Assessment of Impacts of Gambling in NZ

1. Assessment of Impacts of Gambling in NZ Conducted by Shore/ Whariki Study funded by the Ministry of Health

2. Purpose of Study • Provide quantitative measures of the impact of gambling from a representative sample of NZers 15 to 80 years • Information to be collected from individuals which could be aggregated • Survey collected quantitative measures assess positive and negative impacts • Sample size 7010 ( 4650 general respondents) over sample Maori, Pacific, Chinese, Korean sample

3. Study • Sample size 7010 respondents aged 15 to 80 years living in private residential dwellings • Data collection May 2007- November 2007 • Telephone survey, randomly selected numbers ( listed and in listed ) 10 calls per number • Select person from one household • Maori sample selected from Maori electoral roll • Maori target sample 500, Pacific 8000, Asian 620, general population 4450 • Aim to be able to conduct ethnic specific analysis

4. Survey Instrument Development • Review of literature of the impact of gambling on people, communities, ethnic specific, drew upon research all ready undertaken • Qualitative interviews : gambling industry, qualitative interviews of people from different ethnic groups • Development and piloting of a quantitative data collection instrument assess social and economic impacts • Pre Pilot instument

5. Sample of Study : Completed Interviews • 4650 general sample • 533 Maori • Pacific 858 • Asian 969

6. Key Findings • 62% of general participants reported ( excluding raffles) had gambled in the past 12 months • More than 50% of the population had engaged with Lottery products, 10% track betting, 4% pokies in clubs, 8% bars/clubs and 8% in the casino • Time spent gambling over 3 hours per week, heavy – 3.2% of the sample heavy gamblers

7. Profile Heavy Gamblers • More likely to be males, aged between 18 to 35 years, single, either sick or unemployed, ad secondary qualifications and the majority Maori or Pacific • Those who had higher levels of gambling reported significantly poorer health, worse mental health, poor feelings about self, low satisfaction with life and more likelihood of unemployment • Loss of income sensitive measure in effecting quality of life

8. Gambling Modes and Venues • Ethnic groups had different impacts in relation to modes of gambling • Time spent playing pokies in bars had negative impacts on all ethnic groups in relation to many domains of life : self reported physical health, mental well being, relationships with family/friends, feelings about self, quality and satisfaction of life, financial situation, care given to children

9. Self Perception of Changes on Domains of Life • People higher participation in gambling reported they would be better off in terms of physical health, mental wellbeing, relationships with family/friends, financial situation, housing situation, material standard of living, study performance, care of children if they had not been gambling in last year

10. Gambling and Illegal Activities • People with higher participation more likely to be involved in illegal activities compared to people who never gambled or reported lower levels of participation.

11. Impacts of People’s Gambling On Domains of Life • Approximately 12.4% people had at ;east one person in their lives whom they considered to have been fairly heavy gamblers’ in the last 12 months. • Close family members ( family members) most negatively impacted by their family members’ gambling • Life domains affected included physical health, mental wellbeing, housing situation, material standard of living, relationships, care – giving of children, quality and satisfaction of life • Adverse gambling impacts more within whanau than outside as friends or work colleagues

12. Maori Sample • 60% of the Maori sample had engaged wioth Lottery products, 13% betting at TAB, Pokies 6% in clubs, 15% in bars/clubs and 10% in the casino • 3% of the Maori sample played at casino tables, 5% played at housie in community centres 7% played poker/card games at home or friends for money

13. Impact on Domains of Life • Significant associations between gambling participation and poorer quality of life in life, most sensitive time spent playing pokie machines • Maori who spent longer time playing pokies reported poorer mental wellbeing, low self, poor housing, rated themselves as poor parent/care-giver • Long time playing pokies report poor feelings about self and quality of life • Playing pokies or tables in a casino were associated with similar rating pokie machines • Playing housie associated with better self- rated material standard of living • Length of time spent on betting at the track or poker playing at home had no significant impact on individuals domains of life

14. Overall Finding • Maori showed predominantly negative associations between gambling and people’s self ratings of their domains of life • Findings for Europeans and Chinese/Korean peoples were mixed • Europeans associations were predominately positive • Pacific people were more similar to Maori

15. Conclusion • This study confirms and supports previous research that gambling and in particular pokie machines erodes the health, wealth and wellbeing of Maori whanau • Gambling policy is focused on the general population but those who are most adversely affected are those who are marginalised in society • Low sample of Maori supports previous study even though should have been higher • Pokie machines damages Maori health and wealth, supports claim to the Waitangi Tribunal to consider implications of pokie machines