More Asians seeking help for gambling

Asian gamblers worried about their addiction have posted the largest percentage increase in those seeking help, but remain under-represented in official statistics, say addiction experts.

Figures from the Problem Gambling Foundation show the number of Asians seeking help for gambling addictions - from all agencies - rose from 3.5 per cent to 5.9 per cent of those seeking help in the 12 months to last July.

That's an increase of more than 60 per cent, says researcher John Wong, and well ahead of the next largest group, Pacific Islanders, which rose from 8.8 to 9.3 per cent.

Estimates of gambling numbers are based on the number of addicts to get help for their afflictions.

The number of Maori seeking help for gambling problems dropped from a third of all inquiries to a quarter in the same period, while Europeans seeking assistance dropped from 52.7 per cent to 50.8 per cent.

Mr Wong, the foundation's national manager for Asian services, says online gambling is particularly popular with young Asian gamblers, but the number of those gambling on the internet through computer or mobile phone connections is "almost impossible" to establish as there are no New Zealand-based gambling sites.

Nor are there any Government agencies keeping online betting records.

The Health Ministry keeps gambling figures, but no specific online-gambling statistics.

"Our figures are broken down, but the online gambling would come under 'other'," a spokeswoman said.

Nevertheless, there are worrying trends in online gambling, says foundation's chief executive, John Stansfield.

Among them are sites offering children the opportunity to hone their gambling skills with internet funny money, in the hope they will grow up to bet for real.

"If you are not making money, it has got to be marketing, doesn't it?"

As a distinct problem, online gambling does "not even register on the national stats", but nevertheless still poses a number of social threats, Mr Stansfield says.

Internet gambling could lead to a "big capital flight", where money is lost to gambling sites overseas, and the "24-7" gambling environment could see many employees having a flutter on company time.

"People are paid to do a job, not gamble," Mr Stansfield says. "Even if they aren't stealing from you, they are stealing your time."

According to the foundation, New Zealanders wager $14 billion a year - for a total net loss of $2 billion.

By comparison, the Government spends $1 billion on police.

And New Zealanders' expenditure could get larger, as legislation exists to allow gambling websites to be hosted from New Zealand.

The Lotteries Commission has the power, under the Gambling Act, to offer New Zealand-based gambling sites, and spokeswoman Helen Morgan-Banda says such a move is being investigated.

"We are still looking at that, but probably the expectation would be we would offer some of our existing games - such as Lotto."