Calls to a new problem gambling helpline for Pacific Islanders have almost doubled since it started last year.
Most callers to the Pasifika Problem Gambling Helpline are from South Auckland, where the Manukau City Council has spoken out against the problem as the Government moves to change the law governing gambling.
The
helpline service believes that some Pacific Islanders are gambling in the hope of raising money for their churches. Other problem gamblers are emptying their homes of furniture, selling their possessions off to repay debts.
Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis said council research showed that Pacific Islanders were six times more likely to develop gambling problems than Pakeha, and Maori were three times more likely than Pakeha to get into trouble with gambling.
"We are very unhappy at the spread of gambling outlets and the harm being done by problem gambling.
"Problem gambling is really targeting low-income Pacific Island people, generally males between the ages of 25 to 34. But in the same breath I also acknowledge that it affects Maori people, there is an Asian problem and of course it relates to Pakeha people as well."
Sir Barry said gambling was often accompanied by alcohol abuse, thoughts of suicide and was linked to crime.
It was revealing that the total amount spent on gambling in New Zealand was more than $5 billion or about the same amount of money the Government spent on health.
He said the message from the community was that it did not want any more gambling outlets.
Gary Clifford, the general manager of charitable organisation Gambling Problem Helpline, which set up the Pasifika helpline, said gambling had become "fairly normalised" in Pacific Island communities.
He said that since the Pasifika helpline began there had been a 40 per cent increase in the number of Pacific Island callers and 70 per cent of all Pacific Island callers were from Greater Auckland.
"They do tend to have bigger gambling problems for a number of reasons ... partly because a lot of older people are under pressure to remit money to their relatives in the islands and partly because there is pressure for a lot of people to raise money for churches."
He said churches often encouraged gambling by housie or bingo.
"My understanding is that it is a widespread problem but nobody wants to talk about it."
* The Pasifika helpline is 0800 654 657.
