Crime and gambling link continues
Media Release
Thursday 11th May 2006
“Gambling-related crime is a tale all too common in our courts, and communities are suffering,” says John Stansfield,
CEO of the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand (PGF).
“Every year 5000 New Zealanders will be criminalised for gambling-related crimes, and communities are just sick of it!”
says Mr Stansfield.
“The cost of this link is altogether too high, and we are all paying for it,” he says.
“When someone steals or defrauds our community for gambling, that person is punished, that person’s family and friends
are punished, and every working person in New Zealand is punished when they pay for the cost of the trial and
incarceration.”
“Smoking harmed the health of communities, and as a society we are addressing this. How long will it take to address the
financial, socio-economic and cultural harms of gambling, and ultimately health and well-being of our communities?”
ENDS