Gambling harm prevention and minimisation strategies are a critical part of New Zealand\u2019s public health system. While overall gambling participation may appear stable, the harms associated with gambling are not evenly shared. They are closely linked to deprivation, health vulnerability, and structural disadvantage, with M\u0101ori, Pacific peoples, some Asian communities, rangatahi, people with disabilities, and people on lower incomes experiencing a disproportionate share of harm. Effective gambling harm strategies therefore matter not only for regulation, but for social wellbeing, equity, and long-term economic outcomes.<\/p>\n
High-quality evaluation plays a central role in ensuring these strategies work as intended. Beyond measuring whether harm has increased or decreased, policymakers need to understand why outcomes have changed, who has benefited, and where gaps remain. This includes examining whether funding and services are aligned with the drivers of harm, whether interventions reach those most affected, and whether policy settings are keeping pace with changes such as the rapid growth of online gambling. Without this depth of analysis, there is a risk that harm is displaced rather than reduced.<\/p>\n
Our team is currently leading work in New Zealand to evaluate gambling harm strategies using a comprehensive health-policy and economic perspective. The work combines meaningful engagement with communities and stakeholders \u2014 including people with lived experience, service providers, regulators, and sector leaders \u2014 with robust quantitative analysis of harms, funding, and outcomes. This integrated approach ensures that evidence is grounded in real-world experience and remains directly relevant to decision-making.<\/p>\n
A strong focus on equity sits at the centre of this work. We examine how strategies affect different population groups, how funding and services align with need, and how policy settings can better support prevention and early intervention alongside treatment. M\u0101ori and Pacific perspectives are essential to understanding what works in practice, and the evaluation reflects the importance of culturally grounded approaches and partnership in reducing harm.<\/p>\n
By bringing together health policy expertise, economic analysis, and community insight, this work aims to support a more effective and equitable approach to preventing and minimising gambling harm. It reflects our broader commitment to evidence-based policy that improves wellbeing, addresses inequities, and supports better public decision-making. We look forward to sharing insights from this work and contributing to informed discussion on how New Zealand can continue to strengthen its approach to gambling harm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gambling harm prevention and minimisation strategies are a critical part of New Zealand\u2019s public health system. While overall gambling participation may appear stable, the harms associated with gambling are not evenly shared. They are closely linked to deprivation, health vulnerability, and structural disadvantage, with M\u0101ori, Pacific peoples, some Asian communities, rangatahi, people with disabilities, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"surf.php","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4635","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t