Canberrans struggle to recall gambling harm messaging specific to the capital, prompting researchers to call for a specific public health communication strategy to address harms in the ACT.
Researchers from the University of Canberra News and Media Research Centre found communication around gambling harm was "lacking credibility and impact".
Focus groups and a survey found gambling was widely viewed as a popular and socially acceptable activity and this made it difficult to recognise and talk about gambling harm.
Nearly 1000 Canberrans were interviewed about their gambling behaviour, perceptions of gambling harm and their awareness of harm prevention initiatives.
Two-thirds of respondents believed gambling was harmful to society but the survey found this view was more prominent among younger respondents. Men, Baby Boomers and older adults were more likely to say gambling was beneficial to Australian society.
People were more likely to associate the negative financial consequences of gambling than health and cultural harms.
Researchers also interviewed and conducted focus groups with 52 people and 18 professionals who worked in fields related to gambling.
"The findings of these interviews suggest there is broad awareness of gambling harm in the ACT," the report said.
"Some participants had witnessed or experienced harms from gambling first-hand either from their own or another person's gambling and others discussed second-hand stories that had been related to them by family, friends or colleagues."
Respondents also struggled to recall campaigns or messaging about gambling harm in the ACT.
The project was funded by the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission and the research informed the commission's work in educating about gambling harm.
Researchers found the themes of "gambling harm can affect anyone" and "gambling products, services and advertising are designed to keep people spending" resonated most with the focus groups.
University of Canberra senior research fellow Kate Holland said this message showed gambling harm could affect anybody.
"This highlights the importance of messaging that challenges stigma and stereotypes about what gambling harm is and who experiences it, showing that it can affect people from any walk of life," Dr Holland said.
"Hearing people with lived experience of gambling harm share their stories was seen as vital for humanising the issue, enabling people to relate to it and showing that it can be overcome."
Researchers recommended gambling harm communications be delivered across social media, TV, mobile apps and online gambling sites, which are the same places where people are exposed to gambling advertising.
Canberra news coverage of gambling harm was also analysed, with researchers finding the media tended to privilege elite sources.
They found news coverage did not represent the experience of ordinary gamblers or those who would be at a low- or medium-risk of gambling harm.
"There was a bias towards elite government, judicial, political and community club sources in news reporting of gambling harm in the ACT," the report said.
"Gambling harm rarely becomes a newsworthy topic until it reaches the realm of political conflict or extreme life consequences."
