Casinos lead in a slower Kiwi gambling market

In what is claimed to be the largest study of New Zealand gambling habits over the past 15 years, the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) reports that the number of gamblers has declined, but those that remain are spending more…and they favour casino and sports betting action over racing and lotteries.

The study included a survey of 6,251 adult New Zealanders, 80 percent of whom said they had gambled in the previous twelve months – down from 90 percent in a smaller survey two decades ago.

Lead researcher Professor Max Abbot disclosed that at 22 percent there has been a substantial drop in the number of punters who gamble weekly or more, compared to 40 percent in 1999 and 48 percent in 1991.

Researchers found that there has been a noticeable decline in the number of weekly punters taking their chances on casino table games, pokies and racetrack betting; down 6 percent compared with 18 percent in 1991 and 10 percent in 1999.

Fewer New Zealanders participated in more than one style or type of gambling, which the researchers found encouraging, however on a demographic basis the disproportionate popularity of gambling among Maori and Pacific people, the unemployed and those with no formal education was a concern.

Professor Abbot noted: “This means that while there have been significant reductions in gambling involvement since the 1990s, a number of groups remain at risk and the overall levels of harm may not have changed appreciably.”

Related and similar