Casino in trouble over gambler

2006-08-01 13:15

Wellington - Thousands of New Zealanders are addicted to gambling, the ministry of health said on Tuesday as authorities pursued a landmark bid to suspend a casino's licence for failing to shut out a problem gambler jailed for stealing to fund her addiction.

The government wants to stop the Dunedin Casino from operating for six months in its first test of provisions in the 2004 Gambling Act, which says operators must identify and exclude problem gamblers.

The Gambling Commission in Auckland heard at a hearing that 45-year-old Christine Keenan lost NZ$6.6m on gaming machines in three years, at one time single-handedly contributing 10% of the casino's annual profit.

Free food and alcohol

After selling her house and spending a marriage settlement and her inheritance, she started stealing from her employers to feed the machines every other day and was jailed for three years in December 2004.

The commission was told that, as a valued regular customer, she was given as much food and alcohol as she wanted and once drank the casino out of a particular brand of wine.

The case was adjourned for a month on Tuesday after the casino's lawyer said records showed she was making fewer visits to the casino in 2004, claiming her gambling had moderated, although he also contended Keenan was not a problem gambler and never demonstrated signs of being one.

Problem gamblers

Meanwhile, the ministry of health said only 12% of people classified as problem gamblers had accessed specialist services set up to help them overcome their addiction.

"This leaves a huge group in society who have a gambling problem but either have not yet acknowledged it or don't know what to do about it," spokesperson Shayne Nahu said.

He said surveys showed that many problem gamblers came from the poorer sections of society, including the ethnic Maori and Polynesian Pacific Island communities, adding, "We have to work harder to reach and help these people." - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA