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Indigenous People are the people who first occupied a given land or territory. This definition has not been universally adopted though, because Indigenous People themselves may not identify with, or be aware of the term. There are historical descriptions and evidence of the use of words in their language to indicate that Indigenous People have gambled for many years. Within Indigenous cultures, they view gambling as a ritual, or a social, recreational, and/or spiritual activity. Some studies show that gambling also creates revenue for Indigenous communities. This revenue can help to fund schools, create jobs, and improve social services.
The current evidence suggests that there are high gambling participation rates and related levels of harm in some populations of Indigenous People. Reasons for high rates of harm are an increase in the availability of gambling venues, a lack of previous exposure to gambling, and having certain cultural beliefs. Some studies show differences in Indigenous groups’ preferences for gambling activities. For example, one study found that Māori populations in New Zealand favour bingo and card games more than non-Indigenous people.
Download the two-page Cultural Factor summary (PDF)
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Download the Cultural Factor section from the Conceptual Framework of Harmful Gambling (PDF)
Download the complete Conceptual Framework of Harmful Gambling (PDF)
Search the Evidence Centre for Indigenous Peoples