ANU to look at Indigenous problem gambling in NT<»

ANU will run a three-year project to work with Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory to address problem gambling. The $1.3 million pilot project, led by the ANU Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR), is funded by the NT government and will be the largest single investment to addressing gambling in Indigenous communities in Australia. ANU will partner with the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin and Amity Community Services Inc. "National research has shown Aboriginal people experience significantly higher rates of gambling problems than non-Indigenous people," said lead researcher Dr Marisa Fogarty. "Research suggests that the best approach to addressing gambling issues is to work with Indigenous communities on the ground." Dr Matt Stevens from the Menzies School of Health Research said NT research has found gambling problems occur at rates up to 20 times higher in some remote Aboriginal communities compared to the total NT population. "These findings are concerning and demonstrate the need for researchers to work with communities to reverse this trend," Dr Stevens said. Over the next three years the team will design, implement and evaluate ways to work with communities to address problem gambling.