The social impact of online gambling on young people in the Northern Territory: Final report

The rise of online gambling is contributing to a range of harms experienced by young adults in the Northern Territory (NT). Young adults exhibit distinct risk and protective factors that need to be considered when seeking to address gambling-related harms in online settings. This qualitative study explored how young adults in the NT engage in online gambling activities, including sports betting, simulated gambling and gambling-like features in video games. Project aims included exploring (1) the topic of gambling online with young adults, and (2) the social impact of young people’s online gambling behaviours. Thirty in-depth interviews were conducted with Territorians aged between 18 and 25. Several key findings were distilled from the research, including: 1. Social context is crucial to understanding why young people initially engage with online gambling and can be used to develop harm prevention strategies in the NT; 2. Peers play a significant role in influencing how, when and why young Territorians participate in online gambling. 3. Ease of access, anonymity and hyper-exposure are key factors impacting participation in online forms of gambling by young adults; 4. The impact of advertising and the rise of gaming ‘influencers’ are key factors to consider when designing strategies to address the normalisation of gambling in selected settings. Findings from this research help address a significant evidence gap and can be used to inform future NT online gambling harm minimisation efforts, including public health and policy initiatives aimed at preventing gambling harm among young adults who live in the NT.