Problem Gambling Research Underway

  • Jack Elder
Internal Affairs

Internal Affairs Minister Jack Elder said today he was delighted to announce the letting of the tender for research on problem gambling in New Zealand.

"A consortium led by Dr Max Abbott is the successful tenderer for a National Study on Problem Gambling Prevalence in New Zealand. Dr Abbott will be working with Dr Rachel Volberg, Statistics New Zealand, the National Research Bureau and Taylor Baines and Associates.

"Drs Abbott and Volberg conducted the first New Zealand national problem gambling survey for the Department of Internal Affairs in 1991, again in conjunction with the NRB." Mr Elder said the choice of Dr Abbott's consortium followed a rigorous tendering process in which Internal Affairs received 39 expressions of interest and invited eight groups to submit tenders.

The Department received five tenders (involving seven of the eight parties invited to tender) for the study. Dr Volbergs's career since 1991 has focussed almost exclusively on problem gambling research, particularly in the United States. Drs Abbott and Volberg have also collaborated on a number of projects since the earlier New Zealand study, Mr Elder said.

"Their eminence in the field, and their local experience, together with the inclusion of Statistics New Zealand in the consortium, were all key strengths in the tender.

"Drs Abbott and Volberg are currently conducting a very large problem gambling research project in Sweden in conjunction with Statistics Sweden. The potential for the results from the Swedish study to supplement the New Zealand research was another strength of the tender."

The overall cost of the study is expected to be in the region of $1million with much of the funding coming from lotteries profits. The independent Committee on Problem Gambling Management (COPGM) will also contribute $100,000. Mr Elder noted the National Study was timely given that there has been a significant increase in both gaming expenditure and in gaming options in the last ten years. "Gambling is emerging as a significant part of New Zealand life," Mr Elder said.

"It is vital that we have high-quality, robust and objective information to assist in developing policy to deal with the social issue of problem gambling. This research will deliver that information."