Table 2 Participants’ perspectives on government and industry framing of gambling and suggestions for alternative framing
Government and industry perspectives | Participants’ perspectives |
|---|---|
Gaming machines as: • Safe • Entertaining • Beneficial to the community | Gaming machines as: • Risky • Designed to addict • Harmful for the community |
Problems from gambling as: • Rare • Based in gambler behaviour • Caused by 'problem gambling' and 'problem gamblers' | Problems from gambling as: • Common in people who use EGMs regularly • Due to the addictive nature of machines • Caused by 'gambling addiction' • Happening to 'people with gambling problems' |
Solutions for problem gambling: • Based on the personal responsibility of gamblers | Solutions for problem gambling: • Based on public health • Require changes to government and industry behaviours |
Policy responses: • Focus on treatment • Focus on individual behaviour | Policy responses: • Reducing accessibility to EGMs • Making products and venue environments safer • Educating the community about harm |
Implications for gamblers: • Stigma • Blame | Implications for gamblers: • Reduced stigma and blame • Reduced harm |