43.0 percent) and NZ European (48.9 percent) where Chinese consisted of more youthful age structure. Chinese respondents were more likely to be in the lowest income bracket (NZ$10,000) compared to others. Among the ten gambling activities ''casino table gambling'' and ''casino electronic machines'' (slot-style machine) were most popular among the Chinese where Indians preferred ''gambling/casino evening''. A significant proportion of Chinese were unwilling to refer family or friends to gambling help services despite believing that gambling does more harm than good. Pre-committed gambling sum was the most common harm minimising strategy suggested by participants. They believed education and consultation could deter youths from harmful gambling. Research limitations/implications-This survey highlighted gambling behaviours and thoughts of the ethnic minority population in New Zealand. Study outcomes would be valuable in formulating ethnic specific preventative programme and may have policy implication. Originality/value-There has been limited research on gambling behaviour of ethnic minorities in New Zealand. This paper fills some of the gaps.
PhD Thesis
The aims of this qualitative study were to explore Tongan male perceptions and experiences of gambling and to identify how their attitudes to gambling and problem-gambling behaviours were learnt, including and determining the importance of intergenerational transfer. The research design was interpretivist/ constructivist and phenomenological through the lens of a Tongan worldview. To capture the nature of intergenerational transfer, participants comprised of two groups – elders who had been born in Tonga and migrated to New Zealand, and New Zealand-born Tongan youth. Recruitment of participants was through snowball sampling from churches, kava-drinking circles and other community spaces. A total of 28 elders and 18 youth participated through focus group talanoa and individual talanoa. These were in Tongan or English as appropriate, and audio-recorded and transcribed by me. This study employed the descriptive thematic analysis drawing on components of Interpretative Phenomenological Approach. The first and overarching findings confirmed that there is no Tongan term for gambling nor, for problem gambling. At the same time, both elders and youth gave many instances of positive and negative outcomes and also examples of what would be classified as gambling through ‘activities’ and ‘acts’. Notably, among the participants, there were five Mātu’a and two To’utupu who did not engage in gambling activities due to gambling being a ‘waste of money’ and because of the problem-gambling behaviours of family members. The Mātu’a associated gambling with social and communal purposes, such as recreation and socialising together, with elements of competition and pride in winning also playing a large role here. Their initial gambling participation was through card games with their parents and other family members in Tonga. Over time, new forms evolved which included the exchange of cash and goods for example. However, in the early days, the purpose of these activities was mainly directed to supporting community initiatives, such as churches and village fundraisers. On migration to New Zealand, their earlier introduction to gambling was amplified through horse race betting at the TAB, mainly as a social occasion with other Tongans. For the To’utupu, gambling behaviours were learnt at home through social activities such as card games before being increased in schools, in workplaces, and in the online and technology space. Almost all To’utupu commented on their initial gambling activity through card games at home with family members. The majority of the To’utupu associated gambling with the need to win money as a quick fix and with being an easy way to win money. Gambling was also associated with status enhancement to maintain social status in their family and wider society. This study coins a new concept within the gambling and problem-gambling literature that I have called ‘cultural gambling’, which leads to the identification of status enhancement as a reason why Pacific peoples may be more at risk of developing problem-gambling behaviours. This is amplified by Tonga’s monarchical, hierarchical and familial systems. The majority of the participants were not aware of any policy document or problem-gambling preventative programmes. Preventative programmes and strategies are identified, which could help to minimise gambling harm amongst Tongans and other Pacific communities. Challenges and opportunities for future research and policy design are also included
Needs and Gaps Analysis: Problem Gambling Interventions Among New Zealand Asian Peoples
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 2007
Asian peoples are the fastest growing population in New Zealand. This study was conducted to increase the understanding of Asian problem gambling and identify gaps in intervention services. 52 people from 4 major cities in New Zealand participated. Data were collected either through telephone interview, filling in the written survey or face-to-face interaction. The results indicate that Asian peoples in New Zealand who gamble are gambling at casinos and that the most vulnerable groups are international students, restaurant owners and workers, and tourist operators. The impacts of problem gambling on Asian peoples include declines in work productivity or study performance, decreased quality of health, emotional and financial stress on families both in New Zealand and overseas. The report concludes with a discussion of the needs and gaps that the current health system of New Zealand faces and makes a series of recommendations in the area of public health interventions and counseling services that can be used for policy makers in order to meet the complex and multiple needs of Asian peoples.
Two years on: gambling amongst Pacific mothers living in New Zealand
Pacific health dialog, 2009
Research investigating the prevalence and correlates of Pacific peoples gambling within a New Zealand context is limited. This paper provides data about gambling activity from the two-year data collection point for a cohort of mothers within the longitudinal Pacific Islands Families study. The results indicate a number of consistencies and discrepancies between data collected at this time point and two years previously (six-week baseline data collection point). For example, at baseline, Samoans were the least likely to gamble and spent less money on gambling activities. Two years later, Samoans remained the least likely to gamble, but those who did gamble, were more likely to spend more money than other ethnicities. This article highlights the importance of this type of prospective study in examining the development of the risk and protective factors in relation to the development of problem gambling.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2012
roblem gambling is a significant social issue for many New Zealanders. This is recognised in New Zealand's legislation, which requires a public health focus addressing both problem gambling and wider gambling harm (Gambling Act 2003, Part 4, s.317). New Zealand (NZ) and Sweden are the only national jurisdictions to have formally adopted a public health approach to problem gambling, although others are considering or introducing similar measures. We begin by briefly describing NZ's public health approach, focusing on the development and implementation of an awareness and education program. We then describe the design of, and present results from, a national survey that provides baseline data as the starting point for evaluating the effectiveness of the program-the 2006/07 Gaming and Betting Activities Survey (GBAS). NZ's legislation requires an integrated strategy across the continuum of gambling harm, from prevention to treatment, and independent research and evaluation. The Ministry of Health is responsible for this strategy, placing NZ's response to problem gambling firmly in the health arena. Framing gambling harm as a public health issue moves gambling beyond an individual behaviour to explore its context, epidemiology, and social characteristics. 1,2 This framing is evident in the broad definition of harm in the NZ legislation: harm or distress of any kind arising from, or caused or exacerbated by, a person's gambling; and includes personal, social, or economic harm suffered by the person; or the person's spouse, civil union partner, de facto partner, family, whanau, or wider community; or in the workplace; or by society at large (Part 1, s.4). A public health framework leads to "a set of public policy goals, strategies for action, and standards of public accountability that: • prevent gambling-related problems in individuals and groups at risk of gambling addiction • promote informed and balanced attitudes, behaviours and policies towards gambling and gamblers both by individuals and communities • protect vulnerable groups from gambling-related harms". 1(p246). Public health models also are "community anchored and promote community-based decision-making" 1(p 246) , as well as seeking to denormalise harmful behaviours by getting society to understand and question the issues, and debate and reach a consensus on the acceptability of the harms.
A Case Study of Gambling Involvement and Its Consequences
Leisure Sciences, 2012
Gambling has attracted minimal recent research in leisure studies. Focusing on Indigenous Australian gambling, this paper draws on theoretical frameworks in leisure and gambling to develop gambling involvement profiles. Using qualitative methods, 169 Indigenous Australians were interviewed. Thematic analysis generated three typical gambler profileslight, binge and heavy gamblers -distinguishable by different gambling behaviors, motivations and consequences. Analysis of the dimensions of leisure involvement revealed that light and heavy gamblers differed according to importance/interest, pleasure, centrality, self-expression, social bonding, risk probability and risk consequence. The paper demonstrates the application to gambling of certain leisure involvement constructs.
Australia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, with over a quarter of the population born overseas. This cultural diversity is important to acknowledge and understand in order to effectively address social issues, such as problem gambling. Some evidence exists to indicate that the prevalence of gambling and problem gambling is higher for people from CALD backgrounds, and yet people from CALD backgrounds are not well represented in gambling support services. In addition, there is currently a dearth of research literature that focuses specifically on CALD communities. This research was conducted to increase understanding about the experiences, attitudes and beliefs that individuals from CALD backgrounds hold about gambling, with a view to informing more effective interventions to minimise gambling related harm in Australia’s culturally diverse population. The Tamil and Chinese communities were chosen as the focus for this study. The Chinese community was chosen because there was a strong anecdotal base as well as emerging evidence that members of the Chinese community regularly engage in gambling. In addition, the Chinese community was selected because it is a well established community in Australia. The Tamil community was chosen for precisely the opposite reason, as there was neither an anecdotal nor evidence base regarding gambling by the Tamils, and also because they are a relatively recently arrived community within Australia.
Why People Gamble: A Qualitative Study of Four New Zealand Ethnic Groups
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 2012
In multicultural countries such as New Zealand, it is particularly important that gambling research take into account possible cultural differences. Many New Zealanders come from cultures that do not have a history of gambling, including the Mäori (New Zealand indigenous people), Pacific Islanders, and recent migrants. Little research has examined the reasons why people start and continue to gamble, especially among different ethnic groups. This research project thus aimed to develop a framework to explain how environmental, cultural, and social factors interact with personal attributes to determine gambling behaviors. In a qualitative study, families of problem gamblers, and professionals. Different personal, socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural factors were identified, summarized in a developmental framework, and compared to factors found for ethnic groups in other countries. Public health policy issues were raised, including greater control of gambling promotion.