Intervening in Indigenous Gambling: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Internationally, Indigenous people have higher rates of problem gambling than other population groups, yet the uptake of gambling help services is thought to be low. This may be due to the lack of culturally appropriate services and staff. This study aimed to systematically search and review the literature relating to interventions designed for Indigenous populations that seek to prevent or address gambling harm, to support the design of new programs. Peer-reviewed articles and gray literature that described programs of this nature and/or which reported outcomes for Indigenous participants were included in the review. Included studies were published between January 2000 and May 2019 and available in English. Only four articles were identified for inclusion: two described programs in Australia and two in New Zealand. Only one article provided outcome data, which was inconclusive, and one described three separate interventions. Three of the four described involved community-led approaches informed by cultural and emancipatory principles. There is currently insufficient evidence to guide interventions aiming to prevent and address gambling harm for Indigenous peoples. This review identified an urgent need for new intervention research in this area.