GREO briefing note: public health approaches to gambling – global initiatives.

This brief summarizes an environmental scan of gambling public policies in jurisdictions that employ a public health approach to gambling. The brief first introduces the principles and benefits of a public health approach to gambling policy, with comparison to other models of gambling regulation. New Zealand was found to be the only country with a nationally-legislated public health approach to gambling. Other countries found to use a public health approach at a national or subnational level were Australia, Canada, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The public health policies and programs for gambling in each of these jurisdictions is described and discussed