The results from the largest survey, conducted in New Zealand, have been recently announced. According to the data released, New Zealanders are now spending less time participating in gambling activities than they used to.
Apart from providing gaming authorities with precise information about communities’ attitude towards gambling, the survey had another mission to achieve. It was supposed to pinpoint the groups that are most likely to participate in gambling activities on a regular basis and determine those members of the society who are endangered of facing addiction.
The survey was sponsored by the Ministry of Health and it was an important element of the entire puzzle called a National Gambling Study. More than 6,200 adults took part in it.
Compared to the results from the past decade, the percentage of New Zealanders who have tried their luck in gambling activities has fallen by 10%.
However, the most curious thing revealed during the survey was that the number of residents who visit casino venues every week has drastically fallen from 48% in 1991 to 22% in 2014.
As far as the participation in table games, gaming machines and track betting is concerned, only 6% of New Zealanders take part in them on a regular basis. By comparison, the percentage of people keen on these kinds of games a decade ago was 18%.
Although the gaming market nowadays offers an abundant choice of games to play, the survey concluded that the percentage of people who are interested in playing several games has drastically fallen as well and reached 22%.
Professor Max Abbot, the lead researcher in the survey, commented that the results redirect to the problem gambling matters. Despite the fact that the percentage of people who take part in multiple games has fallen, it does not mean that things are improving.
Although at first glance the participation findings make people believe that gambling problems are not that severe anymore, they realize that a lot of work needs to be done before the problem gambling issues are solved.
According to him, the gambling authorities have to deal with several major problems but the expenditure difference remains a crucial one. The professor also added that during the survey, the most vulnerable groups of people were determined.
According to the results, people who do not have proper education or are currently unemployed are more likely to indulge themselves in excessive gambling activities. The professor also added that the actions of the gaming regulators have had a positive effect on the problem gambling affairs over the last decade. Yet, certain groups of the society are more prone to experiencing the adverse effect of gambling addiction.
