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Media
For all media enquiries, contact
david.coom@pgfnz.org.nz, Communications Director
,
ph (09) 369 0622 or 0274 594 722
.
Click here for 2007 press releases. Click here for 2006 press releases.
Click here for 2005 press releases. Click here for 2004 press releases.
Recent press releases:
Bayview Hotel A Responsible Host [20.11.2008]
The Bayview Hotel manager, Isobel Creswell, is to be given a community award on Friday the 21st November.
The award is in recognition of Isobel Creswell's strong stand against the TAB who threatened to punish her pub by removing a gambling machine. The TAB were upset that the cash takings on a machine had dropped by about $1000 per week after Isobel acted as a responsible host and stopped a problem gambler playing on this machine. more
North Shore Loses $32 Million To Pokie Machines [17.11.2008]
North Shore City Council gets to vote tomorrow on whether it wants to put a stop to this drain on their community.
Pokie machines are generally sited in poorer areas where they do the most damage to people who can least afford it.
The Shore has 650 pokie machines and 46 venues and on average every man, woman and child will lose $156 per year on these machines. more
Gamble Free Day Dining Discount Campaign – Win-Win-Win Situation! [06.11.2008]
The 2008 Gamble Free Day Dining Discount campaign has finished successfully. We, the Asian Services of Problem Gambling Foundation, hereby, would like to say ‘thank you’ and show our respect to all the participating restaurants, volunteers, Asian community leaders, churches, schools, Asian media and to those who have supported ‘Gamble Free Day’. more
Problem Pokies? Industry would have us believe otherwise [30.10.08]
In the NZ Herald's opinion piece on Wednesday 29th Oct, Ross Ferrar CEO of Gaming Technologies Association would have us believe that pokies are harmless entertainment and "approved and controlled like no other hospitality equipment". more
Papatoetoe MP meeting [22.10.08]
A public meeting has been called in Papatoetoe today for MPs to address a series of issues facing the community. The issues include child poverty, gangs, drugs, and public funding dependency on pokie machines. more
Public meeting with MPs [22.10.08]
The Auckland District Council of Social Service and The Problem Gambling Foundation have called a public meeting with MPs today to discuss a series of pressing issues. more
Gambling Downturn - Fact or Fiction? [21.10.08]
Francis Wevers of the Charity Gaming Association has stated that the number of people spending money on pokies has dropped and that the average spend per person is about $60 a year on gambling , the NZ Herald reports. This estimate of how much people are gambling a year is missing the true cost, says Graeme Ramsey, CEO of The Problem Gambling Foundation. more
So who’s got the $600k now ? [17.10.08]
The sad case of the mother of two who has been sentenced to 2½ years in prison because of the money she stole from the University of Auckland to feed her VIP Member of Sky City gambling activities, is yet another example of everybody losing, except the people who now have the money. The Problem Gambling Foundation despairs of this type of disaster being allowed to happen yet again. more
Problem Gambling Service For Manukau [16.10.08]
Councillor Colleen Brown in officiating at the opening of a new service by the Problem Gambling Foundation stated that it was a sad day and an indictment that Manukau needed such a service but was clear that gambling was causing huge grief in her community. more
Manukau City Leading the Charge Against Pokies [14.10.08]
Manukau City will tomorrow welcome the opening of a dedicated service by the Problem Gambling Foundation to eliminate harm from gambling. more
Problem Gambling Targeted in Manukau [12.10.08]
Maori and Pacific Island people are significantly more vulnerable to problem gambling . As a result of the pokie industry targeting the poorest communities, and Problem Gambling Foundation's work growing substantially in Manukau, PGF and the wider Manukau community has seen the need to open a dedicated Problem Gambling service in Manukau. more
Sky City Faced with Ethical Dilemma? [12.10.08]
It is pleasing to see Sky City Entertainment Group investing in Player Tracking technology for their thousands of pokie machines. At least $10 million is to be spent on new technology which will enable Sky City to "understand what they do ( Customers) and why they do it and making sure that we are making the right offerings to the right customers at the right time" according to Mike Clarke, Chief Information Officer. more
The personal and social impacts of pokie machines highlighted on Gamble Free Day [02.09.08]
Social marketing and television campaigns about problem gambling have raised public awareness about the severity of the problem within New Zealand in the last year.
September 1st was designated Gamble Free day in 2004, and yesterday saw a large number of activities in support of a gamble free day in many areas around New Zealand. This included street theatre in Auckland, a public quiz about gambling harm in Wellington, and a protest march of hundreds in Christchurch.
more
Take a moment to reflect: Gamble Free Day [01.09.08]
Despite a multi million dollar promotion and advertising budget, Lotto’s commonest message to its punters “Not a winning ticket” appears to be on their offices in Auckland’s Khyber Pass Road.
Lotto’s neighbours over the road, The Problem Gambler Foundation, have a sign noting Gamble Free Day on 1st September, in their window which appears in a reflective photo to be on the Lotto building. The sign appears to be prophetic in that Lotto yet again failed to sell a winning ticket this week-end.
Fourth Gamble Free Day on Monday 1st September 2008 [27.08.08]
Monday 1st September will be New Zealand's fourth annual Gamble Free Day. This is a day set aside to raise public awareness and knowledge about gambling harm caused in New Zealand society.
"The importance of the day will be commemorated with activities nationwide," says Glenda Northey, Research Librarian for the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand (PGF). more
Community Organisations Missing Out on Pokie Money [07.07.08]
Financially pressed community organisations have every right to feel aggrieved at a scheme that funnels pokie money to trotting clubs, says the Problem Gambling Foundation.
Graeme Ramsey, CEO of the Problem Gambling Foundation, says a complicated system that links four trotting clubs, a finance company, a pub management business and pokie trusts exposed in yesterdays Sunday Star -Times is unacceptable. more
No Horses on the Courses [05.06.08]
The Problem Gambling Foundation is asking what the New Zealand Racing Board is playing at with its plan to introduce virtual racing.
The Board has asked the Department of Internal Affairs for permission to run computer generated horse races at TAB outlets. more
Gambling Feeds Corruption [04.05.08]
Problem Gambling Foundation CEO, Graeme Ramsey, says corruption and gambling have gone together since time began.
Mr Ramsey says he is not surprised at news story about a top Australian cop who got involved in a plan to flood Sydney and Melbourne with ice (P). more
Tight Controls Needed at Casino[22.05.08]
Allowing SkyCity casino to relax host responsibility rules for high rollers will attract more stolen money to it says the Problem Gambling Foundation.
Problem Gambling Foundation CEO, John Stansfield, says a 2008 Australian study of 512 people committed of gambling fraud showed they had stolen $2.69 billion over a ten year period. more
Obscene handout to race winners [20.05.08]
A $9 million handout to wealthy race horse owners is a disgrace says the Problem Gambling Foundation. more
New World Record [10.05.08]
An Auckland pair believes they have set a new Guinness Book of Records total for the most radio interviews in 24 hours.
This morning John Stansfield of the Problem Gambling Foundation and Alistair Galpin completed their 62nd interview with a station in Apia, Samoa. more
Problem Gambling Foundation supports world record attempt [08.05.08]
Alistair Galpin has Guinness World Records™ for wearing the most pairs of underpants and for getting the most hugs.
He also holds 26 other records.
Now he is at it again. At 7am on Friday morning he will begin an attempt to beat the world record of 54 radio interviews by a two person team in a 24 hour period. more
Sallies Congratulated for moral leadership [23.04.08]
The Problem Gambling Foundation says the Salvation Army should be congratulated for their stance on gambling.
The Salvation Army is so alarmed about the social devastation caused by pokie machines it has decided to reject all funds from the gambling industry. more
Casinos Challenged to Return Benefits of Crime [23.04.08]
The Problem Gambling Foundation is challenging Skycity to return stolen money spent at their casino.
Yesterday Christopher Sue was jailed for four and a half years for stealing $2.8 million from Turners Auctions to fund his gambling problem. more
Gambled money could be recovered [01.05.08]
The Problem Gambling Foundation says New Zealand businesses and insurance companies could be doing a lot more to hold gambling operators accountable for receiving stolen money. more
Falling pokie spending could strengthen communities [01.05.08]
The Problem Gambling Foundation welcomes an 11% drop in pokie spending in the three months to March 31. more
Problem Gamblers Will Be Supported [30.04.08]
The Problem Gambling Foundation is shocked and saddened at today's announcement that the Gambling Helpline is closing down. more
Suffer the Little Children [29.04.08]
Its time to stop bludging off the children of the poor," says the Problem Gambling Foundation. more
Revelations on gambling lead to complaints [27.03.08]
The Problem Gambling Foundation is asking the Department of Internal Affairs to investigate claims about dubious pokie trust funding of the racing industry.
CEO John Stansfield says that if allegations in this weeks Truth newspaper are true they could amount to a systematic misuse of funds by some pokie trusts. more
League Club distances itself from pokie harm [27.03.08]
In an era where many sports clubs are struggling to survive one league club is trying innovative ways of regaining community support.
The Mt Wellington Rugby League Club has been home to many league greats in its 60 year history. In more recent times it fell into a severe decline but is steadily rebuilding itself by reaching out to its local community with a message of encouragement to get involved in healthy activities. more
NZ Lotteries are taking an insane risk with public safety [17.03.08]
Introducing online lotto tickets without knowing the consequences is dangerously irresponsible says the Problem Gambling Foundation.
News that NZ Lotteries is likely to move into the internet gambling business within a month has shocked the Foundation which says that it is repeating the mistakes of the 1980s when pokies and casinos were introduced with little thought about the harm they might cause more
PGF Congratulates Rick Barker [06.03.08]
Problem Gambling Foundation Chief Executive John Stansfield today congratulated Internal Affairs Minister Rick Barker for highlighting the problem of Racing receiving an increasing share of Pokie grants. more
Select Committee told how to eliminate harm [05.03.08]
The select committee on the Gambling Act Amendment Bill will be told that harm from gambling can be eliminated.
The Problem Gambling Foundation is making oral submissions on the Bill at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Mangere at 10:10 am today. more
Pokie losses coming from a minority [29.02.08]
A minority of people are losing most of the $1billion a year pokie machine profits according to a new survey.
Problem Gambling Foundation CEO John Stansfield says that the 2005 Department of Internal Affairs Peoples Participation in, and Attitudes to Gambling survey shows that only 19% of people played the pokies even once a year. more
Rejection of Pokies a victory for Glenorchy community[28.02.08]
The decision to keep Glenorchy free of pokie machines is a victory for local democracy says the Problem Gambling Foundation.
Independent Commissioners have denied an application by the Southern Trust to put nine machines in a Glenorchy venue. more
Gambling rehabilitation is about restoring rights [22.02.08]
Restoring gamblers rights of full participation in the community should be a priority says a leading New Zealand gambling expert.
Problem Gambling Foundation CEO John Stansfield will tell an international gambling conference this morning that an essential part of the rehabilitation process is allowing people to speak up about the harm that has been done to them. more
Pokie Safety Expert in New Zealand [20.02.08]
The "mother" of the pokie machine seatbelt is in New Zealand for a gambling conference.
Tracy Schrans, president of Focal Research Consultants in Canada, has played a leading role in developing player tracking technology which can significantly reduce problem gambling. more
Gambling a threat to democracy [13.02.08]
A book that lifts the lid on the corrosive effect commercialised gambling has on democracy will be launched at the Beehive tomorrow.
Green MP Sue Bradford and the Problem Gambling Foundation will co-host the launch of Gambling, Freedom and Democracy by Peter Adams, Associate Professor of Population Health at Auckland University, at the Beehive tomorrow. more
Charities robbed by gambling fraud [11.02.08]
Staff with gambling problems are stealing millions of dollars a year from not-for-profit organisations.
Research carried out by BDO Kendalls for it's "not-for-profit fraud survey 2008" of organisations in Australia and New Zealand revealed that 53% of the money stolen in the sector was to fund gambling. This compares with the 22% of fraud and theft to finance gambling that the 2006 KPMG forensic fraud survey of business found. more
Illegal Casino Ad Aimed at the Poor [04.02.08]
The new Skycity Casino CEO needs to learn about New Zealand law says the Problem Gambling Foundation.
PGF staff member Melissa Gregan has lodged a complaint with the Department of Internal Affairs over Skycity advertisements in community papers. more
Time for leadership over pokies [01.02.08]
The Problem Gambling Foundation is calling for some real leadership to deal with the social devastation caused by pokie machines.
CEO John Stansfield says that communities will pay dearly for a Government decision to believe the gambling industry rather than those working to clean up the mess. more
Click here for 2007 press releases
Click here for 2006 press releases
Click here for 2005 press releases
Click here for 2004 press releases.
