Gambling regulator wins best international campaign
The Queensland Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) has been awarded the winner in the category of Best Regulatory Campaign 2023 in the International Regulatory Awards for its campaign to address gambling-related harm in Queensland’s First Nations communities.
The award recognises the most creative, compelling, and impactful responsible gambling/safer gambling communication campaign and was presented at the IAGR2023 Conference in Botswana on Wednesday, 18 October 2023.
First Nations people experience more gambling-related harm and are less likely to seek help than other population groups as gambling harm in Australian First Nations communities is a hidden and taboo issue, associated with significant shame and stigma.
Despite the clear need, there has been a lack of culturally appropriate campaigns and messaging about gambling developed for these communities.
Queensland’s Let’s Start Yarning About Gambling campaign was developed to tackle a number of these issues.
Quotes attributable to Deputy Director General Victoria Thomson:
“The success of this campaign in terms of development and outcomes is down to the extensive co-design process which OLGR undertook.
“It involved a comprehensive research and stakeholder engagement process, which included in-depth interviews, surveys, as well as focus groups involving people in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Far North Queensland.
“Taking the time to listen to people impacted by gambling in Indigenous communities, using their advice to develop the campaign and sending the content back to the focus groups for feedback has been a very worthwhile process and the strong campaign evaluation supports this.”
Quotes attributable to IAGR Trustee and awards judge Caroline Kongwa:
“Developed in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the campaign successfully increased awareness and reduced stigma around gambling harm.
"The campaign stood out for its co-design process, which ensured cultural sensitivity and effectiveness.
“It's not just about hitting targets; it's about meaningful engagement and lasting impact. OLGR has set a new benchmark for culturally nuanced campaigns."
The campaign ran in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations in the second half of 2022. A re-run of the campaign is planned for early 2024.
ENDS