A new way of winning thousands of dollars online is of 'real concern', according to the Problem Gambling Foundation. Lotto kiosk Source: Breakfast Lotto New Zealand sent emails to some online. More than 70 clubs and pubs in New Zealand will next month pause their pokies for an hour in their bid to raise awareness on gambling addiction during the Gambling Harm Awareness Week. The Gambling Harm Awareness Week, which will run from September 3-9, would see venues from Bluff to Kaitaia stop operating their gambling machines for an hour. Organisers hope the message “take time out from. The government-owned gambling company has gone to market for information about online Bingo systems for potential implementation with its existing online channels. Lotto NZ launched MyLotto in 2008 and the platform was re-launched in 2017 after being replatformed to a responsive website and incorporating sales via an app.

Problem gambling is of accelerating concern across Nz. During the period of yesteryear years, the nation has witnessed an enormous increase in the amount of people who have become hooked on gambling activities, for example pokies and sports betting.

Based on the Nz Problem Gambling Foundation, nearly 2% of residents might be problem gamblers. Having a population well over 4.3 million, which means that there might be nearly 100 000 individuals across the nation struggling with gambling addiction. As a result, the federal government is becoming more and more worried about the potential risks of casino gambling.

Based on reports, there are many categories of those who are more inclined to develop gambling problems than the others. Maori and Off-shore adults are more inclined to become problem gamblers than individuals of other backgrounds. Youth groups also experience high rates of problem gambling. Males are also much more likely than women to get a gambling addiction.

There are lots of additional factors that may affect a person’s likeliness of creating a gambling problem. For instance, substance users come with an elevated chance of become problem gamblers. Reports haven’t yet confirm why this is actually the situation. Even though it is likely that gambling might be seen as an financial means to fix funding their other addictions, some researchers think that gambling triggers exactly the same emotional response as alcohol or drugs in certain individuals.

Myth: Problem gambling is not really a problem if the gambler can afford it. Fact: Problems caused by excessive gambling are not just financial. Too much time spent on gambling can also lead to relationship and legal problems, job loss, mental health problems including depression and anxiety, and even suicide.

Problem gambling can also be much more likely among people who have pre-existing mental conditions, for example depression, anxiety and personality disorders. This fact highlights the situation for elevated counselling for individuals struggling with gambling addiction. While politicians are fighting to impose gaming limits, it appears that lots of problem gamblers would benefit more from counselling and therapy.

The Issue Gambling Foundation cites popular reasons that folks become hooked on internet casino gambling and land-based gambling. First of all, there’s the Gambler’s Fallacy, which in turn causes a lot of people to think that they’re certain to win eventually. This prevents them playing even if they’re on the downswing, digging them right into a much deeper financial hole. The Near-Miss Effect can also be responsible. Whenever a near-miss has experience, the gamer feels exactly the same way as though they’d won and ought to stay in the hand.

Lotto NZ is investigating expanding its sales on its digital 'MyLotto' platform to include online Bingo, and that is causing serious concern for some.

The government-owned gambling company has gone to market for information about online Bingo systems for potential implementation with its existing online channels.

Lotto NZ launched MyLotto in 2008 and the platform was re-launched in 2017 after being replatformed to a responsive website and incorporating sales via an app.

Sales from digital channels since have risen to about 20 percent of total sales, with 800,000 registered players, of which 250,000 are active monthly and 600,000 active annually.

'Overall, we believe there is still significant growth opportunity for the digital channel, as the current interactive player base makes up a relatively small percentage of players that participate in our games throughout the year across all channels,' Lotto NZ said in a notice on the government tenders website.

'The risk profile of Bingo as an online format game is considered 'medium risk', which is in line with our existing instant-win games,' Lotto NZ said.

'It is worth noting that the rating takes into account the responsible gaming features that are used to minimise harm, and it is therefore possible to reduce the points, and subsequent risk rating of products, through the introduction of additional controls.'

However, Problem Gambling Foundation spokesperson Andree Froude said the organisation was very concerned about the possibility of online Bingo.

'Online instant play games have only just been introduced and now Lotto is considering this,' Froude said.

'These are both high risk forms of gambling because they are continuous so people don’t have to wait long for a result. They are significantly more harmful than purchasing a Lotto ticket where you have to wait for the outcome.'

'While Lotto may rate these games as ‘medium risk’, we don’t.'

In an online environment, people can access the game 24/7 and that can be easily hidden, she said. Setting spending limits would not protect the vulnerable.

'Who is going to benefit from this? Lotto – who are obviously doing this to make money. They use aggressive marketing tactics and have huge marketing budgets so people will be encouraged to try online bingo and ‘be in to win'.'

Pacific Island communities were particularly vulnerable because the game was associated with fundraising and was seen as a social activity, said the foundation's national director for Pacific services, Pesio Ah-Honi.

'Bingo and Housie are normalised forms of gambling in Pacific communities -- it is not seen as risky, just as a social activity,' Ah-Honi said. 'If it is taken out of this social context and put in an online environment, it poses a high risk for Pacific.

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Pacific youth are particularly at risk according to a recent study.

'The Ministry of Health has just released its Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm and it included a strong focus on addressing health inequalities and inequities of gambling harm in a range of at-risk groups, including Pacific,' Ah-Honi said.

Lotto NZ said in its notice that minimising the potential for harm from the company's games 'continues to underpin everything we do at Lotto NZ, and is a key driver of any decision to grow our portfolio and increase sales.'

'Our overall responsible gaming programme demonstrates international best practice, having been certified to level four (the highest possible level) by the World Lottery Association (WLA),'it said.

'We continue to look for ways to enhance this programme across all areas of the business.'

Lotto NZ said it assesses the risk profile of each of its games using the external game evaluation tool GamGard, which works by examining the structural and situational characteristics of the game and identifies how risky a proposed game is likely to be for a vulnerable person.

'It provides guidance about responsible gaming design and enables us to consider the responsible gaming implications of each feature of our games.'

Read more:Lotto NZ launches instant ticket checker via mobile app

Lotto NZ's offline games received a low-risk rating while its online games were considered of medium risk.

Lotto NZ said it was seeking well-documented overviews of solutions for online Bingo platforms and technology, content and the gaming model.

'The content must be reputable, reliable and legal,' it said. 'In a broad sense, we are looking to understand what Bingo games and presentation options you have available in your solution.

'We’re interested in the way in which your games operate, the configurability you offer, ability to offer side games and chat functionality.'

Any platform deployed would have to pass a game risk assessment to understand its potential impact on vulnerable people.

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