The New Zealand government has announced that it intends to invest NZD $76 million (€45.22 million) into a new gambling harm prevention and minimization strategy to deal with land based and online casinos in NZ.
According to a press release issued yesterday, the money will be invested in the following key areas:
- Training pathways to enable a more skilled and diverse workforce, including more peer and cultural support workers
- New and expanded digital services and supports
- Education initiatives to reduce harm to rangatahi (young people)
- A de-stigmatization initiative to help change the conversation around gambling harm and encourage people to seek help
- Better support for vulnerable communities including Māori, Pacific, and Asian people
Speaking of the investment, NZ Health Minister Andrew Little said:
“The new funding and strategy aligns our gambling harm prevention and minimization efforts with the reforms to the health and disability system and the new mental health system we’re building.
Internal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti added:
“Effective regulation of gambling means we can deal with harms including financial problems, relationship problems, family violence, and alcohol abuse. The new investment and strategy is about showing we’re serious about protecting New Zealand from these harms.
The Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm was developed following public consultation in late 2021 and will ensure that services are co-designed with people with lived experience of gambling harm, service providers, community groups and industry bodies.”
The Labour government has made tackling the effects of problem gambling a priority stating that it is a ‘significant social and economic issue’ in New Zealand. According to recent government statistics, as many as one in five New Zealanders is affected by problem gambling related harms either directly or indirectly.
The figure of $76 million is an increase of $15.6 million from the previous period which ran from 2019 to 2021. The increase will be supported by problem gambling levy contributions from the legal gambling industry.
The new strategy will be implemented by the three government agencies responsible for problem gambling minimization. These are the Department of Internal Affairs, Te Hiringa Hauora/Health Promotion Agency, and the Ministry of Health.
The full strategy can be viewed on the official website of the New Zealand Government.
Based in London, Natasha is a former sports journalist with experience working for some of the biggest athletes & brands in the world of sports and iGaming.