Adam Jones Advocacy, the privately-funded network concerned about gambling, releases further analysis (updated 08:30 NZST)

"Firstly, we appear to be battling with the Government of Key. On March 7, Treasury acknowledged receipt of our emissary concerning a plea."

"Specifically, we asked 'Why does the State profit from gambling addicts? What about social harm?' and 'Prove NZ Inc spends more on pokies harm prevention/reduction than collects in addiction-related losses.' Capiche?"

"Despite efforts to engage, we barely got off the page. On March 14, they transferred an Internal call, where it continues to stall. Consequently, we urge Minister Dunne to pull his gun and ensure staff work with us to induce a truce. Intelligent, nuanced information from the Department of Affairs is imperative to maintain integrity. After all, the OIA won't go away."

"Returning briefly to the quintessential establishment figure Key, we all know he can argue 'facts' for eternity, but one thing is certain: the numbers don't lie. Accordingly, we're delighted to announce, a strategic trounce."

"Gambling addiction deniers will be pleased to learn the imperialist Community Gaming Association state '99.7% of New Zealanders are not addicted to gambling' and the rest have 'addictive tendencies.' Per Statistics New Zealand figures, this equates to 11,045 people presently. Furthermore, the comprehensive Gambling Law website reveals that declining machine numbers mask the fact 50% of problem, or addicted, gamblers cite non-casino pokies as their primary mode of gambling -- and the numbers seeking treatment for these 'hideous, insidious addiction machines' -- or 'dopamine delivery devices' -- continues to rise."

"Unsurprisingly, as we continue to expose Key, the funding required to resuscitate 5,500 (i.e. ~50% of 11,045) pub pokies addicts, has most certainly not been secured, nor is it likely to be proferred, until perhaps, we see the back of New Zealand’s ruthless, slack hack. Thousands remain untreated -- and untreated means defeated, in this war on the poor. Only Key, knows why we, have allowed addicts to remain entrapped by a deceptive, State-sanctioned product."

"There's more to this score, though, as we appreciate $327,200,000 (i.e. 40% of 2015's $818,000,000 pub pokies losses, being the estimated share attributable to addicted gamblers per the Australian Productivity Commission report circulated recently) divided by 5,500 pub pokies addicts, equals a staggering average of $59,491 cash lost per addict last year. Incredibly, this figure doesn't even take into account any differential between the roughly half of these pub pokies addicts who were in some form of treatment at the time -- and presumably receiving therapeutic value from this support, leading to a reduction in gambling losses -- and the other half who were not in treatment and therefore possibly losing well above the average amount."

"Danger lurks on the horizon, however! The influential backers of the Gambling Law website point to allegations claiming the Australian Productivity Commission got it wrong all along! Let's entertain their charade and cut the amount of pub pokies losses attributable to addicted gamblers across New Zealand in half, to 20%. This would mean 'only' $163,600,000 was lost by these 5,500 people during 2015, at a plain-vanilla average of $29,745 cash per person. We say that's still a lot of $2 coins, folks!"

"There's a flip side to that coin, however, for astute observers considering the effect this preposterous 20% assumption has on the average loss per 'non addicted' pub pokies gambler. To determine how many people fit into this category, we turned to the 2011/12 New Zealand Health Study (NZHS), as this exercise interviewed 12,370 adults (the largest number we could find, by far) and wasn't exclusively about gambling -- which as the authors imply, could have slightly distorted findings in other surveys.

NZHS found 6.1% of persons aged 15 years and over had participated in 'non-casino gaming machines' (i.e. pub pokies) during the past year. That's 224,572 people in today's terms. Once we deduct the 5,500 addicts from this number and remove $163,600,000 (i.e. 20% problem gambler’s share) from 2015's total $818,000,000 pub pokies losses, that leaves the following equation to consider: $654,400,000 residual balance divided by 219,072 'non addicted' pub pokies gamblers, which equals a concerning average of $2,987 per person."

"We say 'concerning' because New Zealanders lost $661 gambling for every adult last year (which itself is nearly five times the global average of $138); therefore the supposed 'non addicted' pub pokies average gambler actually lost 4.52 times the New Zealand average loss per adult for all forms of gambling, and 21.64 times the global average loss per adult for all forms of gambling. This rudimentary analysis further underlines our concerns regarding the pub pokies product."

"In summary, while we patiently wait upon the DIA, perhaps it isn't too early to say: the product is the problem -- and a nationwide education and reform campaign is the answer, to overcome this dreadful financial tyranny. Stay cool, great country, for we shall not flee, because the future's bright and free from Key."

"NO freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised of his freehold, or liberties, or free customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any other wise destroyed; nor will we not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land. We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either justice or right." -Magna Carta

http://www.cga.org.nz/files/home.asp
http://www.gamblinglaw.co.nz/download/Research/TAInfo.pdf

http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/mental-health-and-addictions/problem-gambling/service-user-data/intervention-client-data#total_assisted

http://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/final-report-gambling-results-of-the-201112-nzhs.pdf

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11586204

ENDS

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