HPA is responsible for delivering a programme focused on minimising gambling harm, which includes a mass media campaign, the development of resources, and research and evaluation. This research was undertaken to help inform a campaign on host responsibility in Class 4 venues as part of HPA’s programme.
This report provides an overview of findings from interviews with 18 staff and 14 people with experience gambling in Class 4 venues, focused on perceptions of EGM behaviours, interactions in the EGM area, host responsibility, and future change.
Methodology
The data collection involved semi-structured interviews with 18 staff working in Class 4 venues and 14 people with experience gambling in such venues. Qualitative methods were used to collect in-depth perspectives on host responsibility from the perspectives of gamblers and staff.
Interviews with staff were conducted in Wellington, Christchurch and a provincial North Island area. The provincial area has not been named in this report to protect the privacy of respondents and venues involved. For logistical reasons, interviews with gamblers were conducted only in the Wellington region. All interviews were audio recorded with the respondent’s consent and were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes.
Ethics approval was granted by the New Zealand Ethics Committee prior to commencing fieldwork. All interviews were conducted by HPA researchers between 4 December 2013 and 13 January 2014.