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Full citation
Bellringer, M.E, Vorster, A., Garrett, N., & Tautolo, E. (2024). Pacific Islands Families study: Young adult gambling behaviours and associated risk factors. Auckland: Auckland University of Technology, Gambling and Addictions Research Centre.
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Region & Target Population
- Region: New Zealand
- Target population: Pacific young adults from the PIF longitudinal birth cohort; assessed at age 22.
Study Design
Longitudinal cohort study (birth cohort recruited in 2000), with in-person structured survey interviews conducted in 2022.
Sample Characteristics (with year collected)
- N = 470 young adults surveyed in 2022 (age 22–23).
- Ethnicity: 48% Samoan, 24% Tongan, 18% Cook Islands Māori, 9% Niuean.
- Gambling subsample: 154 participants who gambled in past year.
Longitudinal Timeline & Waves
- Gambling data previously collected at ages 9, 14, 17, allowing analysis of behavioral trajectories into young adulthood.
- The 2022 survey constitutes the young-adult wave.
Measures Used
- PGSI (Problem Gambling Severity Index) – gambling risk levels.
- SGHS (Short Gambling Harm Screen) – gambling-related harms.
- Gambling participation (frequency, expenditure, number of activities).
- Social context of gambling.
- Help-seeking behaviors.
- Predictive factors measured earlier (e.g., online gaming, smoking, alcohol use, mental health scales, cultural identity).
Research Question
What are the patterns, risks, harms, and predictors of gambling among Pacific young adults (age 22), and how do these compare to earlier developmental stages?
Key Findings (Age 22)
- Past-year gambling: 32.8% of participants gambled; average of 3 activities per gambler.
- Most common activities: bets with friends/family (39%), casino gaming machines (33%), Lotto (33%), pub gaming machines (30%).
- Risky gambling: 13.2% overall; among gamblers, 37.7% engaged in risky gambling; 6.8% classified as problem gamblers.
- Gambling harm: 32.9% of gamblers experienced ≥1 harm.
- Gender differences: males were 2.29× more likely to gamble and engaged in more activities.
- Predictors from earlier waves:
- Daily online gaming at 14 → predicts gambling, risky gambling, and harm at 22.
- Smoking at 14 → predicts risky gambling at 22.
- Multiple activities & alcohol use at 17 → predict risky gambling and harm.
- Help-seeking: 59% sought no help; most help obtained informally (family, friends).
- Social context: gambling mostly occurred with family (50%) or friends (46.7%); gambling alone increased significantly by age 22.
- Ethnic differences: few differences, but Tongan gamblers had nearly 3× the odds of harm compared to Samoan gamblers.
Study Conclusion
The Pacific Islands Families study reveals a moderate prevalence of gambling among Pacific young adults, but a high concentration of harm among those who do gamble. Although only one third of 22-year-olds gambled, over one-third of these experienced gambling harm, and risky gambling affected nearly 40% of gamblers. Gambling remains predominantly social and family-embedded, but the rise in gambling alone and exposure to gaming technologies reflects changing behavioral patterns as adolescents transition into adulthood. Early life experiences, especially online gaming, substance use, and engaging in multiple gambling activities during adolescence strongly predict gambling harm at age 22.
Findings demonstrate that emerging adulthood is a critical inflection point where gambling patterns solidify, harms intensify, and cultural, behavioral, and social determinants interact. The study highlights urgent needs for culturally grounded harm-reduction strategies, gambling literacy within families, early identification of risk, and interventions aligned with Pacific health frameworks.
