The Northern Territory (NT) Government approached Menzies School of Health Research to carry out a repeat of the 2015 Gambling Prevalence and Wellbeing Survey. Since the 2015 survey there have been several gambling policy changes, particularly in relation to pokies or electronic gambling machines (EGMs). The 2018 survey, like the 2015 survey, will have a public health focus and in addition to collecting information on gambling participation and problem gambling, will also collect demographic information, and a range of health, and social and emotional wellbeing indicators.
The survey will include a sample of mobile and landline telephones, and will be carried out in October and November. Roy Morgan Research has been contracted by Menzies to do the telephone interviewing, who were the same company to conduct the 2005 and 2015 NT gambling surveys. The survey will collect information on gambling frequency in various activities, highest spend activity, problem gambling, knowledge of gambling policy and whether affected gambling patterns, exposure to gambling problems, how people experience their gambling, the types of problems they have experienced, psychological distress, exposure to domestic violence, alcohol problems, smoking status and self-reported health.
The results will be reported back to the NT Government late 2019, with the main report disseminated to a range of stakeholders, and made available on the Menzies and Northern Territory Government Attorney General and Justice Department websites.
Participant information sheet available here:
Gambling helpline: 1800 858 858 (freecall)
Crisis helplines: Lifeline 13 11 14 (freecall)
Domestic Violence helpline 1800 737 732 (freecall)
Project time line: August 2018 to December 2019