Bay's punters love a flutter

Almost two-thirds of people in the Bay have gambled in the past three months and Lotto is a favourite.

Bay of Plenty residents are more likely to gamble than the average New Zealander, it has been revealed.

Almost two-thirds of people living in the Bay - or 135,000 - say they have gambled in the past three months, making them 8 per cent more likely to gamble than the average New Zealander.

According to new data collected by Roy Morgan, locals were 10 per cent more likely to have bought a Lotto ticket in the past three months, 9 per cent more likely to have played the pokies, and 12 per cent more likely to have placed a bet at the TAB.

Keen Keno players, Bay of Plenty punters were 90 per cent more likely to have played in the past three months than the rest of the country.

However, Bay residents were not so fond of Instant Kiwi scratchies, at 4 per cent less likely to buy one than the rest of the country, and 30 per cent less likely to place a bet online.

The rates are an interesting insight as a High Court battle continues into how to mitigate the harm caused by problem gambling.

The Problem Gambling Foundation sought a judicial review after losing 70 per cent of its funding to the Salvation Army in March.

The foundation was left only with a specialist contract for Asian problem gamblers from the Ministry of Health tender process, which considered 32 bids.

The foundation said it would have to close its 10 offices and 11 outreach clinics by February next year.

Tauranga Problem Gambling Foundation psychologist Margaret Sloan said locals could be more likely to gamble because of the large number of seasonal workers dropping their earnings into the pokies.

"[Gaming machine spend] is always up when the seasonal work is on."

New Zealanders were the fourth-biggest gamblers in the world, and Tauranga rated in the top 20 for gaming machine spend per head nationwide.

But it was often more "accessible" forms of gambling such as Lotto and online sports betting that tripped people up, Ms Sloan said.

"Sixty-seven per cent of people do Lotto nationally. It's so accessible, they can purchase tickets with their groceries."

More funding for problem gambling meant services could "stretch to the complexities" of the different varieties of gambling, especially as punters increasingly tried their luck online.

"More funding means more ability for awareness raising and education of the full impacts of gambling."

During a three-day hearing in the High Court in Auckland this week, the Problem Gambling Foundation's lawyer Mai Chen described the foundation as "the best in the business" and it had pioneered many initiatives during its 25 year history.

Ms Chen said the evaluation panel - appointed by the Ministry of Health - included a direct family member of an individual involved with one of the contenders, which resulted in a conflict of interest.

Lawyer for the Attorney-General, Matthew Andrews, told the hearing the family connection was a "potential" conflict of interest rather than an actual one, because the family member was contracted to the competing organisation's board of trustees, rather than on the board itself.

In the past three months, Bay of Plenty residents are:
*10 per cent more likely to have bought a Lotto ticket
*9 per cent more likely to have played the pokies
*12 per cent more likely to have placed a bet at the TAB
*90 per cent more likely to have played Keno
*4 per cent less likely to buy a scratchie
*30 per cent less likely to place a bet online than the rest of the country

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