How peer support is shaping the future of gambling harm

Written by Colin Edwards

Published 3 February 2026

For a long time, gambling harm support has been shaped primarily through clinical and public health responses. These remain essential. However, they do not always reflect how gambling harm is experienced, nor do they always reach people early enough. That is why the Gambling Harm Peer Workforce project was established. 

Through the co-design and development of He Awa Hou, the Peer Support Framework for Gambling Harm, alongside the Easy-to-Use Guide, Community of Practice, and Discovery Space, lived experience has been intentionally placed at the centre of learning, reflection, and practice in gambling harm. This work was developed in response to a clear gap: while lived experience was present in the sector, it was not consistently supported, structured, or connected across services. 

Why lived experience matters in gambling harm 

People experiencing gambling harm do not say they need fixing. They say they need someone who understands. This was a clear message across co-design workshops, peer conversations, Community of Practice hui, and evaluation feedback, one message has been consistent. Someone who understands: 

• The pull of gambling 

• The shame that keeps things hidden 

• The stop–start nature of change 

• The impact on whānau, identity, and trust 

This kind of understanding does not come from theory alone. It comes from lived experience. Lived experience contributes something distinct to gambling harm support: 

• Trust built through shared understanding 

• A non-judgemental, relational approach 

• Practical insights shaped by real-world experience 

• Cultural responsiveness grounded in whānau, aiga, and community 

• Hope demonstrated through example, not instruction 

What this work has shown us

 

Peer support is about walking alongside people, strengthening early conversations, and reducing stigma. Through co-design, reflection, and independent evaluation, the framework has helped clarify what effective lived-experience-informed gambling harm support requires: 

• Lived experience must be respected and supported, and intergrated 

• Peer roles need clarity, boundaries, and appropriate supervision 

• Cultural partnership strengthens outcomes for everyone 

• Learning must be ongoing, reflective, and safe 

• Prevention and minimisation must sit alongside recovery support 

These principles align directly with the PMGH strategy’s focus on: 

• Prevention and early intervention 

• Community leadership and participation 

• Workforce capability and sustainability 

• Reducing stigma through shared understanding 

A future built on partnership

 

The future of gambling harm support will not be built by one role, one service, or one approach. It will be built through partnership: 

• Between lived experience, cultural knowledge, and clinical expertise 

• Between services, communities, and people with lived experience 

• Between learning, reflection, and practical action 

Lived experience brings authenticity, empathy, and credibility, not as abstract ideas, but as lived realities. When supported safely and ethically, it becomes one of the strongest tools we have for prevention, minimisation, and recovery. 

Call to action 

This work is still in its early stages. The framework, Community of Practice, and Discovery Space are foundations, not endpoints. The question now is: How do we continue to support lived experience leadership, learning spaces, and partnership-based practice so gambling harm support can keep evolving and improving over time? 

This is not about doing something new for the sake of it. It is about doing what works, deliberately, collaboratively, and humanly.