According to a recent report compiled by the Government’s Health Promotion Agency and the market research company Nielsen, 50% of New Zealand’s gamblers have participated in less gambling activities than usual during the coronavirus lockdown.
A total of 1,190 New Zealanders over the age of 18 took part in the survey, with 461 (representing 39%) of them confirming to have taken part in some form of gambling since the implementation of the coronavirus lockdown and social isolation measures that were rolled out by the country’s Government in March. According to the results of the report, only 9% of the ones who gambled confirmed that they had gambled more than they usually do, while 41% said there had been no change in their gambling habits over the Covid-19 pandemic.
Half of those who gambled explained that they had participated in less gambling activities than usual during the lockdown.
The report showed that gambling has been pretty much consistent across all age groups. The only significant increase in participation in gambling activities was registered in the 18-24 age group, where 22% of the interviewed individuals confirmed they had gambled with greater frequency than usual.
As far as online gambling is concerned, only 8% of the gamblers revealed that they had used a gambling website or application for the first time during the Covid-19 lockdown. About 33% of the gamblers in the survey shared their gambling habits had remained the same, while 12% reported their gambling online had increased. A total of 24% of the gamblers said they had taken part in less online gambling activities online during the lockdown.
Local People Turn to Online Gambling Due to Lack of Operational Retail Gambling Services
When asked about the reasons that pushed them to gamble online during the social isolation and coronavirus lockdown imposed by the New Zealand’s Government, more than half of the individuals, who had gambled online for the first time during the pandemic, said they did that because the brick-and-mortar premises had not been operational at the time.
Other reasons that have been pointed out for the players’ shift to online gambling were boredom (34%), stress or anxiety (15%), the need to win money (28%). Gambling at the time of the coronavirus lockdown has also been considered a way of socialisation by 16% of the respondents, while 28% of the ones who gambled on the Internet said that gambling helped them relax or switch off from reality.
As previously reported by Casino Guardian, the coronavirus outbreak forced the Government of New Zealand to suspend all horse racing, while the retail sales of Lotto New Zealand were ceased as of March 27th.
The most popular platform for online gambling services during the lockdown was New Zealand’s national lottery MyLotto, with 65% of the gambler having confirmed that they had used its website. Only 19% of the interviewed gamblers said they had used the TAB website, while 16% of the individuals had used 16%. Another 14% of the gamblers had preferred playing at offshore websites.
The report was published only a week after New Zealand’s Government decided to lower its coronavirus alert system to Lever 3, which allowed some amenities and shops to resume operation. The lockdown in the country started on March 25th when Alert Level 4 was imposed.
- Author
Daniel Williams
