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New three-year strategy to address gambling harm

Hon Peter Dunne
Associate Minister of Health

27 May 2016 Media Statement

New three-year strategy to address gambling harm

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne has released an updated three-year strategy to prevent and minimise the harm that can result from gambling.

"The latest plan aims to build on the work done in more recent years which has resulted in a reduction in risk factors for gambling harm.

“For example the number of adults engaging in multiple forms of gambling has reduced, as has the number of adults participating in monthly EGM gambling.
“Going right back to when the first national gambling study was conducted in 1991, there has been a higher prevalence of gambling harm among Māori and Pacific peoples.

"This updated strategy includes a long-term priority action to develop, pilot, evaluate and implement one or more initiatives specifically focused on reducing persistent gambling harm-related health inequities,” Mr Dunne says.

The $55.3 million Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm is funded by the problem gambling levy.

The overall funding remains the same as in the current three-year period, based on an assessment that needs remain largely unchanged since 2012.

The three-year package includes:
· $25.4 million for front-line intervention services to help people who are experiencing harm, including people harmed by their own gambling and people harmed by someone else’s gambling. This money funds a range of services at a national, regional and local level, including face-to-face services, dedicated Mâori, Pacific, and Asian services, and helpline services.

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· $20.4 million for public health services, particularly activities raising community awareness about gambling and problem gambling and the actions people can take to prevent and minimise gambling harm.

· $6.6 million for research and evaluation.

See the strategy document here: http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/strategy-prevent-and-minimise-gambling-harm-2016-17-2018-19

Further background

The problem gambling levy is expected to recover about $32 million from non-casino gaming machine operators, $14 million from the casinos, and $5 million each from the New Zealand Racing Board and the New Zealand Lotteries Commission over the three-year period to 30 June 2019.

The levy is set every three years. Regulations setting the levy will come into effect on 1 July 2016.

The Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm 2016/17 to 2018/19 and the associated regulatory impact statement are available on the Ministry of Health website.

The first strategy was published in 2004 and this is the fifth version.

ends

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