Gambling - Number Of Client Calls Encouraging

26 March, 2007

Number Of Client Calls Encouraging But Gambling Problem Remains

Statistics released by the Gambling Helpline today show the number of new clients contacting the Gambling Helpline was slightly down for the 2006 year - from 2,872 new clients in 2005 to 2,651 new clients in 2006.

During the 2006 year, Gambling Helpline had a total of 15,854 contacts (phone calls and emails) with problem gamblers equating to 305 contacts on average per week. This compared with 18,336 contacts for the 2005 year.

Gambling Helpline chief executive, Krista Ferguson, said although the figures show a decline in numbers of those seeking help, problem gambling remains a serious issue for New Zealand.

Ms Ferguson said a number of figures were encouraging including a higher proportion of Maori and Pacific Islanders contacting the helpline, demonstrating that sustained and specific targeting of these groups was producing results. She said the number of visits to the website and to an interactive online forum had increased dramatically, illustrating the appetite by clients for new ways to seek help.

Ms Ferguson also said the slight drop in new client numbers had stabilised significantly since the 2005 year, which witnessed a 33 per cent drop off in new clients. That drop-off was prompted by tougher legislation on gambling outlets and the December 2004 smoking law changes. The smoking ban requires gamblers to go outside for a cigarette, which breaks the gambling process.

"The trends that come out of the 2007 statistics will give us a much better understanding of the long-term effects of this legislation," Ms Ferguson said.

Ms Ferguson said it was important to highlight that only 12 per cent of problem gamblers seek professional help.

"Although we had contact from 220 new clients a month in 2006, more than 80 per cent of an estimated 50,000 problem gamblers are still not coming forward for help," she said.

Significantly, the new statistics show that Maori (30 per cent) and Pacific Islanders (10 per cent) as a proportion of new gambler clients, are at their highest since the Gambling Helpline began operating eight years ago.

"Both of these groups disproportionately experience gambling harm compared to the rest of the population. Historically it has been very difficult to encourage Pacific Islanders in particular to come forward, so it is a really positive sign from the 2006 statistics that more and more of these communities are aware of our service and are coming forward for help," she said.

Of all new clients coming forward, 60 per cent are gamblers and 30 per cent are significant others. Significant others refers to immediate family, other relatives, friends or others affected by another with a gambling problem. The remainder of the calls were from students, media, researchers and the general public who were interested in gambling or gambling problems.

Ms Ferguson said that helping significant others is an important part of Gambling Helpline's work, because every problem gambler potentially affects up to seven others.

Other notable figures from the 2006 statistics include:

* The main form of gambling for problem gamblers is still pub or club gaming machines (pokie machines) however this number has decreased over the past three years from 83.5 per cent in 2003 to its current level, 74.9 per cent.

* The second most cited form of gambling is casino gaming machines with 10.6 percent of problem gamblers using these, up from 7.8 per cent in 2003.

* The proportion of problem gamblers citing track betting as their primary mode has also increased to 6.2 per cent compared with 3.9 per cent in 2003.

* The proportion of male gamblers coming forward (53 per cent of new clients) is at its highest since 1999. However, they only represented 24 per cent of significant others coming forward, which is broadly consistent with the past three years.

* The percentage of new clients viewed by ethnicity and compared between problem gamblers and significant others showed:

- For European/Pakeha new clients, 55 per cent of contacts were by problem gamblers, while 45 per cent were from significant others

- For Maori, the split was 81 per cent (problem gamblers) and 19 per cent (significant others)

- For Pacific Islanders, the split was 82 per cent (problem gamblers) and 18 per cent (significant others).

New client trends across the main regions of New Zealand remained fairly consistent with previous years, with the top five regions being Auckland (34.5 percent), Canterbury (12.4 per cent), Wellington (10.2 per cent), Waikato (6.2 per cent) and Bay of Plenty (6.9 per cent).

Postings on the Talking Point online forum more than doubled in 2006, to 4661 postings up from 2171 postings in 2005. Ms Ferguson said this was a fantastic result and shows the appeal of a 'chat room' style self-help resource.

Visits to the website (www.gamblingproblem.co.nz ) increased to 154,312 visits for the year and 215 unique visits per day compared with 101,290 and 106 respectively in 2005.

The Gambling Helpline youth website (www.inyaface.co.nz ) has also been a success story with more than 71,000 hits for the 2006 year, or 10,808 unique visits, compared to 54,200 and 7801 respectively for the 2005 year.

If you are worried about your gambling or that of someone close to you call the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or visit www.gamblingproblem.co.nz . For international information and helpline services visit www.gamblingproblemhelplines.com

ENDS

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