Could the NRL+TAB shift the odds for Indigenous and Pacific Communities?
Watching State of Origin last night, I noted three things. Rugby League has a huge relationship with gambling and also with Indigenous, Māori, and Pacific communities, who are all disproportionately impacted by gambling harm.
Māori are over three times and Pacific people over twice as likely to experience gambling harm. In Australia, Indigenous people face similar challenges. The odds are not in our favour. Working on gambling harm campaigns has taught me it's not just about personal choice and responsibility. When you think about it, the gambling sector is unique. Its business model only wins if its customers lose. So, just like Nike invests in R&D to make people better athletes, the gambling industry must invest heavily in making it easier for people to lose money.
Sports betting companies argue they're regulated and promote responsible gambling, aiming to provide entertainment, as seen in the TAB's latest TV campaign featuring the Warriors. And that may be the case. But you also have to take a sector view. The entry point is a bit of fun and entertainment, but then a very sophisticated machine kicks into action. If all industries segment, funnel, target, and retarget customers these days, why would the gambling sector be any different? "Oh, I see you put a bet on the Warriors; perhaps you'd like to try Online Poker? Here's some free credit to get you started." There has to be a gateway effect from sports betting to insidious pokies and unscrupulous online gambling companies.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo acknowledges the gambling industry's importance to the NRL's revenue strategy, exemplified by the 'Vegas round' to enter the US betting market. It’s propping the sport up, not just at an NRL level, but grassroots, and even rugby league podcast sponsorship. Heck, there are stadiums named for betting companies.
The NRL also has a deep relationship with Indigenous, Torres Strait, Māori, and Pacific communities, perhaps more than any other sport. The Indigenous round celebrates this connection, it features stunning jersey designs and cultural performances and acknowledgments of people and land.
Latrell Mitchell, one of Rugby League's brightest stars, is not only renowned for his skills on the field but also for his pride in his Indigenous heritage and his vocal stance on important issues. Despite facing significant criticism from pundits and fans, and being told to just focus on his footy, he remained steadfast. But in a candid interview before last night’s Origin match, Mitchell revealed that he was close to quitting the game due to the pressure. His experience underscores the challenges he faces as an Indigenous man, carrying a dual responsibility to be a great player, and a voice for his people in a country that recently voted against giving his people a voice. Earlier this year, the Hurricanes Poua rugby team also faced criticism for integrating political statements into a pre-game haka. For many outside these communities, separating politics from sport seems logical, but for those within, their platforms are vital for raising awareness and driving change. Their professional lives are intertwined with their communities' realities and can't be isolated from their lived experiences. Maybe it’s time for the NRL to think more deeply about what its relationship with indigenous communities means, beyond the jersey designs.
Some in the gambling harm sector will insist that you can’t work with the gambling sector to minimise harm as it just endorses them. While those in the sector, like TAB NZ CEO Nick Roberts, will talk about harm minimisation being at their core. In between them are people experiencing harm. Real harm. Kids going without food, crime, family violence, depression, and even suicide, and if rumours are true there are a heap of NRL players facing challenges experiencing gambling harm. A big challenge is the stigma around gambling harm. Stigma leads to silence. Silence leads to not seeking help. Not seeking help leads to harm getting worse and worse. Normalising discussion about the harm helps lift stigma. Influencers talking about their experiences can help, just as John Kirwan has with depression. And there’s an opportunity.
Gambling harm impacts all people, it’s just worse for Indigenous and Pacific. The NRL, the players, and the pundits have so much influence in our communities they’re in a prime position to reduce stigma by normalising the conversation around gambling harm. And really it’s just about balancing the conversation. If pre-game hype is going to have a segment on gambling odds and pushing people to betting apps, let’s have a segment on gambling harm and pushing people to support services. And maybe some players would share their personal stories, which is incredibly brave but could save lives. And it could all be funded by betting companies that have harm minimisation at their core. Rugby League is the greatest game on earth—fact. Perhaps it can also help shift the odds in favour of Indigenous and Pacific communities when it comes to gambling harm.
