Organised crime has not only infested New Zealand's casinos, but has a hand in the $950 million-a-year pokie industry too.
Gangs are "scamming grants" from charity societies that operate pokie machines, according to a Department of Internal Affairs report on casinos and crime.
The report found organised crime
was a problem in casinos, with criminals laundering money, loan sharking and networking there.
It also revealed Internal Affairs is concerned about the role crime syndicates, particularly gangs, have in the rest of the gambling industry. As, well as gang pokie scams, the department believes:
* Ethnic gangs like Black Power are involved in organising illegal gambling.
* Commercial gambling operations are "skimming off" poker machine proceeds, through what may appear to be bona fide management companies.
* An organised gang has been operating throughout the country, breaking into poker machines and stealing money.
The Internal Affairs report led Minister of Internal Affairs Rick Barker to acknowledge crime was a problem in New Zealand's casinos and to promise to give his officials more powers to police it.
The Problem Gambling Foundation has continued its calls for a public inquiry into casino crime where victims can give evidence anonymously. The foundation says its clients did not have any faith that Internal Affairs would take their complaints seriously or protect them from their very real fears of retribution.
The Maori Party and the Greens also want a public inquiry into casino crime.
A Weekend Herald investigation into crime at Auckland's SkyCity casino uncovered loan sharks and alleged money laundering, drug dealing and possible identity fraud linked to the gaming floor.
