A new report has found Pasifika families in New Zealand need support to stop gambling.
More than half of 14-year old Pacific youth were found to have gambled before, while nearly four percent of youth studied were problem gamblers.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
Over half of Pasifika mothers studied had gambled with one in 28 identified as problem gamblers.
Auckland University of Technology researcher El-Shadan Tautolo said the incidence of gambling among Pasifika is increasing and needs to be addressed.
"There's also a worrying element of electronic gambling and the availablity of online gambling and mobile apps and those kinds of things is something to be aware of and concerned about," said Dr El-Shadan Tautolo.
The research is part of the longitudinal Pacific Islands Families Study, which is following a group of Pacific children born in 2000 and their parents.
Pokies Photo: 123rf
The study shows more than half of 14-year old Pacific youth were found to have gambled, while nearly four percent of youth studied were problem gamblers.
Over half of Pasifika mothers studied had gambled with one in 28 identified as problem gamblers.
Dr Dan Tautolo, director of the Pacific Islands Family study in NZ Photo: Supplied / AUT
El-Shadan Tautolo said gambling in the Pasifika community needs to be looked at before it seriously impacts families.
"Some of the risk factors for these kind of gambling activities which were around things like being bullied at school was identified as a risk factor, gang involvement or affiliation and of course having a mum who gambled as well," said Dr El-Shadan Tautolo.